We are almost ready for Christmas, where we will be having my wife's family over for the meal and present opening. This is our first time hosting and I think my wife is a little nervous, especially since this is the largest one for their family, as there are now an extra couple of fiancés included into the mix.
It would be nice to have my family here too - it isn't possible.
Finns seem to take Christmas far more seriously than Australians, even though there is no religious side to it really here for most people. I think that part of the reason is that Finns are a bit antisocial at the best of times, so Christmas means having people over to judge the house, preparations, food and anything else that judgement can be passed on. Socializing is more of a test in Finland than something people do for fun because they like people.
I might be exaggerating.
But only slightly.
We have 17 people sitting down for a meal, which is okay space-wise, for our home, but I had to buy another full dining table to seat everyone. So, now the dining room looks a little like a restaurant. Of course, we don't have all the plated and glasses needed, but this is where the Finnish culture has us covered.
Because everyone pretty much buys the same stuff, we have been able to get a few extra plates and white wine glasses from the rest of the family that match our own. Easy! It is kind of like an extension of everyone wearing the same clothes I guess - mixing and matching is very easy, as everything already matches.
This goes for the food too.
As an Australian, I am used to having Christmas in the heat and because it is very multicultural, our Christmas table is likely different to our neighbors and the neighbor next to them, different again. The basic rule for Christmas food in Oz is, as long as it is good. I have had barbecues with pig on a spit, seafood with fresh prawns from down the docks, Indian curries and Sushi Christmas meals - I love the range.
Here in Finland, there is probably 5% variation in offerings across the entire population, with people having a far narrower concept of what Christmas food should be. The food is generally baked ham, fish dishes and casseroles, with all of the different casseroles (potato, sweet potato, carrot, beetroot, liver...) all tasting identical.
I wish I was exaggerating on that one.
The ham is good though and this year, we have an 8 kilo (17lb) ham and it is looking pretty darn good! I like it a little drier than most and I think this year it is fall off the bone deliciousness. My wife likes it the same and we will likely be judged for it - but this is our house!
I will try to get a picture before I eat it.
The place is looking pretty good, but I still have many chores to do before the guests arrive in a couple hours, including the snow work. A "white Christmas" used to be almost guaranteed in Finland earlier, but with the slow influx of immigrants that bring the warmer weather in suitcases like myself, that is no longer the case. But this year, snow has fallen to the point I will have to clear the driveway a little to make it look like I have done some work.
With everything going on for the next hours, I am not sure how much I will be around today, but I will try to log in occasionally and say hi - or not. One thing that I do encourage around this time of year is, having a little fun with posts and enjoying the festive season. Relax a bit, spend time with family if available and reflect on the year gone and the year ahead so that the mind and body is rested, prepped and knows where it is headed in the coming year.
Have a Merry Christmas.
Yeah I know - it is a day early.
But Finns are impatient and celebrate on the 24th.
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]
It is a bit narrow, maybe it's because historically we didn't have much variety in domestic food. Mushroom salad is something I've added for few years now. @rrusina is going to make a cheesecake, so that'll bring some nice variety :)
Lol. Sweet potato is the best. Potato is good. Turnip is fine, as long as it's Saarioinen's. Carrot I can't stand. Liver is also excellent, as long as it's again, Saarioinen's – all other brands are gross.
8 kilo ham is nice :D We have a 4 kilo one, although there's only two of us eating it + my mom for a day. I will most likely eat at least half of it.
A bit of variety is the spice of life. I like the pickled mushrooms though - they are awesome.
I thought you'd have a ham just for you and cook a smaller one for everyone else.
Hyvää Joulua!
I like such days for only gathering together with beloved ones, as you said socialising, but not for religious aim.
You and your wife seem to have been prepared very well, lucky guests. May dish-washing and cleaning the house be easy later on :)
I am hoping the guests will do the dishes!
Never been one for religion, but I do like to eat and any reason for good food and socialising is welcome.
I wish you a Merry Christmas in advance. Tomorrow is a wonderful day for you guys and you will have a great time with your family. These moments are very memorable.
Thanks. Merry Christmas to you too :)
Wow it's going to be a nice celebration but I want to ask are you from Australia or Finland
I am Australian, but live in Finland.
Have a great Christmas Eve and Day!
Merry Christmas to you too. Celebrating tomorrow?
Spain does celebrate Christmas Eve and Day, we Catalans do not celebrate tonight and do celebrate Tomorrow and the day after as it is a religious date too. Saint Stevens.
But we have a very cool tradition for the kids hahaha
Have a great family meal!
:D
I have never heard of that before!!
Do you do it?
Of course!
Well, actually only little kids do, I used to do it when I was a kid, you "feed" the log for a few days so it can "poo" lots of candy the day you sing the song before hitting it with the stick.
I don’t know much about how festive period are being celebrated in abroad. But good to know that Christmas for example is more taken serious in Australia than fin. Another thing I love the most is how families come together to enjoy themselves. Imagine having 17 family members eating together haha
I think it is less serious in Australia and far more casual normally.
With 17 people, lucky they are finns who don't talk much.
🤣
You get turned off by Talkatives?
Nah, I like them. Finns just don't talk in general - they really are pretty antisocial :D
I love when family comes over for some time, actually, it's great for the kids at home because they tend to enjoy it more at these times.
Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas to you too.
Yeah, Smallsteps enjoys it a lot and she gets to play with her cousins more than normal :)
After long run in crypto hodling and trading ...Finally Christmas and New year rejuvanate us with lot of happiness and family getherings .No wonder 😊 Not only Finns but rest of the world are impatient to celebrate this big day.
I wonder if the impatience affects their trading? ;D
Merry Christmas and enjoy the food!
Wow, Dear @tarazkp, The cups and plates on the table are nice. Who else attends your Christmas party other than the three of your family?😄
By the way, In East Asian medicine, pork is said to be harmful to stroke patients.
Seafood, fruits, and vegetables are good for stroke patients, and meat should be avoided.
My wife's side of the family will be there - parents, sister's family extended family.
I think in East Asian medicine, everything is bad for something. :)
In East Asian medicine, it is said that eating a lot of pork is bad for blood circulation.
Is your Christmas party still going on? I wish you health, longevity and happiness.
Merry christmas!
East Asians say that the koala is the strongest animal ever.😄
They'd be wrong!
😄
My best wishes for a Merry Christmas to you and family.
Merry Christmas to you too!
Special plans?
I was planning to go to Fuerteventura, but here in Italy getting out of the country has become a job. I am working on a new exhibition, for next summer, and on a strictly live arts festival with my cultural association. I am negotiating an agreement with the largest Italian publishing house (Mondadori) to release a book on my son's history. I paint, even today, which is Christmas, I will soon publish a post and go to the studio. A hug from Italy.
Hope it was a great gathering :)
Happy silly season :D
It went well - but it was a huge amount of work!
How is yours going?
Definitely seems it, though I've only ever helped out at the large gatherings (we always go somewhere). With J's family there's a lot of family that come in so there's always a lot of help, with my family it's just the three of them unless we're there. They always manage fine but it must be a lot of work!
Started off rocky and ended up mostly fine I hope.
This cracked me up!!
I hope your day(s) go well and you passed all the judgment with ease.
Merry Christmas!
It was nice Snook - Merry Christmas for today!
Thank You!!
Hosting the event is always make nervous. I feel it.
Have a Merry Christmas for you and your family...
So much to do! I couldn't run a restaurant.
I think mentally I've shut down for the year already. Even on Hive, I try to force one post a day and reading up articles has reduced a lot too.
You're right about that relaxing bit. I see it as Gearing up for next year
This is the time that I have more time! Well, now I do after everyone has left.
Merry Christmas!
Awwwww, the celebration is going to be loud in your end. Wishing you a great celebration, enjoy!
Louder than expected - seems people have missed seeing each other for a couple years.
Merry Christmas.
Today I was not able to login to hive or splinterlands using keychain.(In hive I succeeded logging in with hivesigner) In hive I could not click login and splinterlands just loads endlessly. Keychain is also not opening. Do you know why this happens?
Now it works again. I just had to close all search windows.
yeah it happens from time to time if the default node isn't working :)
Merry Christmas to you too, in part I find it quite interesting how both cultures or just customs between different countries differ from each other, I think this allows us to see things from a different perspective, it would be great if you then post a picture of the Christmas dinner! I consider myself anti-social too, I think I could live with Finns hahaha! (well, we would have to see if it's an extreme case hahaha).
I don't mind the differences in tradition at all, but I also think that it is good not to get to attached to traditions.
you could sit in silence together, thinking about what to say to each other :D
It's been a while @tarazkp, how's work and family. This post is very important to us because life is too short to waste. The most important aspect of your post to me is the reflection part. After a full year of struggling and the fear of contracting Covid-19 pandemic and the trouble it has caused the entire, one needs to seat down and reflect about life in general and ask oneself the following questions:
I'll not remove the other part of sitting, eating and to prepare for the next year. Once one can answer the above questions and has a certain percentage above average then, one can mark him or herself good and plan for a better year ahead. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. Greetings to the #weekend family.
What answers have you come up with so far from your reflection?
I love to spend these times with friends, neighbors and family, and to cook pork the way my grandmother remembers, as she used to gather us on these occasions with various dishes of pork and mushrooms.
Do you have a picture of the pork?
Merry Christmas man! The hosting sounds like fun and a lot of work, one I hope to partake in one day! Things are similar around here with food, there’s usually ham and pasta involved and we are having both tomorrow lol cooking it ourselves this time though!
Can’t believe it’s Christmas already, time goes by too damn fast!
Having a good one mate?
This year has gone crazy fast and I think 2022 will be even more hectic. Rest while you can!
We do not celebrate Christmas in Islam, but our beliefs are our spiritual values, our moral values deserve the respect of each of us. Any time with family is perfect, I wish you and your family a healthy new year.
Bon appetit, merry christmas.
Christmas no, but are there any celebrations at this time of year for it at all?
I celebrate Christmas and I have zero religion.
Very beautiful and unique glass that makes people fascinated to see it