This isn't Yule

 It's quarter to five on Christmas Eve afternoon, and I'm miserable. I don't know what is missing, but this isn't Yule. It has been snowing and the weather is wonderful. It's cold and white and glistening and so wintery and Christmassy as one could wish. I'm spending my Yule with my husband in a decorated and clean home, and he's making us the traditional Christmas dinner from his tradition. He's Danish.

I feel so bad. I feel depressed. Where are you, Christmas?

Christmas is supposed to be fun, happy, exciting and cosy time of being together with loved ones, relaxing, and enjoying things. 

I think one of the things missing is my family. It's just me and my husband, and I come from a big family. I'm the youngest of 6 kids, and our extended family (siblings with their spouses and children, and children's spouses and children) is now about 20 people.

We aren't doing anything special during the days leading to Yule. I think I want to watch movies together, do crafts and cook and bake and such things. Have a glögg party and cookie exchange and such things. Bake and decorate a gingerbread house. Have a winter hot chocolate picnic with ice skating. Play in the snow.

I want to sing carols.

I think I want to watch movies every day and do something connected to that. Like, have movie-themed snacks, and do some decoration or activity inspired by the movie.

I think I want to have Elf on the Shelf kind of tradition. I don't like the "official" Elf, because he's a snitch and created to control and manipulate the kids, and that's nasty. 

I want to play games, gather puzzles, and do things like that.