Christmas is coming....

...the goose is getting fat?

Well, there aren't too many geese around at this time of year.  However, the stores are full of Christmas Hams, there are decorations on the streets, markets full of goodies are held regularly, and lots of other things indicating that the season is upon us.  Leading up to Christmas, friends, employers and student associations hold pikkujoulut ("Little Christmas") parties that usually involve lots of alcohol, food and other goodies.  Last week...or maybe the week before (I've missed a post)...I even hosted a pikkujoulut party.  Some friends made excellent ham (baked with mustard) and K-Market provided some side dishes.  April made a salad, and I did Gluvine and Ris A L'amande (both Danish).  I had a private sauna turn/time available in my building's sauna, so we took advantage of that.  Finally, we ended up in the city centre enjoying the fine local establishments...ahem.

More Christmas fun: In Finland, Santa's reindeer do not fly.  I have heard that some families will actually pay for 'Santa' to come make a special visit to their homes on Christmas.  Additionally, they pay to make sure that the same Santa will return year after year.  You can't have Santa changing a few suit sizes between visits!  Most families get christmas trees, or joulukuusi ("Christmas spruce").  I thought it was interesting that the species of tree is specified.  And, as most people of Scandinavian/Nordic heritage know, Norway spruce are the traditional Christmas tree.  These trees may be brought inside or simply decorated outside.  Another interesting name for a traditional Christmas plant is Joulutähti ("Christmas star"), which is in fact a pointsettia.  Joulutorttu are a delicious bit of Christmas baking that are eaten regularly as the days get shorter and shorter.  Puff pastry squares are cut and folded into the shape of 4-pointed stars and a dollop of plum/prune jam or apple-cinnamon jam is portioned into the centre.  After a few minutes of baking, the delicate stars may be sprinkled with icing sugar.  They are extremely easy to make as you can buy the pastry in the freezer section of any store and the jam also comes in ready-made tins.  I have made them.  twice now.

Joulutorttu (NOT my photo, but my tortut looked just like that! - ha!!)

So that should be enough Fun Finnish Facts for the past couple of weeks.  Other than that, I haven't really been doing anything exciting until quite recently.  I've had the end-of-semester crunch with assignments due in 3 courses and a couple of exams.  BUT...I am currently in Estonia.  With Scott.  Very cool....next post!

...Sorry for almost no pictures!