A Green and Disappointing Christmas

The skating rink at Somerset House

Well, Christmas certainly didn't turn out the way we had planned.

For starters, somebody forgot to inform the weather gods that in Europe it's meant to be cold at Christmas time. We've now officially had the UK's warmest autumn and winter on record (so far) and as you can imagine, I am far from happy with this situation.

All year I await the cold. It's the main reason we are living here in the Northern Hemisphere, and not at home in Australia. As I write this on 1 January, we have had two - yes, only two - frosts the entire winter. One Saturday morning in early November we got a flurry of wet snow for about half an hour. But since October the daily maximum has been somewhere between 10-17 degrees, with the overnight minimum being... well, about the same, really.

Covent Garden dressed up for Christmas

Mistletoe decorations in Covent Garden

Apple Market at Covent Garden

Christmas street lights on the Strand, London

Somerset House resplendent in purple

The Fortnum & Mason Christmas Arcade inside Somerset House

Beautiful - but incredibly overpriced - goodies from Fortnum & Mason

The Nelson Stair at Somerset House

So while England did its best to get into the Christmas spirit, with temperatures more akin to early autumn or even a disappointing summer it really didn't feel very christmassy. All the same we made the effort to get excited about the festive season. 

We each had Christmas functions at our respective workplaces, with Kevin being included in the invitation to attend the cocktail party being hosted by Alexander Downer for High Commission staff at Australia House. I was in charge of organising my own small team's Christmas lunch and as three out of seven of us are vegetarian/pescetarian I decided to wield my limited power and book one of London's best vegetarian restaurants, The Gate in Islington. I'm pleased to say that function was a resounding success with a couple of nervous 'vegetarian virgins' saying it was some of the best food they'd ever eaten - job done!

In November and December lots of towns have special fairs that usually incorporate the switching on of their Christmas lights, and in early December we drove down to Reigate for theirs. It was a pleasant enough way to spend an afternoon, and we had the bonus of discovering an independent health-food store that stocks lots of vegan supplies and cruelty-free cosmetics etc - very useful to know.

Wreaths and bunches of mistletoe for sale

For the pooch that has everything - tweed dog wear!
Surrey has the most well-turned-out dogs in the UK

The mild English weather didn't get me down as much as it might have, because I had the anticipation of once again fleeing to Norway for a 'proper' Christmas. Most importantly, we were going to spend a few days catching up with Graeme and Tero in Finland - dear friends whom we haven't seen since leaving Australia. 

All week I'd been feeling tired and a bit fed up with the cough I'd been struggling with for about a month, but I managed to get up at 5:15am and feel excited about seeing the boys in a few hours' time.

We spent our first night in Finland in a gorgeous holiday villa right on the water about 45 minutes from Helsinki. The boys were travelling with two other couples from Canberra / Sydney, plus another couple who actually live in Helsinki were bunking in with us. We had a great dinner, with some of us floating off to bed around 12:30am and the more hardy members of the group enjoying the outdoor hot-tub and the sauna, before consuming vast quantities of vodka and akavit into the wee small hours...

Alas, even here in the Baltics the weather was unseasonably mild. 

The gorgeous villa we shared with Tero and Graeme and three other couples - just outside Helsinki

The villa had its own jetty and pontoon

Sunset at the pier in front of the house - the Gulf of Finland in Porvoo (Sipoo)

The lovely, rustic kitchen

The beautiful view over the Gulf of Finland from the dining room

The villa was filled with gorgeous antiques

That white stuff is NOT snow - it's sea foam

Sadly the next day brought a decline into severe respiratory infection and by the time we drove into the city to check into our hotel, I was feeling pretty ordinary. 

Our hotel was funky and modern, dripping with Scandinavian style, and I was determined to participate in the planned festivities which included dining at Helsinki's famous Christmas Buffet at the waterfront Kulosaaren Casino, followed by a concert by Finnish a capella group Rajaton at the Finlandia concert hall. 

Entry to the very funky Klaus K Hotel in Helsinki

The Klaus K reception area

Staircase from reception down to the bar

One of the restaurants in our hotel

Even the elevator was groovy!

Despite feeling like death I could appreciate the elegant surrounds of Kulosaaren, with patrons dressed in their Christmas finest. The buffet was amazing but I couldn't do it justice - to begin with it was heavily meat and dairy based, plus I really had no appetite at all. I made a valiant attempt at the starters, skipped all the mains and nibbled on a couple of dessert morsels. 

Finnish elegance in full flight at the Kulosaaren Christmas buffet

Not a great range of choice for a pescetarian - I had no appetite anyway.

We were hoping that 'dry cake' was just an unfortunate translation!

The dessert table, complete with casino scale replica made from gingerbread

During intermission at the Rajaton concert I made my excuses and Kevin and I took a taxi back to our hotel. The next day I had to face the fact that I was not going to make it to Norway for Christmas. Not only would an entire day of travel involving two flights and a four-hour bus journey finish me off, I didn't relish disturbing the entire household with my incessant coughing. Tero and Graeme's local friends managed to get me an appointment at a private medical facility and the decision to fly back to London was made. 

So for the rest of the day poor Kevin wandered around Helsinki on his own and then met up with Tero and Graeme for drinks, while I languished in bed the entire day. I had been to Helsinki many years ago so I consoled myself with the fact that at least one of us was getting to see the city.

Oh, the joy of Art Deco in this lovely city!

Helsinki Harbour

There are some very glamorous restaurants in this town

On our last morning I summoned the determination to take a stroll around for an hour or so, enjoying the Christmas markets and the gorgeous and stylish boutiques. On my previous visit I'd admired the wide boulevards and Russian influences of this tidy city. I was pleased to find it undiminished in essentials. 

The very stylish iittala store

iittala store interior

Such an elegant, stylish city

The Lutheran Cathedral

Uspenski Cathedral is Western Europe's largest Orthodox cathedral 

Christmas handcrafts at the festive markets

And so we bid Helsinki, and our friends, farewell. Helsinki airport is nicer than most, with a lot of high quality souvenirs and produce on sale at very nice boutiques.

All things Moomin are available at Helsinki Airport

Although it was a relief to get home to my own bed where I knew I could cough all night without disturbing anyone but poor Kevin, it was with a heavy heart that I contemplated the change in our Christmas plans.

Naturally my family in Norway were incredibly disappointed but I'm fairly confident theirs was nothing compared to mine. We ended up spending a very lonely and dull Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in grey, warm England - me on antibiotics and both of us picturing ourselves at Marion and Erik's lovely home, gorging on her amazing cooking, enjoying the good company and of course the snow.

Neighbours had been kind enough to leave us a bag of goodies before heading away for their own celebrations, having discovered our early return and the circumstances. So at least we were all set for Christmas pudding, glühwein and chocolates. Their thoughtfulness was much appreciated.

Kevin enjoying a cleansing ale at one of our locals, the Marquis of Granby

I'm still on antibiotics and, in all honesty, not relishing the thought of returning to work on Monday. On the plus side, after such a disastrous Christmas the only way is up!

Here's hoping you all had a more satisfying festive season than we did, and all the best for 2016.

Until next time,
- Maree  xo