Merry Christmas!

Today we went to visit my parents in Porvoo.

It was a gorgeous sunny cold day. The temperature dropped to -22C today!

The Porvoo Cathedral and the Old Town.

The main entrance to the Cathedral.

The bell tower

 I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

The shortest day

The shortest day of the year and the last school day before the Christmas break. It's tradition for the schools here to go to church. Today I had the opportunity to go with Karamalmens skola to the Espoo Cathedral.

The church has been closed due to renovations and this was the first time I've visited after the reopening. Both my girls have been baptized here.

It was a beautiful service. The priest was great with the kids. The service was adapted for the kids and most of them behaved nicely - even if the priest had to tell some of the boys to be quiet and sit still...

The murals in the older parts of the church were painted in the 1510s. They show biblical scenes as well as daily life. At some point the old murals were covered because they were considered too crude and superstitious. During renovations in the 1930s they were uncovered again.

The altar 

The memorial for those who died in the war for their fatherland.

Lucia celebration

Part of Karamalmens skola 5A & 5B

Ronja (in the middle with light blue shoes)

Lucia or St. Lucy's Day is celebrated on December 13th, she is believed to have been a Sicilian saint, one of the few saints celebrated in Finland.

Lucia is a  tradition mainly among the Swedish speaking population in Finland. The Lucia of Finland is crowned in the Helsinki Cathedral, but almost every town with Swedish speaking population has its own Lucia.

Lucia is also celebrated in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Latvia, Estonia and some other countries.

The traditional Santa Lucia is sung while entering. Sometimes the Lucia legend is read. After that some Christmas carols are sung. Usually Santa Lucia is sung again while going out.

They were great! They have several performances next week. The main event is the Christmas celebration at their school on Wednesday.

St. Thomas Christmas Market

First some details of the Christmas window at Stockmann in Helsinki.

It's a little different every year and it's always fun to see. 

 The annual St. Thomas Christmas Market is taking place in the Esplanade Park.

We didn't have any snow at all this time last year. You can see some pics here.

The Senate Square is full of snow piles.

The snow covered Helsinki Cathedral.

Independence Day

Today we are celebrating our Independence Day. Since we haven't been invited to the Independence Ball at the Presidential Palace (the invitations must have gotten lost in the mail!?!), we are enjoying a quiet day at home doing as little as possible together.

It's been snowing the whole day. I actually dusted of my knitting needles and some yarn and started knitting a scarf. Thick yarn, big needles and easy pattern = perfect to do while watching the telly. The girls are fighting over who's going to get the scarf once it's finished. I have more of the same yarn in another color. Looks like I'll have to knit another scarf.

Christmas gift for myself...2

Silver dragonfly charm earrings (animal spirit collection) - dragonfly breeze

In Japanese art and poetry the dragonfly symbolizes happiness and prosperity. These delicate creatures are able to see through illusion, and like the winds of change, offer the promise of wisdom through discovery and growth. With fluttering wings in the breeze, dragonflies allow for the authentic soul to emerge and celebrate the potential for enlightenment.

Silver tree charm earrings (nature inspired collection) - tree of life

Throughout history, trees have come to symbolize our sense of connection and feelings of belonging to this world. Strong branches radiating out towards the sky and determined roots reaching deep into the soil, trees are bridges connecting our physical realm to the spiritual. Daily trees care for our lives, providing shelter, protecting humans and animals from fearsome elements, and offering both beauty and sustenance. It is no wonder that many cultures have shared the tree as a metaphor for the female principle of regeneration and nourishment, where yearly we witness its grand opera of birth and decay. Along with this cyclical story, trees carry ancient wisdom concerning our bonds to this environment. Living beyond the mere lifespan of creatures, trees tell stories of wealth, tragedy, and fortitude. They are the keepers of the earth’s myth of creation, binding all families into one unifying and nurturing voice.

Beth Hemmila was having a -50% sale on some items in her Etsy store, Hint. I just had to get the earring pairs above, right?!?

Christmas gift for myself...

Pierced and sawn leafy copper tree earrings with stamped leaves, with a hand painted patina on each tiny leaf.

Handsawn reversible copper trees of life pendant which measures 1.25" in diameter not including the bail. The back of the pendant is the silhouette of the tree without leaves, so there is a winter side and a spring side!

There's many treasures to be found in Beth Millner's Etsy shop.