Christmas is in the air! Or, at least it was in December.
At the beginning of December a small Christmas market opened up down in the town center, with different handy crafts and treats for sale. It was nice to walk around and see some of the different things and handycrafts.
It was nice to see the nativity scene and giant Christmas tree in the center. It really has looked like a winter wonderland, but hasn't felt too much like Christmas at all, because there are hardly any decorations up around town. The tree is actually still up in the square even though its already January.
It snowed and snowed in Lahti. I woke up to even more snow coming down, which was interesting considering that I had to go out to town a bit later in the day. My friend had spent the night, because we had been babysitting for someone. It was my first time babysitting, so it was really cool and the baby and his parents (an American mother and a Finnish father) were so nice. It was just volunteer work, but it was really a rewarding expirence.
After running around town and buying some things at the grocery store, Ailey (right) and I (middle) went to a building to do some volunteer work. A bit afterwards, Georgia (left), also came to help out. We wrapped tons of presents for kids. It was cool, because we would get a list of a particular family with the age of their kids and gender and a gift the kid wanted, and then we would go into a room and pick out something close to what they hoped to get and then wrap it and put ribbons on it.
It feels great to help people out and I just felt so nice imaging the kids reactions when they open up their presents on Christmas.
Either way, it was a lot of fun and I wish we could have done it even longer.
That night I went home and made some traditional Christmas cookies with the ingriedents I had bought at the store. It was a bit hard to make them, because I couldn't quite find everything I needed and I don't really know the messurments, so I just eye-balled everything.
In the end, I dyed sprinkles red with food coloring and alas, the holly cookies were complete. I think they turned out fine; they tasted good....but I will have to admit that I put way too much butter, you could even feel the butter which isn't too good. Don't think about the butter when you eat it and there is no problem at all.
The next day I had arranged for a surprise going away party for Georgia at my home. The idea was for everyone to bring something from their own country. Ailey brought Digestives (cookies from the UK), Mao made sushi, and I made the cookies and some fruit salad and different things.
Mao came early and helped me set up, then I went to get Georgia from the bus stop and when we got back, Mao jumped out and surprised her. Later on Ailey arrived.
It was so much fun and we ate all sorts of different things and then watched the hunger games. During the movie, out final special guest arrived. I had recently discovered (thanks to the bus), that a certain someone lived quite close to me, so I ended up inviting them over and it worked out so perfectly, because Georgia was so surprised and happy.
That was such a great day! Georgia leaves a week from today, and I am going to miss her so, so, so much!
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