December 1 - Socks On Line

It is this time of the year again. Some people are waiting for the holiday season with excitement and joy, some are stressed and some just couldn't care less. Five times I have made my own advent calendar on this blog, with a photo posting and a few words every day until December 24th, and I thought it would be nice to do it again. Today I have socks hanging on the wash line, just for the photo shoot. Up here in Finland where Santa lives, we don't hand them on the mantelpiece for Christmas.

Santa comes to the door and meets the family by the tree, or if he is busy he just leaves the gifts behind the door. No way could he come through the chimney, because when there is no fire burning, the chimney is closed by shutters to avoid the warmth from escaping.

If you are interested in a really lovely, non-christmassy advent calendar, you should visit my talented artist daughter's blog and/or instagram. She will post her matchbox art every day until Christmas, and her Etsy shop Paperiaarre is filled with beautiful things. You just might find the perfect gift for a friend there.

I hope to see you again tomorrow!

Day 24

Merry Christmas everyone! Thank you for following me this year.

Day 23

A week ago I went to the Cathedral of Helsinki together with our younger son for our favourite musical event, the Christmas Oratorio by J S Bach. We enjoyed the concert very much. It was not allowed to take pictures during the concert so this is just the organ at the back of the church as we were settling down to our places. In the second link you can see the Cantores Minores choir.

Day 22

One last look at the Villa Cooper Christmas. Tiny tonttu elves had taken over one of the fireplaces and were busy with their own Christmas preparations.

Day 21

I forgot to show these horses with the other toys. They are a big hit here, and the girls even have their own races.

About half of our hand knitted wool sock sortiment.

Hand painted china for the Christmas table.

Day 20

Doll's clothes,

hand made toys

and ornaments for the tree or the table.

Day 19

Wreaths, candles and hand made Christmas cards.

Table runners, stars and other ornaments.

Himmeli ornaments made of straw in a traditional way.

Day 18

Welcome to Villa Cooper again!

Can you smell the scent of the real Christmas tree in the corner of the big dining room?

Little tonttu elves have gathered on top of the old radio. Could it be that they are singing?

Day 17

Yesterday's almost full moon in the morning from out back yard.

Day 16

We are still at the Flying Mitten, trying to choose between tea or coffee, cake or no cake.

I just popped in to deliver my first three pairs of baby socks for the big 100th anniversary project. I got some more yarn for my knitting too ...

Day 15

The Flying Mitten, Lentävä Lapanen, has flown to a new address, Postikatu 10, Järvenpää.

Their new premises are easily accessible.

There is more space and it looks like there is more lovely yarn too. A group of happy knitters were having coffee and tea by the window.

Day 14

The Malmgård manor house. Other pictures in the link.

!t was a day of long shadows.

Even the gravel cast long shadows!

Day 13

On Sunday we visited the Malmgård estate (the link is in English!) and their Christmas market. Stalls were placed outdoors and in some outbuildings of the estate.

Delicious looking gingerbread houses.

Jams, cordials, mustard and fish, bread, cakes and all kinds of delicious treats from small businesses, school classes or private persons for the Christmas table or to give as gifts.

Day 12

Christmas lights on our windowsill.

Day 11

One hour before sunrise.

Day 10

An old story for children, written by Zachris Topelius at the end of the 19th century, tells about two children who miraculously found their way back home by looking for a birch tree and the star twinkling through its' leaves in the evening. Home is where the birch and the star are. This is our big birch with the morning star just after eight this morning.

Day 9

A knitty picture for a change. I've been knitting socks for Christmas gifts and using up little balls of rest yarns.

This blue and white pair begins my new project. I'm going to participate in a nationwide project to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Finland's independence. The aim is to donate a pair of hand knitted blue and white socks for every new baby born here during next year. Yarn shops like Lentävä Lapanen, the Flying Mitten, collect the socks from knitters in their area and deliver them to the maternity wards, where every new baby will get her or his own pair. Some other people sew and donate quilts, but knitting socks seems to be our "thing". Almost every girl and woman here knows how to knit, a pair of socks takes less time and money to make than a quilt, and it still includes as much warmth and love from the maker to the person to receive the gift. 

Day 8

The little ponds in the centre of our village are frozen over, for the second time this winter, but the ice is still very thin. This is where the swan family teaches their cygnets to take off and land on the water in the autumn. They fly to the South when the waters start freezing over.

Day 7

Litte lamps in the trees look so nice in the dark.

Day 6

White and blue flowers for the 99th anniversary of our Independence Day. It seems the blue hyacinths were left out, but they looked and smelled great too.