The 'more' was it is the first time I talked with Leona about Christmas and celebrating Christmas and the giving (and more importantly the receiving) of gifts - that after the holidays when she went back to kindergarten, the kids would probably be talking about all the stuff they had received for Christmas, and that she might be a bit bummed that she didn't receive lots of gifts like they did - my thought was that we'd not be having any gifts.
But later Judge and I talked about it together, and he brought up an excellent point that since we live here and it is part of the overall culture, that we should get them a present as well, so that they could take part in the social discussions - a part of their community.
And then, later that same day, we received a package in the mail with presents for them, and so rather than opening them right away like they wanted, we decided we would save them for Christmas Eve, since they were Christmas presents.
A few days later, on Leona's last day at kindergarten before the holidays, she brought home three Christmas presents for the family. So early in the morning on Christmas Eve, after Leona having counted down to the big day, we opened the presents. The presents from Leona were Christmas tree decorations she had made, a glass-jar tea-candle lantern she had made, and a 2016 calendar with pictures of Leona that the kindergarten had taken, drawings/decorations by her, and art projects she's done. What an awesome surprise.
So there were presents.
Another 'more' was for Leona in kindergarten, besides making the presents, they also made gingerbread cookies, were told baby Jesus' birth story and then dressed up and acted it out, and other Christmas related activities. At first I didn't feel too comfortable with the fact that they were telling baby Jesus' birth story and acting it out, but after talking it through with Judge I became ok with it, because it is not proclamation but just teaching a part of Christian history, and since this is common core knowledge in Norwegian society it allows Leona to know what people are talking about around her.
The kindergarten kids also went to church on the Friday before Christmas, with the school children, for a "school religious services"...what is it called when Christians go to church on Sundays? Mass? So a special Christmas mass for school kids held during school hours. Since Friday is not one of Leona's kindergarten days we didn't have to specifically say she was not going to participate. I did ask what the alternative was for those who do not participate, and there was none that the teacher I asked knew about...I don't think they had thought about it really, as up until now I don't think any kids either in kindergarten or the school don't participate. With all the new refugees in the village this will definitely be an important point for the school and kindergarten to address for next year though, in my opinion. For us, it is something that does make us feel uncomfortable, as it crosses the boarder between just learning about a religion and proclamation.
The 'less' was we didn't have a special big dinner on Christmas Eve with all the Christmas dinner foods like we have had the other years we've been in Norway on this day. Instead we had it when my friends arrived before new year.
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