The Christmas season begins on the first Sunday of December, which is first Advent. We often have Advent candles and Advent calendars to count the days left to Christmas Eve. On 13th of December we celebrate Saint Lucia, who brings light to the early winter darkness. Lucia is a saint who is dressed in a white gown and wears a crown with candles on her head. We send Christmas cards to almost everyone we know.
The Christmas tree, which is a spruce, is brought in on Christmas Eve, or a day or two before, at least by most of us. We actually celebrate Christmas more on Christmas Eve, instead of Christmas Day. On Christmas Eve we often start the day by going to church. We often eat Christmas porridge with an almond for lunch. The one who gets the almond, which is hidden in the porridge, has to sing a song or something like that. We sometimes also sing Christmas carols and dance in a ring around the Christmas tree. In the evening Santa Claus comes with presents to all children who have been good. Christmas ends on the 13th day after Christmas Day, which is when we throw out the spruce.

Annica, Maria, Christoffer, Anders, Mathias, Kristoffer

First of all we go to the christmas sauna. At Christmas Santa Claus comes almost to every home, especially if there are kids in the family. He brings presents under the christmas tree, but first we eat christmas food and drink glögg, a warm, red juice with almonds and raisins.
Usually we celebrate Christmas with our families and relatives. On the morning of Christmas Eve you can go to church and sing Christmas songs, but before that we eat christmas porridge. In the evening we eat ham and different kinds of Christmas food. Then we open presents and sometimes dance around the christmas tree.

Now we are going to tell you about traditional Christmas food in Finland.
On the morning of Christmas Eve we eat porridge made of rice, milk and cream. In the evening we eat ham, potatoes and potato- and carrot de gratin. It is just the basic food, there is much else on the table as well.
Later we drink glögg together with raisins and almonds. Then of course we eat different kinds of sweets.
A Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!

We eat ham which has been in the oven. We also eat porridge made of rice. It is white and we put sugar and cinnamon in it, and milk. There is one almond in every pot of porridge. If you get it you will have to do weird things.
Then there are three kinds of cassarole; potato, carrot and rutabaga or Swedish turnip. Then we drink beer and snaps with the food.

In the morning we eat rice porridge with sugar and cinnamon. Between breakfast and dinner we eat a lot of gingerbread.
For dinner we eat herring, salad, ham with mustard, salmon,rutabaga cassarole, carrot cassarole, potatoes and stockfish.
In the evening we drink glögg, which is a red, hot drink and eat chocolate. We also eat nuts and raisins.

On the morning of Christmas Eve we start by eating Christmas pudding. About 10 a.m. we go out to buy or cut down a christmas tree. Then you switch on TV and watch the usual christmas TV programs.
At noon you eat a light lunch. Then if you feel like it you watch more TV. After that, if you have not done it already, you can wrap the presents.
You can go to the cemetery to pay your respect to the ones who died. You eat a heavy dinner with your family at about 6 – 7 p.m. After that it is time for the presents. When you have opened your presents you spend some quality time with your family.

At Christmas we eat lots of ham, porridge, made of rice with almonds, mashed potatoes and carrots in the oven, fish, sausages, meatballs and different salads.
A Christmas tree is a tradition in every home. Then people make gingerbread and a house made of gingerbread. Finnish people like to sing Christmas songs. After dinner Santa Claus comes to homes with children and gives the presents. Some families spend Christmas with all the relatives such as grandparents and cousins.

In the morning we eat rice pudding with sugar and cinnamon
On Christmas Eve we usually eat carrot casserole, swede casserole, potato casserole, ham, turkey, herringsalad and cream, but also stockfish with potatoes and cream sauce.
At Christmas we drink glögg with almonds and raisins, christmas beer and eat gingerbread, chocolate and other sweets.

Christmas food traditions in Finland

We eat ham, which has been in the oven. Then we eat porridge made of rice. You can put sugar and cinnamon in it, and you can eat it with or without milk.
There is one almond in every pot of porridge. If you get it you get to do weird ceremonies.
There is three kinds of cassarolie. Potato, carrot and
coalroot cassarolie.
With the food we drink a lot of beer and schnaps which is Koskenkorva. We also drink glögg. You can describe it as red juice with a lot of spice, such as almonds, raisins and cinnamon in it. It smells like Christmas. You can drink it with strong liqouer.