A friend and I have this thing where we say, "Ho ho ho".
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Season's Greetings, etc.!
I will be working all the way up until the 24th, but I have yet to buy any Christmas presents or make any cards so I might be busy. Then again, I plan to only give cards and presents to Mum and my grandparents. One of the luxuries of being a student: you always have an excuse not to buy gifts. I feel it's more and more common, though, to not give gifts all that much, both within my extended family and outside it. It seems many people are shying away from the materialistic aspect and the stress of running around doing something that's supposed to be fun but usually just translates to a lot of grumpy shoppers. That, and people are maybe more careful with their money. Is this a Finnish thing (or even a me thing) or have you foreigners noticed it, too?
Also, while queuing in various shops today, I developed a theory that the scary numbers of psychotic-furious people around Christmas is due to the horrible, brain-and-soul-eating, vomit-inducing Christmas jingles and hymns they keep playing. I spent two Christmas seasons working in retail, and came very close to turning into a raging lunatic listening to a cappella versions of "Holy Night" 8 hours a day for two months. Also, people were so rude. So, so rude. A part of me looks forward to maybe working in customer service again - which might happen as soon as my internship finishes as there doesn't seem to be any translation work around - but a part of me is still scarred by people yelling at me. There are good bits as well, though: the employees tend to do their utmost to help each other and support someone if they've had a rough day.
Internship continues, I hopefully passed my exams by (or despite) writing a fictional letter from an 19th-century archaeologist to Trelawny, and that's all there is to report, really. That, and check out Silversun Pickups and Bat For Lashes if you haven't yet. It's interesting music.
Stay safe!
Peace and love,
Elina
I will be working all the way up until the 24th, but I have yet to buy any Christmas presents or make any cards so I might be busy. Then again, I plan to only give cards and presents to Mum and my grandparents. One of the luxuries of being a student: you always have an excuse not to buy gifts. I feel it's more and more common, though, to not give gifts all that much, both within my extended family and outside it. It seems many people are shying away from the materialistic aspect and the stress of running around doing something that's supposed to be fun but usually just translates to a lot of grumpy shoppers. That, and people are maybe more careful with their money. Is this a Finnish thing (or even a me thing) or have you foreigners noticed it, too?
Also, while queuing in various shops today, I developed a theory that the scary numbers of psychotic-furious people around Christmas is due to the horrible, brain-and-soul-eating, vomit-inducing Christmas jingles and hymns they keep playing. I spent two Christmas seasons working in retail, and came very close to turning into a raging lunatic listening to a cappella versions of "Holy Night" 8 hours a day for two months. Also, people were so rude. So, so rude. A part of me looks forward to maybe working in customer service again - which might happen as soon as my internship finishes as there doesn't seem to be any translation work around - but a part of me is still scarred by people yelling at me. There are good bits as well, though: the employees tend to do their utmost to help each other and support someone if they've had a rough day.
Internship continues, I hopefully passed my exams by (or despite) writing a fictional letter from an 19th-century archaeologist to Trelawny, and that's all there is to report, really. That, and check out Silversun Pickups and Bat For Lashes if you haven't yet. It's interesting music.
Stay safe!
Peace and love,
Elina