Hello from land of santa claus, Finland

[girl_of_advent]

Hi!

Greetings from Finland! I´m girl_of_advent, 29 years old women from Kajaani. I get married in august and at the same time we bought a bigger apartment.

I love christmastime, and i have already start listening christmasmusic. I think christmas is the best time in year.

I´m sorry about my english, hope you understand what i´m writing (i use english so rarely, specially written)

Edit.

Now 31 years old, still married. Now we have a 5months old baby girl named Heta Mimmi Wilhelmiina. (Heta is very old name in Finland) This christmas will be very speciall becouse our baby. I´m home with Heta untill end of february, so i can make speciall christmastime to us.

[Jeff Westover]

Welcome, girl_of_advent!

[kerst]

Warm welcome ! Your English is fine. You'll get better with practice, so place lots of posts !

[Ms_Speedy_Elf]

:hi: and :welcome: to the MMC Family!

[kelly ann]

Welcome!! I want to know more about Finland, especially how you celebrate Christmas!!! :tree:

[SparkleNana]

Welcome girl_of_advent! I am happy you joined us!

[Annette1990]

:rudolph:*~WELCOME*~:rudolph:

[trackrebel]

:))Welcome to the board!!!:))

[VeryWelshXmasLover]

Hi there and welcome! :) x

[jolly elf]

:tree:Welcome!!:tree:

[CharlestonNole]

Welcome!

[whychristmas]

Welcome and Hyvää Joulua! Your english is 1000% better than my Finnish!!!

[clarebear]

:welcome: :dance:

[irishgirl]

:welcome:

[TwinkleLights25]

Welcome! :welcome: Merry Christmas!

[Courtney]

Hei ja Tervetuloa! :welcome:

[Sunshine73]

:hi: and :welcome:

[CandyCanesnews]

:hi:



Glad you joined us!

:welcome:

[girl_of_advent]

Big thanks!

Nice to see you all and thanks your warm welcomes! I´m little lost in this forum, here is so much to read and it takes time to go around forum.

I´m glad, if you can understand my english. :) If i remember right english wasn´t my favourite subject in school. Hopefully i learn more and more here and have many friends from all over the world.

[joyful]

Welcome to the forums. Yes, your English is fine.

Merry Christmas!

[marekkane]

No hei!

Sun englanti on hyvää. :) Minä puhun huonosti suomea, mut opiskelen. :)

Anyway, hi from Joensuu!

[silcrest]

Welcome aboard.

Silvia

[irishsnow]

Hello and Welcome

[lmm8606]

welcome!! :)

[Head Elf]

:elf: Welcome aboard and your english is just fine.

[HolidayHoney]

Welcome

[VeryWelshXmasLover]

Hi there and welcome! :) x

[dawnyd2]

Hi, and welcome. I would love to visit finland----seems like a beautiful place to see and I especially want to take my family to lapland in future. How do u celebrate christmas? From what I"ve learned, it seems to be a lovely place to experience.

[girl_of_advent]

Hi Dawnyd2! :)

Well, i try to tell you, how we celebrate Christmas.

Our Christmastime starts few days before christmas eve. Yesterday i cleaned almost whole apartment (sauna and showerroom tomorrow) and i make some gingerbreads (and pieces for a gingerbread- house).Tomorrow i clean rest of apartment and we put our christmastree its place in livingroom. (and of course, decorate it). tomorrow also the last christmasshoppings (food etc.) when our ham is in the owen (all night, it will be ready in christmas eve morning) i make the last touch in our apartment placing candels, fruits and candies. then it´s time to make some "glögi" (like hot redwine) and just enjoy the fiiling of chirstmas.

in christmas eve- morning i put the sauna on and then i put christmasporridge coming. we eat porridge and listen christmasmusic in candlelight. Then we look some christmas tv-programmes (some traditions like snowman and "pukin kuumalinja"). Then we go to my in-laws to have christmasmeal and christmascoffee (i make cake for that) and we give our presents. After that we go back home and take some glögi and chockolade. In evening we go in sauna again and after that we give presents each other. then we look christmasprogrammes and listen christmasmusic, drink wine and so on. we go to sleep when we feel like it (late..)

this is our first christmas, which we celebrate only two of us (me and my husband). last christmas we were in my parents home and year before that in my in-laws house. So we have to make our own traditions now.

usually here in finland people is taking candels in cemetery, to our loveones graves. Shops is closed in christmas ( 1pm christmas eve to 26th december) santa claus is coming in christmas eve, either puts presents under christmas tree when all is in sauna, or when people is wating hes coming. Here is old phrase: in christmas you can eat in night also. if you are hungry, you put all christmasfood out and eat with good consciousness. Some people goes church in Christmasdays- morning, or at christmaseve night. In olden times people went church with horse and sleigh.


here is some ideas from our christmas.

[Christmasstar]

I would not be very good at Finish, of course I could try that translator device on the computer.....
Hyvää Joulua ja Onnellista Uutta Vuotta (http://www.fincd.com/finnish/Hyv%E4%E4+Joulua+ja+Onnellista+Uutta+Vuotta.html)

hows that?
:snowball:

[girl_of_advent]

Very Good Christmasstar! :) and thanks. :)

[Paul_C_NB]

Nice to meet you and thank you for your description of how you celebrate Christmas. It's nice to hear how people in other countries celebrate the holiday with their own special traditions. My grandfather came from Finland actually (probably 70 yrs ago or so). It's funny because he came from a place called Aland? which I've come to understand is no longer part of Finland but has some kind of association with Sweden. It sounded pretty complex to me. :)

[girl_of_advent]

Hi Paul_C_NB!

Åland is part of Finland, but it has autonomy. Yes, in Åland people talks swedish (because Sweden is closer than Finland and Finland has been part of Sweden in past) and stamps, but they has same money, same president, same law etc.. it is very difficult to understand and tell for foreigners.

Now christmas is over and next big holiday is in easter. It was very sad to put all the decorations away. Now i just burn the candles and hope that christmas comes soon.. :D

[Paul_C_NB]

Thanks for the info, very interesting. cheesy

[singingringingtree]

Welcome! Love the sound of your Christmas - especially the sauna - how Scandinavian!

:snowball:

[Meceka]

Hello and welcome!

[girl_of_advent]

Thanks all! :)

i put some pictures in my albums. I try to put some pictures which shows also something Finland´s nature and our traditions etc.

go ahead, ask me if you like to know something. I try to answer your questions. :) (and practise my english)

[AuntieMistletoeDear]

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y273/AuntieMistletoe/AnimatedSingingTree.gif Mieluinen jotta Minun Hauska Joulu foorumi. Ehtiä itse aikaa koti.

:cry: Pleased to meetcha!

[SparkleNana]

How did you do that, AuntieMistletoeDear?

[SparkleNana]

Girl_of_ADvent -- It was nice to hear about Christmas celebrations in Finland.

Is your next big holiday Easter?

[AuntieMistletoeDear]

cheesy English - Finnish translator.

My greetings says,
"Welcome to My Merry Christmas forums. Make yourself at home."
(Well, as close a translation as possible.) :hello:

[girl_of_advent]

Thank you AuntiMistletoedear! Translation wasn´t exact, in finnish it will be: Tervetuloa Hyvää joulua- foorumilleni. Kotiudu hyvin.

SparkleNana: yes, our next big holiday is in easter. Of course here is also valentine´s day and "laskiainen". But here in Finland we don´t celebrate valentine´s day so big like you there in USA.

[SparkleNana]

Girl_of_advent -- How do people in Finland keep themselves cheerful during the cold, dark winter months?

[AuntieMistletoeDear]

Thank you AuntiMistletoedear! Translation wasn´t exact, in finnish it will be: Tervetuloa Hyvää joulua- foorumilleni. Kotiudu hyvin.

SparkleNana: yes, our next big holiday is in easter. Of course here is also valentine´s day and "laskiainen". But here in Finland we don´t celebrate valentine´s day so big like you there in USA.


cheesy Thanks for the correction, I'm didn't think it was a perfect translation.

Let's get right down to it? Ever been to the North Pole? :snowball:

[girl_of_advent]

Girl_of_advent -- How do people in Finland keep themselves cheerful during the cold, dark winter months?

Im not sure how we keep us cheerful in wintertime. Maybe with good humour and sauna and family. And maybe our summertime keeps us happy, becouse in summer sun is not rising and it is very bright in night too.


edit. I edit my introduction. :)

[RadioJonD]

Others from Scandinavia?

Maybe we all from Scandinavia (Finland, Norwegian, Sweden) can chat over here and talk about our christmastime and traditions etc.I'm not from Scandinavia, but welcome back To My Merry Christmas, girl_of_advent!

Congratulations on your family addition since your last visit!

[HoosierChristmas]

:welcome: to the Merry Forums family! We hope you enjoy it here!