流云小居沉没了好长一段时间。 如再不露面，朋友家人就要登寻人启示了！敷衍的话不多说，都怪本人惰性较别人之多，谁让我是猪年出生的呢！！！
沉没了好长时间，一浮出水面也是圣诞节， 元旦的尾声了。说起圣诞节，也完成了我由 无知－知 －爱－恨－随之 的转变过程。出国之前，对于圣诞节的概念就是红色的圣诞老人给礼物，绿色的圣诞树挂礼物，朋友互相送礼物，大家再玩闹一番便散之！卡片当然少不了。一到元旦，圣诞之即，贺卡如飞，张三李四王麻子，甚至平时看不顺眼的也送，因为总希望别人还卡，收到最多的当然是最有人缘的啦！
2006年第一次在瑞典过圣诞节，让我欣喜若狂。
好多橱窗里摆放的圣诞饰品从来没见过，精致闪亮可爱美丽，让人眼花缭乱，爱不释手。圣诞前夕一星期，卡雷父母家里换上了红白格相间的窗帘布，以及由很多圣诞小天使，灵鹿，小树，小球相间成不同图案的桌布，小圆桌垫，小方花垫…… 家里的墙壁不知什么时候多出了很多丰富的挂画，每幅画都让我驻留良久，细观其中的变数！门梁被绿枝包围，挂上了小球。大门吊上了一个由枯枝，松球，苹果，肉桂，铃铛扎成的大花环。桌上多出了很多蜡烛，浪漫无比的盆景，以及站着，睡着，翻着跟斗，抽着烟斗的圣诞老人和小天使。当然也少不了每家自制的大姜饼屋，小姜饼人，以及果仁，各式水果，各色巧克力，和十多种自制的糖果。圣诞前夕卡雷爸爸买回一棵高及屋顶的圣诞树，不到一眨眼功夫，树下堆满了五花八门的礼品。如把所有礼品纵向摆放，和那棵圣诞树的高度不相上下。
当然圣诞大餐是少不了的。圣诞火腿，肉丸，香肠，沙拉，土豆，面包，脆饼，起司…… 眼及之处，肚子饱已。
第一次在一个以圣诞为传统的家庭里度过，虽然礼物收到的并不多，但圣诞对我已具有了新的生命。圣诞和中国的春节不相上下，是属于家庭节日，和朋友无关。送礼也是家庭成员之间的慰问，朋友之间贺卡，邮件足已。一家人团聚在一起，吃饭，喝咖啡，说笑聊天，分发礼物，感受惊喜，共当忧愁，谈天南到地北，论政治到科学…… 谈家之道，其乐融融。
2007年的圣诞节让我期待不已。虽然要准备一个大家庭的礼物剩是辛苦，白纸单上列满了密密麻麻的人名，荷包里的纸张还不及名单那么长。于是抄家动手，大干一翻，把读书时做手工的本领拿来哄哄西方人。礼物准备好之后就是无限的期待，期待那些让我目不暇接，五光十色的圣诞产物。当然还期盼自己能收到很多礼物。果然不出所料，大大小小总共20份，拆礼物时双手齐下。
这一年让我留意到的是瑞典的露西亚节（St. Lucia’s Day），圣诞节前十天12月13日。露西亚本只是一个传说，现在却是瑞典每年圣诞前夕必备的节日，就像为圣诞准备的一份开胃菜。露西亚的传说有很多种，我知道最简单的一种：露西亚是公元四世纪意大利西西里的一名圣女，她美丽善良，一心信奉上帝。一双明媚动人的眼睛吸引了一名异教贵族男子，面对贵族的求婚，露西亚誓死不从，异教徒放言要烧死露西亚，露西亚向神祷告，奇迹出现，大火中的露西亚毫发未损。男子恼羞成怒，拔出剑刺中露西亚的胸膛。
露西亚的名字源于拉丁语LUX，是光的意思。瑞典11到12月份，白天一天比一天短，实属郁闷。瑞典人民庆祝露西亚节也有在黑暗漫长的冬夜企盼光明和希望的意思。传说一些瑞典老人称在12月13日的早晨可以看到身穿白衣，头戴花冠的露西亚在冰封的湖面上走过，给教区送来饼干和饮料。在瑞典家庭里，露西亚这一天，由一个女孩拌成露西亚(Luciabrud)，身着白色长袍，束红腰带，头顶插着白色蜡烛的花冠。身后伴随着女孩子们(tärnor伴娘)，男孩子头戴尖冒，叫星童(stjärngossar)。他们会给大家唱歌，带来光明。
2007年的圣诞，给我带来了欢喜，但也伴随着无限的惆怅，忘却不了身在异乡为易客，每逢佳节倍思亲啊！想起远方的亲人朋友，倍感神伤！什么时候我也能让家里的老人享受一下圣诞节，给他们送上一份礼物？
2008年的圣诞节已由欢喜变成了一个包袱。卡雷家里数不尽的亲朋好友，只能让我掏出不多的私房钱，购买这算不到尽头的礼物，心里不禁怨恨起圣诞来。这些礼物可以够我买好几筒油漆，或添置厨房的地板了！
本来对圣诞节，心里还怀有一丝丝的期盼，一天早晨被卡雷妈妈的一方说话也扑灭了。那天不知不觉心里突发一丝兴奋，开始追问卡妈妈要怎样准备今年的圣诞节？圣诞老人由谁来扮演？不知不觉发现她眼中的惆怅和说话的犹豫。她告诉我其实她们家是不崇拜圣诞老人的，所以从小她也不对孩子传述有关圣诞老人的故事。后来问卡雷关于圣诞老人，他说：圣诞老人其实来源于芬兰，是身穿绿色衣服的老者，后来由可口可乐公司渲染为红色。传说中的圣诞老人会来到乡下的农场，农场的农民要给圣诞老人准备食物。送食物的圣诞老人会祝福他，不送食物的圣诞老人会诅咒他！原来当今孩子们心目中的偶像公公还有这样一个匪夷所思的背景。
卡妈妈还说圣诞节浪费了大量的人力，物力资源。现代人的攀比之风处处可见，不仅购买大量的圣诞物品装饰品，还做这么奢华的大餐和油腻的糖果，最后只能吃不完，全扔掉。而主办方不仅花钱，还累得头晕眼花，百病全收。
当然，08年的圣诞还是有惊喜的，收到了一些比较心宜的礼物，不多却实际！拆礼物的同时，心里想着09年的圣诞又会是什么样子？当然，礼物是要送的，既来之，则安之！重要的是运用头脑，化无形为有形，化无意为有意。希望以后的圣诞节能让年轻人减少一份奢华，为老一辈减轻一份负担，更重要的是宣扬家庭的温暖！
以下是我收到的一部分圣诞礼物，和大家分享！有卡雷送的电子缝纫机，卡雷妹妹安娜全家送的微化饼机器，妹妹爱米送的烤盘，爸爸妈妈送的漂亮的牛油刀，妹妹卡琳全家送的桌布，妹妹爱尔莎送的白色丝绸桌布，弟弟sven全家送的围巾！还有其他的一部分礼物忘记拍照了，有卡雷送的黑色外套，缝纫剪刀，弟弟桑米尔送的冬袜，弟弟Josef送的画！
Mike S.
. Best, Clive
Hi Linn,
Well, I read (and read again) two translations, and I think you write in quite high Chinese, for the translators have a lot of trouble this time. Even so, I think I understand almost all of what you say.
What to answer, from someone who had as traditional a Norse Christmas growing up, has taken a while.
One thing that occurs to me is that the Christmas festival is about at least two things. One is light – the light of photographs and paintings, brought to every person by the candles and Christmas lights and most of all by the reflective and luminous ornaments, the balls you mention especially.
Do you know that in Switzerland, it is very common for people to put some kind of ball ornament or other silvery item in their window up high in the house, to have the extra touch of light through all the months, particularly the dark ones, of the year? They love the reflections and the sparkle, and the luminous colors far south of Scandinavia also, and I used to really enjoy that they do, as I noticed these ornaments often in walking around Basel.
Another thing is the food, the feasting. Well, food is a way of having something nice, and of having satisfaction. This is ancient in cultures, surely. I remember the festivals in Korea, and food at the center of every one. I think think this Northern European festival of my own family is not different, and being almost hungry a bit for some moments this year, I appreciate it even more for what it is. It is a time when you do not have to worry about food, when you can enjoy having more than enough food, whether the reason for hunger other times is poverty, or whether it is dieting for our feeling we should be slim. And it is a wonderful relaxation and fine feeling for nearly anyone, to eat a little more than enough, and especially of such nice food.
I remember the Christmas cookies and little cakes my Grandmother and Mother would make, with such love and enjoyment. Knowing how we would enjoy them, and how good they were. Real Norwegian sweets.
Now, presents. Well, I can appreciate the ‘rat race’ as we might call it of Christmas buying; and I felt in your description of Carl’s Mother’s reaction that you have a fine literary eye, should write stories, as I suspect you do. That was very well seen and said, even across translation. And so was your description of Carl himself, with a little Skandic male distance talking about how things started in Finland with the Santa, and the truth of Coca Cola’s part in the cultural myth taking such hold — and becoming red!
This is a complex thing, though, this Western-cultured time of buying and giving. We make life itself, and express what we might not, in some of this giving. Whether we buy, or make ourselves as some do, it is the giving which is important, the thought for the person. I look at all the beautiful things given to you, which are for the proper and cultured and beautiful Swedish home, and think they are very thoughtful in their intention. They invite you, in fact, in this long and proper journey you and Carl make, and your family with them also makes, as far as someone outside can seem to appreciate and see.
Mixed feelings are nothing new to Western outlook, and certainly not new to Scandinavian life, especially in such a nice and thoughtful and educated family, and one as independent of mind. How to mix individualism’s separations, and warm hearts of family and friendship and also solidarity — these are some of the long-term and central challenges of Scandinavian and in general European culture, which has no fewer complexities or historic by-roads than any in Asia, where you know I have roots also, so feel I can say it.
Saying all of these things, I appreciate pretty well, having been young and of some penetration of mind as you have, once myself, how you want to penetrate these customs and find something of a more artistic directness. This is the feeling I find, anyway, in what you’ve said in its whole.
I sympathize with this, then, as well of course as with your interesting paths in building relationship with all around Carl and his family, this Sweden you have come to encounter.
What I could suggest to you is a little on the side of subtlety. Subtlety is found a good many places in the world; and not least, in so many aspects we recognize best of art itself — or personal, human relationship itself. Things are both what they seem, and not what we seem. Wherever we begin from, we humans show over and over that we are all full of enough intelligence to be truly complicated, truly intricate in our knowledges and our acts and our responses. The vast simplicities of news programs, much school teaching, popular books and media, and especially of ideologies are never enough to begin on what persons and their possibilities really are.
Simplicity is just not an answer. Even when we are very direct, we are almost never simple. It’s something we can intend, but later have to smile as we understand how we could never have obtained it.
In so many facets of the life I see through yours and Carl’s articles, this family who you befriend, and friends as you have like Xiao Gang and Maria, are very far from simple. Their faces and their stories resonate with all kinds of things each individual can be. That is also our human yearning, to be these many things. There are many ways to integrate this, many paths into maturing, and I think any that preserve this many-ness are very good ways; ways that appear if distinctly in every culture. Surely China has them, and Korea I know, and Skandic countries, and America (yes). And others I am just as sure.
Can we have the simple, the appreciation of family warmth, of our intimate awareness which may not be spoken of the breadth and depth of substance in each other, as you ask for near the end?
I must say that I think, yes, of course. We have this in fact, as soon as we wake ourselves, and let our view extend, and see how each person, in their following of customs and practices of culture, is also acting as a person free. It is a compromise, a moving one, a dance. No one position is absolute, in any health person. We do our acts in the cultural side for its ability to communicate a shared purpose with others, a _context_ which we inhabit with them. Where it is as nice a context as Scandinavian Christmas, we are likely to much enjoy it to the extent we can just accept it. And also to laugh, or even be a bit serious as Carl and his mother were, about its faults. But still have this way during a time with others. Then we have our paradox in a very nice way, because the time also lets us that much more free to have what you express you want most of all, the appreciation of persons. I am sure you see this, Linn.
Well, this is very long, and I am not sure how much you get to practice your English along with the Swedish, but I very nicely imagine you understanding it just as well as I understood your poetic Chinese, for it is a little in its corner. We both write poetry, after all.
A fine smile, Linn. Thank you for writing as you did. And don’t think I miss anything, having experience myself of long living across cultures. I just liked to approach it this way, for today.
Best to you, Linn, and to Carl, and to his fine parents who I ever more enjoy, and the fine family they raise, and all raise each other together. Maria and Xiao Gang also.
p.s. That got very long, and somehow the paragraphs I wrote don’t show very well. I hope you can read it.
One more thing I thought of would be to view at least the last half of the feature film version of Ingmar Bergman’s famous Fanne og Alexandr. Here you can find a Christmas scene, complete with following grandmother around a kind of dance with the Christmas tree, and appreciate a life it came from. But also then, mysteries. The Jewish man himself, who is good friends and likely more with the grandmother; and the mysterious Ishmael character, who I think you would appreciate. Don’t ask me why I connect all this to what I wrote above, as I am not sure I can or want to explain it
. But maybe in the sense of things being never simple, and Europe itself – never simple. It has cultures and customs, yes. But these are always very historical mixtures, which is often hidden — and within that hiding, and in any present, there is far more mixture, far more entrance of something besides any ‘clear, direct customs’, than you ever can think. Hence to enter as you or I would, Linn, is more a real custom itself than anyone recognizes, is the most historic of all. And then we can reach for a more full understanding of humanity found everywhere; and in preserving the opportunity and the actual openness, along with its resistance also, of Europe — and to make a leap we should, of China.
Best again,
Clive
Linn, my Dear dear Linn. I think I need to give you a huge hug when I return home (at work now, listening to Coldplay in the background) and I just read the translation of this text about Christmases and your wonderful description of everything, small details that only you would see and makes my heart bleed, close to shed a tear.. In the translation it’s all becoming more sad with time, 2008 was more or less the year of which you (we) really should have been home in Dali with your loved ones. I really hope that the translation is not always correct, that would be very sad.
I want to put us in a Helicopter right now and go straight back to Dali and spend lots of times with people we love and long for! Helicopter might be bad idea, needs refuelling too often. A jet? Yeah a Jet is better! (if you have airport in Dali, I think you have)
When I think about China it’s all greatly glorified. I think about Jack, Simson, Mr Ma, Ping Pong, and all the students that I know that now are spread all over China and probably impossible to find well – I miss them all deeply! Even the old guard of TC/G Nordica which name I forgot – Oh how I want to sit down and talk some more about life with him. And don’t get me started about food – thick rice noodle goat soup – all these small dishes, your ants special meat (Honey and stuff) aaaahhhhhh… it’s tooo much ti think of – But I guess traffic, and finding a way of making money etc would take a way some of the glory when finally there.. Reality would find it’s way.
We did make it last time!
I did live in Kunming for a little more than three years and the last two without any support! crazy.
I’m ready when you are. Wo ai ni!
亲爱的，可爱的，你终于出现了啊！想念的时候，就常常看你的美图，这下子突然有了惊喜。新的一年，要幸福快乐！要健康平安！要越来越美丽！希望可以在你回昆明的时候，见到你！亲亲！
老妹：
你终于有消息了，明知道有那么多的亲人朋友，喜欢一来到流云小屋就看到有关你的消息，你还玩“潜水”！
现在好了，知道你最近一切都好，放下了心~~
什么时候回来看看你的小侄子啊？？
I know, I am always speaking too much with complication; and also recommending films to see or books to read. But with good reasons – as the author I am going to recommend has said, some things need really to be told in metaphor, for there is no better language to use.
So, I recommend a story to you both somehow, if it is not too much trouble to read. It is the middle shot novel in this book at Amazon – called Planet of Exile. It is not a complicated story, but it is very well told, and two persons of different cultures find their way together.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Worlds-Exile-Illusion-Ursula-Guin/dp/0312862113
I have long liked this story, and read much of it again this early afternoon, for an hour or two, in the library.
Nice thoughts to you both,
Clive
Hi Clive,
The book sounds very interesting, plus I want to charge myself a little bit resently, so it´s not a bad ideal at all!!!
I like to read your comments and please forgive me because I don’t reply so often! I understand what you said and very often feel what you feel…it’s just…my language lose colour in front of yours…. but I promise I enjoy myself a lot to read your comments.:)
YES!!! You are always speaking a lot… and I like that!!!
Best for you!
Liu Dongyun
老姐，
回来的日子不远啦！打算今年夏天就回来看你们！！！！天哪！ 好想家啊！
冬云
王瑜，
你好贴心哦！
好想你啊！不知道你最近怎么样？
新房子住得舒服吗？有没有打算要步上婚姻的殿堂了?
yun
Hi Linn
I looked today, and found your very nice reply. I understand you very well, don’t worry. But also would say, please don’t think your language loses anything compared to mine. And, you could write to me in Chinese, you know, and I will put it through the translator. I remember a girl who used to do that to me in Korea, a friend (she showed she might want to be more). It was very enlightening for me to read her notes in her language. So anyway, it’s another way, if you like it sometime, and I am sure I would. Someday I will tell you about the letter my actual girlfriend from Korea wrote…that is a story….! Character abounds
and we older ones have met it a few times too, probably have it also 
.
Best again, and thanks, Linn, a pleasure to hear you,
Clive
呵呵~
终于把你给盼回来了~~
回来要第一时间通知我噶！！
静侯佳音~~
我刚刚从龙陵过春节回来。同样是团圆的日子、忙碌的日子、琐碎而温馨的日子，和你眼中的圣诞节一模一样！或许全世界都重视这么一个特别的节日吧，虽然名称各异、形式有别，关键是家人的团圆和亲情的交融。
你那些细细的描述，总是让我想起你的样子。可惜不能在瑞典送你几桶油漆。
等你回来的时候，一定不要忘记在昆明为我们几个停留。
哈囉！冬冬近來可好？
你真把大家的頸都盼長了啦！這麼就才更新你的blog。
喜歡這個新的界面，很不一樣的感覺。
和美國房東還有她太太都有約定，不過聖誕。lol
他們都覺得聖誕都已經商業化了，花一大堆的金錢和時間換些都不知道親友是否喜歡的禮物，這太浪費了，尤其在這經濟非常期更應該節約才對。
非常贊同。lol
但是在08的聖誕我心血來潮的弄了蛋糕送他們換來的卻是一部KitchenAid的stand mixer，不知道該是歡喜還是難過，心裡頭總覺得這個驚喜也未免太昂貴了，想不接受卻擔心他們會怎樣想，最後收下了卻告訴他們說“這不是我的，是我們的，我們一起用”。lol
hi Jean,
好久都没有你的消息，不知道你好不好？
可能是因为我自己很长时间都没去爱厨的缘故，真是惭愧！
由于工作和家里的缘故，拍照和手工都被我抛到九霄云外了，自己的blog也好长时间没有打理，有点伤心！
不过看到你来我的blog看看，真是很开心！！！！！
关于礼物，既然是送你的，当然就是你的。不要当心，放心的收下和使用就好了！
阿莲，
好开心看到你来这里。我计划六月或七月回国，到时我们又可以相聚了！ ：）
你又”潜水”!
来了好几次都不见你的消息,忙什么呢?
好想念你~~