It’s that time again when the countdown to Christmas begins. Last year I had an advent calendar where I wrote about something related to it every day until December 24. I decided to do it this year too. Maybe there will be some more sparkle this time. But I don’t plan in advance so it can become a surprise for me too.

In Finland, we celebrate it at the Christmas Eve. It’s when families gather around for a feast and the presents are opened. Some people go to church. Everyone celebrate Christmas differently. I and dad are going to Riga by ship this year again. It’s so much easier when everything is ready for you. I’m not much of a cook when it comes to Christmas. It hasn’t been the same since my mother died. Even when she was alive, we went there too.

We go to the cemetery the day before Christmas to put a candle on our family grave. Both of my grandmothers are buried there along with my sister and mother. When we celebrated at home, we went there on the Eve. In recent years we haven’t had snow so Christmas is pretty grey and dark. But seeing all the candles lit on the graves, it’s less depressing. If you want snow, you have to travel to the North of Finland. Snow does make things lighter. It doesn’t need to be much. I really hope there’s gonna be something white on the ground this year. Walking on the cemetery would feel much more Christmasy.

So there you have the first box of the advent calendar 2017. Tomorrow is another day, so see you there.