I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas – a true Arne Weise Christmas where his raspy voice led us into Disney commercials in the afternoon and was almost the highlight of Christmas for us children, and the longest Disney movies most of us had seen.
Otherwise, I had a few cassette tapes and records with The Jungle Book, Robin Hood with picture books, and beyond that, there was “Storpotäten”, Clownen Manne, and Trazan and Banarne – it would actually need to be investigated how much of our childhood traumas Staffan Westerberg is behind.
It has always amazed me how we could only produce Televinken when the USA had an absolute flood of Disney movies – Steam Boat Willy is from 1928.
The citizens obediently adjusted the Christmas buffet so the children could catch “Donald Duck’s Christmas”, and Karl-Bertil Jonsson, which quite a few adults thought was really fun.
In the family, we continue with the same Christmas tradition I grew up with (minus the TV even though I tried, but everything is available on a tablet anytime now so the magic is a bit gone) and just like when I was little, we are too tired so we only choose the family with either grandparents sometimes jumping around between their children – they can come whenever they want.
It almost became wintry with a bit of cold – thanks to the weather gods.
I hope you have a good Christmas in the constellation you have – there is always someone or something for everyone.
God helps those who help themselves, as some old king said to start an attack, but the Ukrainian shooting certainly has all good and bright with them in the background even though it has probably been quite heavy at times and the ultimate sacrifices for many.
To ignite the deep popular support in Europe, citizens need to understand that it’s our turn – then the warmest pats on the back and congratulations will wash over Ukraine because few are eager to spend a few years soaking wet in muddy trenches on the Eastern Front and have disability, death, or abyssal captivity as the only options on the bingo card. People will then generously give their approval, support, and probably donate more so that Ukraine can continue to die for us.
Right now, large groups still do not care, giving politicians the illusion that they don’t need to care either – the Ukraine war is the prelude to our era’s global conflict and now that it’s Christmas, one should write that it still hangs in the balance, and that there is hope.
Sweden as a country is well-prepared – we absolutely despise the Russian bastards and until 1990 had a tradition of being prepared for a total war like the one Ukraine is now fighting, and that flame is not completely extinguished yet even though some want to make it seem that way.
At every major crossroads in history, it has looked like this, except perhaps for the First World War when everyone was armed to the teeth and just waiting for the match to be lit so they could start fighting, and then everyone got stuck immediately and began digging in.
The Second World War caught Europe completely off guard and we were overrun in months even though everyone knew that Hitler was looking for suitable victims – people simply didn’t want to believe that someone could behave like that, and then they didn’t understand the new capability they were forced to confront before it was too late. The willingness to die was also quite low and the number of surrendering units was high.
When the Soviet Union considered starting a war against us in 1980, the navy was in a terrible state so they had to build up their anti-submarine warfare capability from scratch. Technicians and officers who, if they were lucky, got to take a course and then inquire among private companies to try to figure out how to detect Russian submarines underwater.
In 2022, Europe just stood gaping despite Putin already in 2007 in Munich telling everyone exactly what he had planned for us.
Now in 2025, our leaders have had an extremely difficult time understanding that it’s our turn until we put our foot down – so the Russian DNA strand is rigged and that’s what all empires do, they expand until they hit a wall, but now they probably hit that wall.
In times like these, citizens complain and feel overwhelmed by bad luck, and then some will end up in the eye of the storm.
During WW2, there were five long years where everything was turned upside down, in Europe, you were either occupied or fighting on different sides.
Those who served came from where they came from, just like we do, and one day everything was uprooted and they got a new life that went on for five long years until suddenly they had to come home and readjust.
This was a bit before all the PTSD diagnoses, but a country like Ukraine has a national trauma to process for many generations to come.
Since we are close to Finland, we are familiar with their post-war trauma after 1944 and onwards, Ukraine is probably similar.
It may eventually come to pass that Europe goes to war with a largely voluntary or employed elite, and where the European man, woman, or other gender identities have the choice to serve or not, and that there is also a civilian life to live.
It would be welcome if it turns out that way – a bit like the USA during WW2, manageable.
I have been working internationally since 2006, after leaving Sweden in 1999 for university studies, and I now have the habit of moving around and only seeing Sweden occasionally – you don’t really belong anywhere in the end but can settle anywhere. I think that’s how you feel after five years of war but also a package deal with insomnia, panic attacks, and alcohol problems on top of that, where I only have two out of three.
We have learned how a great despot is born and grows up, and now understand how the phenomenon of Hitler could happen.
Furthermore, we understand 1938, how Europe could be overrun in 1939-1940 and how deceitful the USA is.
Russia is just as they have always been and we need a burning hatred of the Russians for generations to come in order not to lose our guard – the defense forces must ensure this in their training.
China is a bit new, but I would argue that my 20 years of work with Chinese entrepreneurs has given me a unique insight into the dark Chinese soul, and I am sure that they will transform into something very unpleasant in a galaxy near us – national pride and belief in the superiority of their own race will blind them to completely overdo everything.
We didn’t get a perfect start, but you never do in global conflicts, and as soon as it starts, the war takes on a life of its own.
Now, in the coming years, Europe should try to ignite some continental pride and a willingness to “kill the reds” again so that the recruitment offices don’t echo completely empty.
If things go badly, we may return to national mobilizations and even we may end up standing there, fiddling with an over-greased AK4 in zero-degree drizzle at some storage depot in the forests of Sörmland, even if we may be too old for the Eastern Front unless the next government realizes that it would do wonders for the budget to send all the elderly off as walking mine clearers.
The only thing we can say for certain is that Ukraine has bought us the time we desperately needed to catch up, and during this holiday season, we dedicate an extra thought to them and the sacrifices they have been willing to make.
Everyone talks about the Chinese dragon or the Russian bear, but what is now being awakened in Europe is a force of nature that has been difficult to stop before. If it is directed in the right direction and without being completely power-hungry, the world will become a better place to live in. But perhaps we should not forget that every time we have tried before, we have ended up in the ditch.
Don’t forget to donate to those you trust for the sake of Ukraine (which is also our cause) – and if you have anything extra, MXT always welcomes a donation at johanno1.se, and I myself welcome a paid subscription to Substack. We write voluntarily but keep fighting despite the total failure with the ads on the site.
Ukraine’s cause is ours ✊💥😡
Don't forget to donate, Ukraine's cause is ours! Support Ukraine!
What do you mean by failure for the advertisement? That it’s annoying and irrelevant may be true, but doesn’t it pay anything?
Merry Christmas everyone!
Merry Christmas!
I was surprised when it comes to the ads, they only bring in around 300 – 350 SEK per month.
I actually thought it would generate significantly more, but the thing is that ads only generate money when someone actually clicks on them, and nowadays many people also have ad blockers installed in their browsers so there are probably many who don’t even see them.
When I let Google do as they pleased and the ads were really annoying and ended up in the way, it was about double, but they were so disruptive that it wasn’t worth it.
I guess I’ll have to click on a few then.
We in Sweden and other countries that are fortunate enough not to be at war have all the conditions to celebrate the perfect Christmas with loved ones.
However, many people feel unwell during Christmas. The lonely ones who have no one to celebrate Christmas with, children in broken families where alcohol ruins everything, etc. I send them an extra thought today and hope that they too can have a nice Christmas.
Of course, I also hope that all Ukrainians can have a moment of peace and a break from the war. Unfortunately, Russia seems to do everything they can to destroy it. The nightly attacks have unfortunately intensified in the past few days.
That being said:
I wish you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Russia’s losses in the war in Ukraine on 2025-12-24:
SLAVA UKRAINI
1031 UAVs is a new record, previously at 743. A sign that Russia has increased the intensity of its attacks.
126 combat clashes
160 KAB
4341 shelling (105 from MLRS)
7601 kamikaze drones
The drones are a new record, previously at 7000 (Apr 14, 2025)
Merry Christmas and thank you for your interesting and educational posts.
My first Christmas at sea in 1969 I remember as if it were yesterday. Did they even have Christmas buffets at sea at all? Starboard and port and maybe (man) overboard were expressions one had heard of, but Christmas buffet was surely not a nautical term.
We had a Spanish head chef and a Danish second chef who had sailed on Swedish boats for a long time and really knew their job. The steward (hawk) was from Stockholm. Otherwise, we were 33 men on board plus 8 passengers. Here, everything was served from ham, lutefisk, pig’s feet, homemade jellies, hot dishes, salads, etc. All herring was kept in ice sockets to retain the cold. The ship’s emblem was carved out of ice by the steward and was illuminated by small lights all around. Salmon and eel were not missing. But where was the kale? Me, being from Halland, was raised with this delicacy, but I didn’t dare to ask. At 16, it was important not to ask silly questions. I didn’t know then that kale is a very local dish, perhaps only eaten in southwestern Halland, a bit into Småland, and northern Skåne. I can add that all the food was prepared on board. Even the hams were sugar-salted by the chefs.
I just want to say that the rumors about us playing card games in the mess hall towards the early hours of the morning are not true. It never happened. 🤫
Merry Christmas to all.
Merry Christmas and thank you for your stories from life at sea! Always equally fun/interesting to be a part of.
Impressive that they managed to put together a really nice Christmas table on board, even though the Brussels sprouts were missing.
“⚡️Russian rubber plant catches fire after reported attack in Tula oblast, locals say. A synthetic rubber factory in Russia’s Tula region was attacked and caught fire overnight on Dec. 24, according to local residents and regional officials.”
https://kyivindependent.com/russian-rubber-plant-catches-fire-after-reported-attack-in-tula-oblast-locals-say/
“One strike. Two Grads gone. Two Russian BM-21 “Grad” multiple launch rocket systems were destroyed in a single strike. Every launcher destroyed means fewer rockets fired at civilians.”
https://bsky.app/profile/meanwhileua.bsky.social/post/3mapekg6c3o2i
Thank you for today’s post Johan No.1!👍👍👍
Thank you very much MXT and Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas to all of you – karma caught up with Trump ✊✊🤩🤩
👍 Merry Christmas! We keep our fingers crossed that it will also catch up with Putin!
Thank you Johan for your post. Sober and forward-looking. A real Christmas present!🎁
Quoting Meloni 🇮🇹
“2025 was a difficult year, but don’t worry, because the next one will be even worse”,
“2025 was a difficult year for all of us, but don’t worry: next year will be much worse.”
💥 The successful hit of drones on the gas processing plant in Orenburg has been confirmed. All roads to the scene are blocked. The Orenburg gas processing plant is one of the largest in the world and is of key importance for the Russian gas industry.”
https://bsky.app/profile/maks23.bsky.social/post/3mapvm7eh5s2i
Significantly down on all fronts except Huliaypillia.
N Slobozhansky-Kursk 1↘️
S Slobozhansky 4↘️
Kupyansk 6↘️
Lyman 5↘️
Slovyansk 1↘️
Kramatorsk 0
Kostjantynivka 16💥↘️
Pokrovsk 34💥💥↘️
Oleksandrivskij 8↘️
Huliaypillia 17💥↗️
Orikhivsk 2↘️
Prydniprovskij/Dnipro 2↘️
Sum sectors 96↘️🇷🇺
Unlocalized 30↘️🇺🇦
Total 126↘️
👍
Zelensky’s peace plan, in 20 points.
1. Confirmation of Ukraine’s sovereignty.
2. An agreement on non-aggression between Russia and Ukraine, monitoring on the contact line.
3. Security guarantees.
4. The number of the Armed Forces of Ukraine – 800 thousand people in peacetime.
5. The USA, NATO and Europe will provide Ukraine with security guarantees, following the example of Article 5. In the event of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – a military response and the restoration of sanctions.
6. Russia will enshrine a non-aggression policy towards Europe and Ukraine in all necessary laws.
7. Ukraine will become a member of the EU on a specified date.
8. A global development package, which will be defined in a separate investment agreement.
9. Several funds will be created to address issues of restoration. The goal is to attract $800 billion.
10. Ukraine will accelerate the process of concluding a free trade agreement with the USA.
11. Ukraine’s nuclear-free status.
12. Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant. There is no compromise. The USA proposes three-party management, where Americans are the main manager. Ukraine’s compromise proposal: USA and Ukraine – 50-50.
13. Educational programs in schools, promoting understanding and tolerance of different cultures, eliminating racism and prejudice.
14. Territories. The most difficult point. One of the options – Russia withdraws from the Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy and Kharkiv regions. In the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions – “we stand where we stand”. Russia wants Ukraine to withdraw from the Donetsk region, the USA proposes a compromise – a free economic zone. If there is no agreement on the formula “we stand where we stand”, then the free economic zone can be adopted only through a referendum. In this case, the entire document needs to be put to a referendum.
15. Russia and Ukraine undertake not to change the agreements by force.
16. Russia will not hinder Ukraine’s use of the Dnieper River and the Black Sea for commercial activities. The Kinburn Spit will be demilitarized.
17. Exchange of prisoners “all for all”, return of civilians, children and political prisoners.
18. Ukraine should hold elections as soon as possible after signing the agreement.
19. This agreement will be legally binding. Its implementation will be controlled by the Peace Council led by Trump.
20. After all parties agree to this agreement, a complete ceasefire will immediately come into effect.
Last day as a substitute Christmas tree seller. 🌲
It’s gotten a bit colder standing here, so I’m wondering about the rules for bonfires in subarea 4? Anyone know?
I’ve been replenishing my ice hockey portfolio gradually, so I haven’t experienced any distress, although I do get headaches in the mornings. Christmas tree seller! Stick to your soda! So today, I’m transitioning to Christmas soda. 🧑🎄
You get to drive a combination of bonfires and rockets. Admittedly, you might scare away customers if you stand there jumping up and down like a lunatic, but maybe better than freezing to death?
Perhaps it’s wise to abandon the helmet like this on Christmas Eve afternoon, I guess you might have the opportunity later today to replenish with other stronger drinks.
Hope the sales have been good?
By the way, saw this article but I assume it doesn’t apply to you and your neighbors!
https://www.dagensps.se/foretag/stjal-for-660-miljoner-helt-okej/
Merry Christmas!
Thank you to all writers for your tireless work in presenting the truth about the major conflicts of our time.
It is a restless and rather peculiar time we live in. The only thing that has unfortunately been constant for the past 500 years is Russia. All other countries have evolved, come together, split apart, etc., but with each change, become a better version of ourselves. The USA is now at a crossroads, whether to continue as a stable democracy or to deteriorate into a dictatorial kleptocracy which ultimately leads to division and civil war. Every step the USA takes backward, someone else moves forward, especially China. Europe should be vigilant here and fill the void left by the USA in this part of the world, before China does.
Merry Christmas and thank you also to you for your comments here on the blog!
Yes, if the USA continues in the direction they seem to have started, the risk is high that they will end up as losers in the end and as you write, China may very well become the winner and Europe should really take the opportunity to try to take over some of the role the USA has had before. Unfortunately, it seems that similar winds are blowing in Europe as well, so we need to be able to resist.
Merry Christmas! Thank you Mxt and Johan for this blog, it brightens my day every day! Also, thanks to everyone else for insights, comments, and updates.
Merry Christmas and thank you for the warming words!
As true as it is said!👍👍👍
I also want to take this opportunity to thank everyone here, both those who contribute content to the blog in the form of comments, but also all of you who never write but are here reading.
The blog would not exist without you! Thank you!
Germany’s far-right AfD accused of gathering information for the Kremlin
Alternative for Germany’s opponents accuse the party of attempting to disclose sensitive information on arms supply routes and drone defenses.
Far-right German politician Ringo Mühlmann has taken a noteworthy interest in exposing information his political opponents say could be of great interest to Russian intelligence.
Using the rights afforded to him as a lawmaker for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the parliament of the eastern German state of Thuringia — where the AfD is the strongest party — Mühlmann has repeatedly asked the regional government to disclose intricate details on subjects such as local drone defenses and Western arms transports to Ukraine.
A lot of the enemy’s activities can take place/take place completely legally. Like when Hitler and the NSDAP used the democratic system and its processes to advance their positions.
Yes, it is one of the disadvantages of democracy, it requires transparency and openness to function, and the system can be abused.
Yes, but here’s the thing, if certain democratic basic principles are built into the system so that they cannot be tampered with, a system with such unshakable principles ultimately puts a stop to a “overthrow” of the system into a non-democratic one. Therefore, it is a quick fix to restrict freedoms in order to possibly counter non-democratic forces. Because no matter how far they reach, they cannot establish an undemocratic order. However, such a quick fix can remove this barrier. Thinking, among other things, of Chat control and other restrictions on freedom of speech. This can actually help to undermine democracy further. It may help in the short term but risks ultimately backfiring. In order for such democratic basic principles and individual freedoms to form a backbone in a state, they must be protected in every way possible, including, procedurally, by law, by police, and by military means.
“❗️Ukraine recently launched 5 Flamingo missiles at Russia: one hit the target, four were shot down by Russian air defenses. The hit rate percentage has improved, – Zelenskyy.”
https://bsky.app/profile/militarynewsua.bsky.social/post/3maq5k7jbps2h
“⚡️ Moscow explosion kills 2 Russian police officers tied to Ukrainian POW abuse, intelligence source says. Ukrainian intelligence sources said the officers had previously taken part in Russia’s war against Ukraine and were implicated in the abuse of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs).”
https://bsky.app/profile/kyivindependent.com/post/3maqbfdpcnk2u
“❗️🇺🇦Ukrainian pilots and ground personnel are preparing to begin training on the 🇸🇪Swedish Gripen fighter jet, – Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Shmyhal”
Merry Christmas everyone!
Especially to the Ukrainians in the trenches and bunkers on the front line!
Glory to Ukraine!
Heroiam Slava!