Yooper - we found it really hard for the first few years but now I think we are all resigned to it - She's ready to 'move on', we are now ready for her to 'move on', and it's all just a matter of time and making her last period on earth as pleasant as possible.
I'm British, but I'm loving the Scnadinavian Christmas traditions and I'm a sucker for non-sentimental, non-cutesy, myths and legends of 'little people' anyway - and so is Granty actually, sheäs a big believer in 'The Borrowers' ..
(Brit realises she'd better scurry off and find another link!)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Borrowers
Granty would convince us children that she really believed in them and had Borrowers in her house! (not that Granty was/is just as scatterbrained as I am in an even more cluttered home, of course!)
It's lovely to chat and to introduce you guys to both Tomte and Borrowers, and to Granty of course!
Helen