Have you always wondered what Christmas is like in Finland? Here we go.
My family celebrates a very traditional Finnish Christmas. The Finns celebrate it on the 24th instead of the 25th. Christmas Eve starts with rice porridge. Who gets an almond hidden in the porridge will have luck for the whole year. My father and us "children" will go to the forest to choose a Christmas tree. One has to dress really warm as it can get down to minus 40º C.
In my village neighbours give each other small homemade presents or products of the house. So on Christmas Eve you go to visit all your neighbours, including animals and elfs (yes, elfs!) or vice versa.
The whole family has a Christmas sauna and after that it is dinner time. The Christmas dinner consists of pork, salads, vegetable bakes, bread and cheese, desserts and gingerbreads, etc.
After dinner we go and open the presents Santa or the house elf have left under the decorated tree. We open the presents all night long and enjoy time together as a family.
Author: Aino Lapila
Date: 1 December 2001