The Rest Of The Week

It used to be that around Thanksgiving I would announce on my social media that I am taking a month-long break from political and social issues and focusing on presents and cookies. This year, however, it was so much work, that all my Christmas activities would remain in the shade, and I am not even sure how I managed to get all charity presents, order the Christmas tree and schedule the holiday cookie baking.

Now, looking back at the first week of December, I am happy to report that it actually looked quite Christmasy.

I attended the first Christmas party of that season – the WiFi party – on Tuesday, and it was surprisingly fun, having that I barely participate in this group activities. I even added some LinkedIn connections!

Then it was Elf on Wednesday; and also, I went skating twice, once during the day and once after work, and saw this year’s Christmas tree.

I even stopped at the Christkindlmarket, although I want to go again at least twice!

And I already mailed all my international postcards, which is a record!

Elf at Auditorium

Somehow, I never saw the movie Elf (and the musical plot is slightly different), and it was the most pleasant surprise one could imagine. Now I wish they would bring this musical to Chicago every Christmas season! One small detail that brough me joy – when it is snowing in the end of the show, it’s not paper and glitter snow, but a real snow! I don;t know how they do it 🙂

Pictures from the website:

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It’s Beginning To Look Like Christmas

Boris wouldn’t care much about Christmas decorations, but he knows it’s important for me, so he always helps me to decorate during this Thanksgiving weekend.

This year, I made some changes in my decorating routine, threw away some old and worn decorations, and just stopped trying to put everything on display. Boris checked all the lights. One of the light strings was not working, but it turned out that I bought two extras last year just in case:).

The presents are for the Secret Santa for Chicago Public Schools, which I have been doing for at least 16 years. This year, I had three letters, and I managed to fit most of the requests into budget.

Today, I dropped off the presents at a collection point, and in a week and a half, they will be distributed. Next in line are the Night Ministry presents; I already purchased pretty much everything, just need to pack.

Last Call For Cookies!

Christmas Time – Cookie Time!

Christmas Time – Cookie Time!

It’s that time of the year again! It’s Christmas Cookie time! Same as last year, and as many years before, and hopefully many years to come: if you want my cookies this season, leave a comment or DM me! First fifteen from across the world/across all my social media, first twenty from the US, unlimited if you are in Chicagoland and can pick it up at my house (while supplies last :)). Unlimited Christmas Cards.

Come and bake/decorate with me Dec 6-7 or Dec 13-14.

Last Day In Helsinki

Yesterday, we were trying to do everything we didn’t have time to do during the past two weeks :). We went for a bike ride, which was great, especially because I might not have an opportunity to go for a bike ride for a while (looking at my schedule realistically).

We went to Regatta in the afternoon, and they were serving glögg in addition to their usual coffee and hot chocolate, so we ordered glögg and blueberry pie with vanilla sauce and enjoyed being inside this little fairy tale, as always.

And I can never miss their outdoor creativity!

When it became darker, I went to see whatever Christmas lights were already up:

To my surprise and delight, I found that not only Stockmann Christmas display was already up (it was not up five hours earlier when I went to get chocolate!)

And then I spent two hourse packing, and ended up with two luggage pieces!

Mom’s Birthday

My mom turned 90 today. We are giving her a “semi-surprise party” tomorrow, and we have already had enough of disasters: Vlad couldn’t come because the earlier snowstorm in DC pushed the training he had to conduct to the weekend; both Anna and I had a work crisis (and Igor was super busy, too). We had to move to another venue two days before the party. Anna forgot the frame for our collective present at home; all the printing is done not at the last minute but one after the last, and so on.

After disassembling my Christmas tree, I realized I needed new boxes for ornaments. I ordered them, and they arrived, but I didn’t have time even to unpack them until today, so i was repacking ornaments when Anna’s family arrived.

BTW the boxes are great, and I feel like I always feel when I replace something old with a newer model – why didn’t I do it earlier?! It’s so much better!

Closing The Holiday Season

It has been a very intense weekend. On Friday night, Anna and John were consuming my Christmas gift for them: a Broadway show, a hotel night, and babysitting. Later on Saturday, we got together with them, my mom and Igor for the last Christmas presents exchange. I postponed my Christmas tree removal until Sunday afternoon so that we could open the presents by the tree.

I told the girls that the tree was coming down so they could take everything that they could find on the tree. To my surprise, when I took down all the ornaments, I found two unnoticed chocolate ornaments, one candy cane, and two gingerbread cookies.

Also, I had a scary moment when I could not find my cucumber on the tree! I mean actual “mine” – the one I brought from Russia, the one I had since as early as I can remember. I took the flashlight and finally found it, along with one more lost ornament – the skates from Ireland.

The last look at my mantel and the cards before taking everything down

I took down everything, all the lights and all the other house decorations. The tree was still so fresh, dripping some resin and smelling the forest and the holidays! I couldn’t be happier with this year’s tree!

I am never sad when I put Christmas decorations away. They’ve been up for a month, and I am ready to say goodbye. The day I remove the decorations and the tree is out feels like the actual start of the New Year!

Coffee, Cookies, And Chocolate!

These are the best presents one can get for Christmas! I have already shown the present I received from my friends living in Ireland – chocolates and an expresso-maker ornament.

Next was a package from my friend from New Zealand: cookies baked by her triplet daughters :), chocolates, and a Christmas pendant: