Helsinki in full festive flair
Dear people, we are leaving Helsinki soon. On Monday, to be precise. We're going to spend Christmas flitting from one place to another near Turku - we'll be sleeping at my second sister's house, spending Christmas Eve at my parents' and Boxing Day (St. Stephen's Day) with my whole family at my oldest sister's home. Meanwhile we're frantically doing Christmas things. Shopping for presents, visiting Christmas markets and concerts and parties and all that. On Friday evening we had our Ward Christmas party - both IT and I were some of the performers. The decorations were amazing! IT's program number and decorations Saturday was Lucia day, PW and I went to the Helsinki Cathedral to see Finland's Lucia being crowned and listen to some lovely music by the Lucia Choir. In the Swedish speaking areas of Finland, Lucia is a big tradition. Most partially Swedish speaking towns, including the one where I grew up, select their own Lucia. The schools also have...
