Travel Diary : Finland December

Has anyone ever actually noticed that snow is great fun?? Well nobody here has anyway. If you ask a Finn what time of the year is there favourite, it will be summer. Any finn, seriously! And there least fav month, November. November is the in between part between autumn and winter, where nothing grows and the birds don't sing. My fav season? Spring. Here, all things grow extremely fast after hibernating for the winter, which is pretty much a whole half a year! Spring is amazing! I shall not get side-tracked....

December is when all the shops open their window displays and begin their feature sales for the joyous season. Compared with other countries, ahem July Christmas tree in the middle of Robina Town Centre, this is a much better approach to Christmas. In my humble opinion, Christmas celebrations should commence on the advent, being the 2nd of December. Here, that is pretty much how Christmas goes. Finland is a very Catholic country, and there are special christmas services nearly every day, according to this brochure:)

In the center of Rautatientori (centre in Helsinki), there is an ice-skating rink. Many tourists go there. Hey! Last year nearly everytime we went there we met someone from Australia, or close to there anywhere. I woldn't be surprised if people just went to the coffee shop next to the rink, especially Finns, and watched all the new comers TRY to skate. It is quite entertaining... Not that I have ever done that (eye movement). It is, though, a great place to go. I frequently go ice-skating there. And it is a great place for entertainent.

Last weekend my grandparent, parents an I celebrated Christmas. I know, I know. I jut explained befor how important celebrating christmas on the right day is... We have a reason!! Since we will al be oing to Vienna for Christmas, we thought that it would be best to have a Finnish Christmas dinner BEFORE we go. BEWARE! Christmas dinner in a restaurant will cost aroud 60 euro per head. Or stomach:)

There is lights everywhere in the center of the city, and it all looks so beautiful!