NORMAL LIFE: That Christmas Feeling

You know Christmas is coming when the work parties and the parties hosted by friends start and you spend most of the next day ambling around senselessly because you drank too much.

You know Christmas is coming when the Christmas market opens in Helsinki's Esplanade and you brave the crowds just to get a glimpse of the handicrafts on offer.

You know Christmas is coming when you settle down on a Sunday afternoon and write Christmas cards to your friends in Finland and faraway countries such as Australia and South Africa, wishing you were there because it was brighter and warmer.

You know Christmas is coming when your sister calls to ask if there's any snow yet for her forthcoming visit to Finland and you explain that global warming has taken its toll and snow has yet to arrive, but you never know.

These are just some of the things that have occured during the run up to my very own Christmas. All the hustle and bustle, the to-do list, the to-see list. Without Christmas, winter in Finland would be depressing indeed.