Where is the Winter?

So, it is almost Christmas and still no snow in Southern Finland.  They warned me last year that there was so much snow by early November and that it lasted so long.  Hmmm.  Well, is it a blessing in disguise or would things be better with white snow all around?  The thing is that each day in the Capital area has been around 3-5 celsius (35-41 Fahrenheit) which really isn't all that cold for this time of year, but the catch is that without the snow on the ground it is just rainy and dark.  Almost every day has been dark and overcast and this darkness has been more difficult to adjust to than the cold.  So, I guess I am also ready for the snow to fall and brighten things up.  The kids are also getting anxious, wanting to get outside and enjoy a winter wonderland.

I am getting ready to spend my first Christmas outside of the United States.  I definitely have mixed feelings about this, but like all things in life I will be able to deal with the change after so many years.  I am just hoping we get a white Christmas, but not looking like that is going to happen at this point in Southern Finland.  Christmas is really celebrated on December 24th here in Finland.  On the 25th people typically just stay home and relax.  In the US we do some celebrations on the 24th, but that is really considered Christmas Eve and the bigger celebrations happen on Christmas Day, which is the 25th.  Also, I am amazed to see all the Christmas chocolates and Gloggi being sold at the Supermarkets.  People just love their chocolate and Gloggi (sweet juice type drink which is warmed up) in Finland.

So, I went to an English Standup Comedy show in Helsinki last week and several Finns attended and had a little bit to much to drink, since they are doing the Christmas drunken circuit. One of them actually went to the bar and pissed.  He physically peed at the bar!  What the heck was he thinking, the bar looked like a toilet to him?  Wow, that would never happen in the US.  Those crazy Finns!