Joulua: Christmas!

Christmas has been one of the best experiences in my exchange. I know I probably start every post with that, but I felt so happy this Christmas. Christmas started on the 24th, starting with dinner with the family. We had ham, casseroles, potatoes, and lots and lots of fish (Finnish tradition). It didn't feel like Christmas dinner at all; I'm used to squash, okra, honey ham, bread rolls, gravy, green beans, along with an assortment of pies, cakes, and candies made by my grandmother and various aunts. NO FISH! I never knew I should appreciate that before- now I know. Anyway, after we had our candlelit dinner, with my host grandparents and host aunt, we headed for the graveyard, another Finnish tradition. We visited the graves of various family members, clearing snow from their tombstones, and lighting candles. It was very cold outside, so once my family had paid their respects, we headed back home. Once warm at home, we started playing Christmas songs so that Joulupukki, or Santa Claus, would here us calling him. After three songs, Emilia saw someone through the window! He had come to pay us a special visit, right in our home. He came in bearing, not one, not two, but actually five bags full of presents. (No, not those big red ones Coca-Cola portrays Santa with. This Santa had plastic bags from S-Market, the local supermarket.) He settled down in the rocking chair, took Olivia and Loviisa into his lap to hear whether they had been kilti tai tuma (naughty or nice).

Once it was established we had all been very nice this year, he started handing out presents. We all ended up with big piles of packages around us. Santa took his leave then, since he had many more houses to go, and left us to our package opening. I got lots of tights and socks and hats, as well as two books on knitting socks, balls of yarn, and knitting needles. I guess he knew I've been cold!

Once we were done opening all our gifts, the sauna was ready, so we headed for an extra warm sauna. For the rest of the night, we just played with our new toys, and then went to sleep. On Christmas day, we went to my host dad's mother's house, where we had Christmas dinner (number 2). We talked, ate, talked, drank coffee, ate some more, opened presents, had desert, then it was time to go again. The day after Christmas, or Tapaninpäivä, we had morning sauna. Usually morning sauna takes place at 7 in the morning, but considering the fact that we're all late sleepers, we postponed it till 11. So maybe it was more of a lunch-time sauna. After that, though, Christmas celebrations had finally come to a close. I have to say this Christmas has taught me so much about the importance of family, and making people feel welcome. I truly felt like I was a part of the family, and I have learned that I will always have a home in Finland. Considering that, I was really sad to leave my first host family, but, now that I am in my new host family, I have also realized that, as Anu-Rikka (my first host mom) said, I am not losing one family, but gaining another. I was nervous for nothing, and I love my new host family! I'll write more about the transition into this family later, but everything is going really well, and I'm so grateful to have the chance to add three more people- and three cats- to my family!