Finnish Christmas in Basel

There are three indispensable places when organizing a proper Finnish Christmas if you live in Basel:

1. Forstrevier Allschwil 

2. Ikea in Pratteln

3. Your local village butcher

1. The best way to get a perfect and fresh Christmas tree is to cut it yourself. It's OK to use child labour:

Drive the tree home (after paying the handsome forest dudes)

and place it in your living room

We were lucky, this tree won't need a commercial star on top (which I can't find anyway)

Ikea

Warm-up time: Swedish meatballs!

Ikea is the only place that sells hyacinths as christmas flowers

and gingerbread dough!

Then it's time to get dirty in the kitchen:

and create loads of gingerbread forms and shapes

a little side note -the gingerbread glue is like something from hell -is there really no other way?

Eventually you get a gingerbread Moomin House. 

Our version this year became a Siamese cat rescue center. 

Beware fellow sufferers - "Christmas time is here" -whether you're ready or not.

I'm not ready at all.

Presents wrapped = 0

Christmas tree ornaments hanging = 3

(out of 50 possible) 

Christmas cards sent = 0

(gave up trying years ago...)

- and my first (and only) born child is peeling potatoes and the Ham from the local village butcher is still in the fridge. 

But look who's made friends with Rudolf!

Merry Christmas everyone, don't burn your porridge.