When I was a little girl, growing up on a farm in Sweden, my family went to church service at 7 a.m. on Christmas Day morning. In Swedish we call this service Julotta.
My Father readied our sled, pulled by two horses decorated with bells around their necks, and attached two torches, one on each side of the sled.
The skies were clear, dark blue with millions of stars. It was a very cold morning with lots of snow on the ground — perfect sled weather.
We all piled into the sled, mom, my two sisters and dad at the reins. We covered ourselves with a sheepskin blanket. We rode through the woods, listening to the clangs from the bells, feeling warm and cozy under the blankets.
The church was decorated with a Christmas tree and candles in the windows, giving a beautiful picture against the frosted windows. We entered church singing “Stilla Natt” (Silent Night).
When I was a little girl, growing up on a farm in Sweden, my family went to church service at 7 a.m. on Christmas Day morning. In Swedish we call this service Julotta.
