I love Christmas.

Three more days, and it is Christmas Eve. Since our household consist of equal amounts of Finnish and Americans, we are celebrating both days. Works for me! On Christmas Eve, we have invited our American friends for a traditional Finnish Christmas dinner. I am going to make lanttulaatikko (rutabaga casserole), porkkanalaatikko (carrot casserole), makaroonilaatikko (macaroni casserole), rosolli (beet salad with potatoes, carrots, pickles, onions, and apple), potatoes, and of course, ham. In Finland, joulupukki (Santa) comes to your house on Christmas Eve and delivers the presents personally. I don't personally like seeing Santa in my house (I was scared enough as a kid), so I thought it would be nice to each of us buy a present for each other and exchange them on Christmas Eve. On Christmas morning, we will do the American tradition. We have our stockings ready and Christmas tree is set up for Santa to bring presents over night. Since I love Christmas, I love both traditions, and I am happy to teach it all to my daughter.

I have been busy getting ready for Christmas this year. I have done some baking and sewing. I am super happy how much I have gotten done...and, there a few more projects waiting in my sewing room.

One of the traditions that I have from home is to bake gingerbread cookies on Finland's Independence Day which is December 6. When I was growing up, my mom would make the cookie dough the night before the 6th, and we (my sisters, my mom and I) would bake and bake and bake the following day. All day. We made enough cookies to last through the whole Christmas season. I have continued to do the same thing here in the U.S., and I find that it is now even more important to me that I have my own child. I give many of the cookies as gifts to friends. And, I, of course, think that these are the BEST gingerbread cookies there are in the world.

Sadly, most of these cookies are already gone. I am considering making more...but, it may not happen this year.

I am super excited that we got bunch of snow a few weeks ago. (It's all gone now thanks to 60 degree temperatures) O even had a snow day from preschool a few weeks back. We took an advantage of the snow and built a snow man, and I showed her how to make a snow lantern. This is also what we used to make as kids in Finland. We would have lots of them on the yard, and once it got dark, we would put a candle inside. It made me happy to see one of these on my own yard this year.

Another traditional Finnish Christmas food item is joulutorttu. It is puff pastry with prune sauce. Since I don't know where to buy prune sauce (thick paste like) in the U.S., I always make my own. It's super easy. I just put a bag of prunes in a pan and add some water and then I let it boil. I add water if needed. Once the prunes seem soft and cooled, I use a hand blender to make it into a paste. Yum! Today, in Finland, you can buy puff pastry that is already cut into shapes of the pastries, but since I don't have the privilege of finding that in my grocery store, I use my own traditional mold. I bought this mold this past summer while visiting a consignment sale with my sister. I paid 20 cents for it. The woman who sold it for me no doubt was happy to get rid of it, and I was thrilled I no longer needed to make the cuts myself with a knife. Yay!!!

Here are the pastries all finished. Some people sprinkle them with powdered sugar. Yum!!

When I was growing up, my mom and dad would bring a Christmas flower and/or box of chocolates to their friends and relatives. This was a way for them to say Merry Christmas (Hyvää Joulua) and thank them for another year of friendship. I remember driving around town and delivering these Christmas thank yous with my parents and sisters. I find that I do the same with my friends now. Many think that I am giving them a Christmas present, but it is not a present. It is a way for me to say thank you for being my friend.
This year I made some hearts that my friends can use as Christmas tree decorations. I also made a little house ornament.

I also did some Christmas pillow cases. I used thick linen and red fabric paint to write Merry and Joulua (Christmas). I have another fabric on the other side. I closed the pillows with zippers. 

I made a little fabric star for our front door to wish everyone Merry Xmas! The idea for the pillows and little hearts came from my mom who has made them in previous Christmases. Kiitos ideasta, äiti! 

I made more of the fabric stars that I posted about some time back. Here are pictures of the Christmas fabric stars. I got all the beautiful fabric from a local quilt shop. Totally worth every penny. They are so pretty. I gave one star for each of O's preschool teachers and the director of the school. I kept one for myself. 

I want to wish you all the happiest Christmas!! Oikein Hyvää Joulua myös Suomeen!!