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....