The Real Finnish Christmas

Christmas here is celebrated on the 24th. This was an interesting experience for sure.

The morning of, I went down stairs, had my normal coffee and sat with the family. I have counted in total 3 times where homesickness has hit me. Once a week after I arrived, at the end of my first month, and after breakfast. 

And homesickness in the truest form. Of course yes I miss my mom and penut butter, but its different from the earth shaking sadness which racks your body. It takes it out of you. And this in not a poor me sob story, more like documentation. I am not going to sugar coat life here. Its tough. And after coffee I missed home. 

I get called to go to midday porridge. This is when we went to my host grandparents house and had a nice meal. Boy, was my finnish tested. The person who gets the almond in the porridge gets good luck (at least I think that's it.) It was my host father!

We came home and had a sauna, surprising huh?! hahah and then all got ready for a very fancy dinner consisting of 13  different fish themed dishes.

I looked up at dinner in one moment and it was all okay. The homesickness wasn't there. It was gone. Like someone snapped their fingers, and it was gone.

It was okay.

We cleaned up. Had coffee (again a surprise) and then all sat down to open gifts.

This is where I can find the meaning of gift giving. I was not expecting to get gifts. In all honesty, they give me a house and food. Like that's a lot. And then I found my name under the tree. My name was there. I am so thankful and I feel so so so so sos os loved. 

We all hung out and messed around, until it was time for bed. I skyped the gang back in the states for a bit. Nothing has changed, still loud, loving, and above all my family. 

I got of skype and crawled into bed. I have never felt this type of love. They care. They care so much. I got a family for Christmas

post eve decoration

All of the many glasses and fish dishes

The yanki tree

all of the decorations

how precious is this house

and how precious is my host grandma

We dressed up to pass out gifts. I was a russian elf named lightsy. What a first

so much laughter, I really adore life

my work of art

mess with ussss

Candles are a huge part of Finnish Culture. look around a finnish home, I bet you my left leg that there are candles

LEO

Such beautiful tables all the time

my mrs.clause.

When the 25th came, we laid around and played board games the whole day. I visited my first host family and went for a walk with the dog. It was so relaxed. I got to sleep in too, first time ever on the 25th.