Last week on Palm Sunday, the children visited the houses in the neighborhood bringing them decorated pussy willows. In return they received chocolate eggs. The tradition is actually a cheerful mix of two traditions. In Eastern Finland the pussy willows symbolized the palm leaves on Palm Sunday and a blessing for the new year. The […]
Category: Celebrations
Gone fishing!
A week ago on Sunday we celebrated our nephew’s and God son’s birthday. What a fun day we had and the time seemed to fly. Spending time with siblings and close friends is always special. My sister had done such a good job making things for the party that I asked her if I could […]
Valentine’s Day, Ystävänpäivä
In Finland, Valentine’s day is called friendship day or Ystävänpäivä. I hope you all have a wonderful day with warm thoughts in your hearts. “A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.” William Shakespeare These Valentine’s […]
Laskiaispulla
Laskiainen or Shrove Tuesday is the day before the beginning of Lent. In Finland it is traditional for children and adults to head to the sledding hills. Winter is starting to be at its best with sun shining more and more each day. The traditional meal after an afternoon of sledding is split-pea soup with […]
Laatikko or Casserole
Epiphany has traditionally been a time to eat a second Christmas dinner. Sometimes it may be a bit of a varied version but it is a good time to pull out things in the freezer that did not get eaten the first time around. Last Sunday we had asked some friends to come over for […]
Happy New Year
Happy New Year 2013! A new year is always exciting, full of the unknown, new opportunities and new adventures. Between Christmas and New Year’s we were lucky to get a beautiful day. The three older girls tried downhill skiing for the first time. I was impressed with how quickly they learned. The little ones focused […]
The calm after the excitement
After the hustle and bustle of preparing for Christmas it was time to just sit down and enjoy watching the children, sampling a few holiday goodies both with the kids and a few after the house is quiet and they have gone to sleep. I even had a chance to start a book on the […]
Merry Christmas
The joy and anticipation of Christmas can be seen in the eyes of children. Little helpers help make the family celebration. Ice lanterns bring a warm light into the yard. The first six months of blogging has been an incredibly positive and inspiring experience. Thank you for reading and following along. May your holiday be […]
Holiday preparation and Waldorf salad
The thing that I love about Christmas is the opportunity it gives to stop the everyday rush and enjoy time as a family. It’s nice to have a little time in a stage in life that is so scheduled that does not include specific bedtimes or the beep of the alarm clock in the morning. […]
A holiday dessert
Today was a bit busy! A few errands in the morning and gift wrapping and the last bunch of cards and packages made it to the post office. Our school girls had “evening school” which is a tradition at their school on the day they have their Christmas program. They also have a bake sale […]
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