Friday 24 December 2010

Tradition Post: Christmas

I am writing a tradition post before the celebrations starts, ok so bf and I already exchanged gifts (books, yay ;)

Christmas, December 24th

Christmas is not really that different here, we got Santa, we got decorations, we have a tree, but the main difference truly is that Christmas is celebrated today. For us December 24th is Christmas. Why? Well, that made me google, it seems that we when we were Catholics we did celebrate on the 25th, but then when we became Lutherans we started celebrating already on the 24th. And many Europeans countries hold on to this.

We eat out dinner during the day or evening and then in the evening we open our presents. As for the 25th, I always saw that as a day to play with my things and let the food rest.

Ok that brings us to Santa. For the record he lives in Northern Finland ;) But did I ever believe in him, I do not know. I believed it was my grandma and grandpa that got dressed up as Santas. And even if Santa was real he does not come down the chimney, he just leaves presents under the tree, or even outside

What I believed in was these more pagan beings, I guess they are kind of gnomes. They live under houses and in stables and such. They take care of the animals, but if you are mean to your animals they make the cows dry and the neighbour will have more hay than you. They are also kind around the house. So they are wicked and nice. And if you want to please them you should leave out some porridge for them. I believed those brought me the presents. These small little men, with old clothes in natural colors.


So I don't know if this little fellow can be found everywhere. The Christmas he-goat. He looks nice under the tree, and I never actually called Santa Santa, I more often called the person coming The Christmas He-goat.

It seems that before Santa came into play it was the Christmas he-goat that believed presents. He was a man with a goathead. It seems it comes from the old Pagan god Tor who had goats before his chariot.




So a famous icky thing to eat (ok that is only what I feel) is stockfisk. You started preparing it weeks before xmas.

Something I do like and have to have with my ham are these dishes from carrot and turnip, yum. They are good on the side.
Then you can drink a bit of glögg, I prefer the non-alcoholic kind. I guess it is some sort of spiced wine. And perhaps later as desert eat some Christmas tarts with plum jam in the middle (I usually dig that out).

What also say Christmas is rice porridge, and there is a almond hidden in it and the one that gets it will be married before next Christmas.













But now I must soon be going so I am leaving you with a picture of how it will look like where I am going first to celebrate Christmas. And that is me who wrote Merry Christmas on it. God Jul in Swedish (if you wanna be all fancy and more "oldish" then say Fröjdefull Jul) In Finnish it is Hauskaa Joulua, Hyvää Joulua.



MERRY CHRISTMAS


Lol, I can't help myself, had to get a second picture how it will look like at the second place where I will celebrate xmas this year. Found the perfect one online, it looks just like it :) Flat, fields, red houses and forest.

pics have been removed....




56 comments:

  1. It was good I read your post as I forgot about the celebrations today!!!

    A very happy christmas to you.

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  2. I love the cultural insight and all the pictures. Especially the shots of your winter wonderland. I get the 24th thing now - Lutheran not time zones! Hope you enjoy the yummy food, get great presents (perhaps even more books) and share the love with your bf and your whole family!
    I'm still jealous of the day early thing. Merry Christmas!

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  3. Amazing post! I so love your tradition posts, it's a great way of knowing the traditions of your country and of getting to know you. I like the idea of the he-goat. It's the first time I heard about it and I think it's nice and very unique.

    Merry Christmas!

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  4. Great post, Linda! That last picture of a place you'll be spending your Christmas reminds me so much of where my grandparents lived and I spent most of my childhood.

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  5. Look at me, sitting here blogging ;) But I just helped bf's mum make candy so taking a break.

    Mystica
    Thank you :D I am waiting impatiently for my pressies

    Alyssa
    Just as it looks here :) I do love it, nothing says xmas like snow and red cottages.
    Oh I am getting more books, from my mum, can't wait. And already tasted soem xmas candy so it's gonna be a nice day.
    Hihi, I know, I loe opening tehm early, but then again you have to wait all day long today

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  6. Great post, B!

    We use the goat here as a Christmas decoration and I remembered that we did a play in elementary school where a Christmas goat was part of it.

    We have Santa in Norway as well, we have a couple of cities that claims that their Santa is the real one. In our house we "believe" that he lives on The North pole.

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  7. Irena
    Thank you, I dop have fun writing them and googling things that when I think about it makes no sense to me ;)
    Aye the he-goat, had fun googling him, and wondering why we call santa that.
    Merry Christmas!

    Lilly
    That's nice :) I am glad I found a lovely and serene picture. That is xmas to me

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  8. Thanks for enlarging my knowledge about different Christmass customs, the he-goat looks lovely, have a nice time my dear and plenty of glogg...non alcoholic of course! And of course my best regards to your bf, who helped me win the first and the only giveaway so far!

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  9. Hyvää Joulua! Merry Christmas! (:
    I hope you have great time.

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  10. Great post! When we lived in France, we met some Finns and they told our son that Santa is from Finland.

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  11. Maybe I should come over to there!! That look beautiful!!

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  12. Ladybug
    I liked the goat, he sure belongs under the tree :)
    Lol, naha, Santa is Finnish, as for teh north pole, no rein deers there. But I guess he could be Norwegian then :)

    Ana
    Hihi, I told bf that :)
    Thank, will drink some yummy glogg..did start already on Nov 1st, oh I love that stuff

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  13. Milka
    Hyvää JouluA!!! Have a great time you too.

    Bermuda
    Oh yes, he lives at Korvatunturi, this mountain in the north. We have managed to get some nice tourism started from it.

    Lis
    It sure looks nice, but, they promise -30c for tonight, it is already -26 brrrr

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  14. Merry Christmas! Hope you have great day :)

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  15. Love the story about the Christmas He Goat. Thank you for sharing! Merry Christmas!

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  16. Elysium
    Thanks, the same to you :)

    Linda
    Lol, that one sure took soem googling from my part, I truly had no idea why we have it

    Darlyn
    Glad you enjoyed it :)

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  17. Love this post! I'm also very jealous of your snow. This year, it's dry in the southwest US. :( Oh, and sorry to say... Santa lives here in CO. I've seen him. I swear!

    Merry Christmas! Hope you get everything you want! :)

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  18. Merry Christmas, B! I hope you'll have a wonderful time with your loved ones. :)

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  19. I love glogg (the alcoholic kind). I feel mulled wine is just so cozy and nice to drink with a book, curled up in front of the fire :-)

    Stockfish sounds gross to me, too.

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  20. I love your posts about traditions and such...Merry Christmas!

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  21. Thank you so much for sharing that. Merry Christmas!

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  22. Thanks for sharing your traditions. I've never heard of the he-goat before. Merry Christmas!

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  23. Thanks for sharing your Christmas traditions! Merry Christmas :)

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  24. Thanks for sharing! I didn't know about the date thing :)
    Merry Christmas!

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  25. What a wonderful post Linda - I love when you share your traditions. Have a wonderful Christmas my friend!

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  26. Hope you've had a wonderful Christmas!

    I love the idea of the Christmas he-goat. :) Is stockfisk like lutefisk? *shudders*

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  27. Your Christmas sounds fabulous! I haven't heard of the gnomes or Christmas he-goat before. I enjoyed reading all of the different aspects of the celebrations (and food)!

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  28. Melissa
    We sure got snow, lol, I think we don't have that much actually, need more huge piles everywhere ;)

    Thank you Janna
    The same to you :)

    Aarti
    It is so yummy, but I have been drinking way too much, kind of sick of it now ;)

    Staci
    I am glad you do :) Merry Xmas

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  29. SQT
    Glad you enjoyed it!

    Carol
    Well we are weird here, lol

    Vixen
    Merry Xmas :)

    Host
    I hope you had a great day too!

    Darlene
    Thank you, I am glad you like them. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas with your loved ones

    Chris
    I who translated it...what is stockfish, hm..? But yes that is the icky lutfisk

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  30. Merry Christmas to you too. Thanks for sharing . I always was curious in how other countries celebrated Christmas.

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  31. Merry Christmas to you too! I loved learning about how you celebrate Christmas!

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  32. Alyce
    Aye, the gnomes are fun, sadly I saw none this year ;)

    BLH
    Merry Xmas :) it's fun to share my traditions, especially when they differ

    >Thanks Amused :)

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  33. Merry Christmas!!! Loved the post :)

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  34. Great post! Merry Christmas!

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  35. I love when you write about Finnish traditions as I learn so much -- Christmas on the 24th, a Christmas He-goat and stockfish -- who knew these things? I didn't! Hope you had a Merry Christmas!

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  36. That was really interesting to read about your traditions and the different ways that you celebrate. I looked up stockfish and it didn't sound too appetizing to me either, but I'm not much of a fish fan.
    I hope you had a wonderful holiday.

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  37. First time I've ever heard of a christmas he-goat :)

    HAPPY HOLIDAYS to you too Blodeuedd!!

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  38. Hauskaa Joulua, Hyvää Joulua Sweetie!

    I loved the post and the pictures...so why do you pick the plum jelly out of the pastry tart?
    You said the stockfisk is icky...why? What is it? And what makes it icky? It looks good in the picture but in the picture it just looks like white fish.

    The pictures of your two visit spots had to make your Christmas perfect...I loved those pics!

    Glad to hear you had a wonderfdul X'mas darlin' and I send a wish for your New Year to be just as nice!

    Hugs
    Hawk

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  39. Thanks Svea and Yvonne :D

    DC
    Lol, that is why I am here for :)

    Simcha
    Same with me, fish, no thanks. It is honestly the bones, I am not gonna sit there for 15 min and till get a bone stuck in my throat.

    Thank you Cherry :D
    Happy Holidays!

    Hawk
    Oh you are filled with questions.
    Ok the plums, well I do not really like when things are mixed. Any jelly or anything in pastries. So much better without.

    The fish, oh peeps like the fish, I am just not a fish person really. Smoke fish i can eat, but still the bones, arghh drives me insane

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  40. Great post hun. Merry Christmas!
    Interesting about the 'He-goat'.
    And very cute about the almond in the rice porridge. Thanks for sharing these traditions :)
    http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

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  41. Naida
    I do like the almond :) Still I have gotten it but still not married, lol.

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  42. Great post, I just learned quite a bit. Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

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  43. I hope your Christmas was very merry! Joy and blessings in the New Year!

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  44. Thanks Jenny :)

    Diana
    It was (too much food though :) Happy New year

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  45. Blodeuedd, seems like you have piqued everyone's interest in this post! Great job honey. I learned quite a bit of things from this one.

    I hope you and bf had a great Christmas. I know I have been here before telling you how much I wish good blessings to you.. but it is true! You are a dear friend! Hugs to you honey!

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  46. Awwww thank you Cecile *big hug* I hope you had a wonderful xmas with your loved ones, filled with yummy food and some really smexy books.
    You are a wonderful friend, and blogger to know :)

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  47. Hi B!

    I love you traditions post, love, love, love them! Thanks for letting us have a little peek inside!!

    Hope you had a great Christmas and a fantastic New Year!!

    ((hugs))

    Dottie :)

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  48. thanks for sharing this. i want to try the glögg. love the name. glögg. gotta say it one more time glögg. actually i'll have to see if i can find out how to pronounce it. is it glögg like blog?

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  49. I'm late to this post, but Merry Christmas anyway! My family also holds a get-together on the 24th, not the 25th. It seems to be a tradition to celebrate at my grandfather's place on Christmas Eve. We do a fun Elephant Swap game, everyone brings a gift under $10 and people randomly choose, but then the next person can steal this gift or get a new one from the pile. Then we go home and stay up till midnight and exchange gifts.

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  50. Dottie
    I am glad you enjoy them :D And I had a nice xmas..still eating leftovers, ugh, a nit too much now ;)

    Velvet
    Ok let me think...must find an English word that uses Ö. Not the same as blog, that's å. Ok kind of like murder, the way you say u there, third the i there, that is glögg :)

    Janicu
    I love the idea of the elephant swap, that sounds so much fun :)

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  51. Beautiful post Linda. I did know about Santa living in Finland, but not the rest of the post. I love these tradition posts. Thak you so much for sharing :)

    Oh I cooked ham for our holiday dinner too.

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  52. Jenny
    Lol, so you did know he lives here, aye he sure does ;)
    Ham is the best, love it nom nom

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  53. i always love your traditions posts!! thank you so much for sharing! i loooove the he-goat, he is adorable!! i would like to try some glogg for sure :) I hope you had an awesome Christmas!!!

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  54. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas, and I wish you all the best in the new year!

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  55. Carrie
    Glögg is nom nom! Love it, and it works well with gingerbread, and it is so warm, aye lovely

    Anna
    Thank you :D The same for you

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