My Favorite Christmas Pastimes

We are celebrating Christmas at the cottage like last year (we are very soon starting our car journey there, but still lots of packing etc. to do! I have to hurry...). Last year the weather was a lot warmer and we didn't have snow, but this year the odds of having a white Christmas are very good! How will you spend your Christmas?

Pictures from last Christmas:







I love to make Christmassy stuff through all December (if not November, too): to make Christmas decorations, cookies, to think about what presents to give, to listen to Christmas carols, and then to ponder on what to post on my blog's Christmas Calendar. In addition to these, there are some traditions, some my own, some older, that I want and need for Christmas to "happen". And then there's the third category of what I like to do during the holidays. Like watch TV, movies, etc... So if you're wondering what to do during the festive season:

To watch:

• A must-see (like for any Finn): The Snowman (1982)

It is just that I've seen every Christmas since I was 9 or 10 apart from the year I was in Japan. So it's a must-see. I love to style of the animation and the music is just to die for. If you like it, there's a sequel now (The Snowman and the Snowdog). Watch it if you can (I don't know why I feel the story is even sadder than that in the Snowman).

• The Declaration of Christmas Peace in Turku

Every Christmas (ever since ancient times) Finland's old capital declares the Christmas Peace. It is broadcast on TV and also on radio, so you could just listen to it.

• My favorite Christmas movie: Love Actually

It's just too entertaining, funny and full of good actors (Snape! Mr. Darcy! and you cannot not love Hugh Grant with his sad puppy eyes :D). It has just a small Christmas feel, so you could watch it some other time of the year, too, if you are not a total Christmas hater. I love how there's many seemingly stand-alone stories, which then will merge into one actually (no pun intended!). The Brits can certainly make movies! (films? :D)

• The Lord of the Rings trilogy

I don't know if there's anything Christmassy about the LotR saga (elfs vs. elves?), but maybe because the they premiered at Christmas time many many years ago, so I always start to crave for them during the long dark hours of Christmas holidays.

To listen:

I love listening to ballet music (actually any time of year), but during Christmas even more so and especially Nutcracker (favourite parts: Arabian Coffee, Overture, Merlitons, and of course the Waltz of the Snowflakes... among others).

Some of my other (more modern) favorites:
All I want for Christmas is You (by Mariah Carey)
Happy Xmas (War is Over) by John Lennon
Last Christmas by Wham!
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
White Christmas by Bing Crosby
Santa Baby by Eartha Kitt

To do:

• Christmas Eve walk: ever since a teenager I remember taking our dog out for a long walk. When I lived in Tampere, the day was usually snowy, but here in Helsinki it's rarely so. But many times the weather has been quite clear, as if the nature too is preparing for a fest.

• Christmas sauna: between Christmas Rice Porridge and Christmas Eve dinner. I'm actually not a huge fan of sauna, but on Christmas I wouldn't feel refreshed without it.

• The latest tradition: Christmas Church. One adopts new habits from one's significant other and this is one of them. I'm not actually a religious person, but I enjoy the peace, the singing and the feeling of gathering together with lots of people who I don't know but who are relaxed, festive and happy.

Happy Christmas to all of you!






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