by Twelfth Day
Today is the Twelfth Day of Christmas (and my true love gave to me…!). A year ago, I learned that the Twelfth Day of Christmas is on the sixth day of January which is Epiphany (or Loppianen in Finnish). Traditionally in Finland (and Denmark, I’ve just been told) this signals the end of Christmas and the decorations come down. We still have all our Christmas decorations and tree up in honour of our good friends from Denmark, who arrived Wednesday for a week’s visit. We are having lots of fun catching up and being tourists, so the decorations will be up until they leave. That’s unusually late for us, but it’s in keeping with our festive mood and is a wonderful way to hold back winter’s darkness and dreary rain a bit longer.
A big welcome back also to mirabilis after a long absence! Read her timely and interesting post on Epiphany and Befana.
And for Finnish readers, Anita Konkka discusses Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
January 6, 2006 in Culture, Finland, Estonia & Finno-Ugric by Marja-Leena
We always wait till the Epiphany too. We are hoping to take our decorations down before we leave for our trip. It’s always sad to wrap up the angel at the end…Peace and happy new year to you, Marja-Leena.
Hei!
Meilläkin on vielä joulukuusi ja koristeet paikoillaan. Vietämme tänään varsinaista koko perheen joulua. Jouluna olimme pienellä joukolla, nyt suuremmalla. Lahjoja ja tuliaisiakin on.
Hyvää jatkoa alkaneelle vuodelle!
Patry – Sorry to be late in responding! We got back home last night from a trip away with our Danish visitors. They just left early this morning. Now I have to get back to the studio, then begin the task of packing up the decorations. Hope you have a great trip! And a great New Year too!
Anna – Mukava että saa joulutunnelmaa jatkaa! Minusta on ikävä sammuttaa jouluvalot kun on vielä niin pimeätä täällä ilman lunta. Oli hauska kun oli hyvät ystävät käymässä, vaikka ei oltu kotona pitkään kun mentiin yhdessä meren rannalle. Hyvää perhe aikaa Sinulle!
Hi Marja-Leena,
Apropos of nothing, here is a Finnish site come by my nose
http://www.muuka.com/finnishpumpkin/churches/helsinki/chteh/church_chteh.html
Hi Bill! Thanks for that great link! You must have read my posts about the exhibition of Finnish church architecture Sacral Spaces, and about my visit?
Thanks for the suggestion. I could not quite get it to happen. The photos in the slide show have errors when I try to view them full size…My disappoinment is huge, but it will vanish almost immediately. It is definitely a place to be shared.