Pikkujoulu with the Vorimos

PIKKUJOULU (literally “little christmas”) is a party (or very many parties) organized before Christmas to light up the darkest period of the year and to bring people into the Christmas mood. The decoration and food of pikkujoulu remind you of Christmas. The party may include singing Christmas carols and playing games. Even Santa Claus may appear in the party and give some presents. The most common pikkujoulu drink is called “Glögi”. It is made either of hot juice or of red wine, and is spiced with cinnamon, ginger, clove, raisins and almonds. Pikkujoulu parties start around November and continue until

Christmas. We had been to two pikkujoulu parties previously. One was sponsored by the Baltimore Chapter of the Finlandia Foundation and held in a Lutheran church in a Baltimore suburb. There was lots of Finnish food and singing and Joulupukki for the many children who came. The second one was an annual formal dress party given by Jaana Moller in Annapolis. She is an excellent baker. In fact she sometimes teaches classes. And the tables, decorations, and atmosphere were quite elegant--lots of candles, lots of Finnish speaking, and lots of traditional caroles.
This Christmas season was our first pikkujoulu party in Finland. Kirsti and Pertti Vorimo invited the temple presidency, all the temple missionaries, and all the temple office volunteers to come for dinner on December 10. Her house was beautifully decorated with lots of candles and Christmas things they have gathered from Finland and Germany. No Santa, no caroles. But amazing food, almond pretzel cookies that were to die for, Glögi, people sharing their Christmas memories, and lots of good company. In the top picture from left to right are Nikolai Vasilyev, David Tippets, Nancy and Chuck Harrington, Gerry and Ralph Larson, Pavel Bashkatov, and the temple president, Mel Luthy. In the second picture are Aito, Kaija Hlinovsky, Purevsuren, Tatyana Vasilyeva, myself, Bishop Kariluoma, Sister Kariluoma, and Sister Lindroos.