Seasons in Scandinavia: December in Norway and a Lost Forest

It is December already. The streets are covered with ice and my steps produce the dingle, jingle of Santa's sleigh. They're singing a song of frozen asphalt met by shoe spikes. Each steps takes me closer to town. It's been 6 months since we left our tiny paradise on Earth and moved to the big city. The bird songs are replaced by motors roaring and trains passing. 

We are adapting but that doesn't make me happier. I miss my forest, I miss my beaches. I miss the Great Tits that used to wake me up with their songs or even visit me at home.  My first ever post on this blog was about the birds! And now they are nowhere to be seen. 

We used to have this lovely feeder on the balcony where Great Tits and other song birds came to feed a few times a day

I bet you know how I feel. I bet you have all dealt with loss, be it just the loss of a very favorite place. Christmas and snow; lights and cookies are all so very festive but they cannot make up for my lost forest. I cannot even bear to see the thousands of photos I have taken during the past couple of years. 

Today I am going to show you how December looks like in the city. It is still beautiful even though it is very different from the rawness of nature. Hope you are preparing for a very warm and bright Christmas.

There are apples on the trees and the first snow makes them even more beautiful.

The town is getting festive

There are Christmas trees everywhere

And the Christmas markets are abundant.

Here is a smiling angel on yet another Christmas market. This lady is clearly walking the talk!

A lady dressed in the traditional costume of the saami - the indigenous people inhabiting the Arctic area of Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of far northern Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Kola Peninsula of Russia,

Christmas is so much about chocolate, isn't it. A lovely chocolate shop is full to the brim with all types of sweets.

While everyone is busy with Christmas preparation the nearby ski run gets a facelift. Soon we will be skiing again.

And a distant memory of a peaceful place I used to call home. The most popular beach in Norway.

How has December been in your part of the world? Are you getting ready for Christmas and how different is it from last year's?