Stella Stefánsdóttir has already started wrapping the 80 Christmas presents she is giving this year. Stella who is in her nineties and from Akureyri, had 14 children, of whom 13 are still alive. She has 53 grandchildren. All in all she has 137 descendants with 8 new descendants on the way. She told Morgunbladid that she used to make most of the presents, “I used to knit a lot but now I am no good at it any more”. She says that she sticks to giving Christmas presents to her grandchildren and that she enjoys making her grandchildren happy. She says that through the Christmas gifts she keeps in contact with them. “They are good at taking care of their grandmother, they call a lot and visit. I have nothing to complain about, I have enough people around me, and it would be good if everyone could have a part of it.”
She says that Christmas presents are also a thank you for the care she receives, “these things [gifts] are not that important, I am more doing it for myself.”
Stella says that she calls all of her 137 descendants on their birthdays, “I used to remember all the dates but not any more, though it amazing how many I still remember.” She says that she now writes down the dates on a calendar. In the month of December 18 of her descendants have a birthday. “There are never under 10 a month,” says Stella while sending her family and friends a greeting on the Advent.
