Fantastic Mr Flint

Sorry everyone, I'm going to be really insufferable with my music posting this year because any journal I keep will inevitably transform into an ad hoc music thoughts channel.

Anyway I figured I'd make some posts about my purchases whenever I do a little record shop raid. I had forgotten to post about this at the time, but in the last days of our Finland Christmas trip (which was really lovely, thank you very much) I popped by my old local music/entertainment shop, as is my tradition. They're not a very good record shop anymore because a physical music shop in a small town just isn't as crucial as it used to be, but they do have a really nice cheapo section full of discount wares which I scout for random, ad hoc purchases I probably wouldn't buy if the price tag wasn't < €5.

And so this is what ended up in my bag this time:

Suzanne Vega - Tried & True: The Best of Suzanne Vega
I used to borrow a handful of Vega's albums from my local library in the same home town when I was young (that library was such an integral part of my musical upbringing) and I know I like her music, but I've never ended up buying anything. So, a cheap best of is a good addition to my collection. Remember when compilation albums like these were an important, integral part of an artist's discography and often the first point of call when discovering music? Playlists just don't have the same feel... [mumbles in luddite]

V/A - Suomipoppia 3
"Finn-Pop 3", basically a NOW!-style radio hits compilation featuring a number of Finnish hits from ca. 2003. Has some nostalgic jams I remember fondly and other artists which'll do neatly for a little memory lane trip.

Zen Café - Idiootti
Zen Café are a band who I enjoy but aren't too fussed about: they're a decent band, got a few great songs here and there, but they repeat the same sound throughout their discography with barely any deviations, and normally in such cases I'd end up getting only the best iteration of that sound (it's Helvetisti järkeä for them, btw). But because pretty much everything of theirs is usually around €2 in that record shop, I usually find myself leaving Finland with yet another part of their back catalogue in my suitcase.

It’s Christmas Eve, which means it’s the big day for us continental Europeans! I’m spending this Christmas with Shez and my extended family all the way in Finland, and having a traditional fox family Christmas. Given the slightly more expansive posting that Cohost allows, I thought I’d detail a little what my Christmas home-side usually involves, perhaps to explain why it feels like such a special thing for me.

So here’s a breakthrough of what we’re up to today!

• Before Christmas

So not quite today but one thing I’ve come to realise while being here and talking to others is that Finland (and a lot of continental Europe) makes a big deal about Christmas way before the big day, through a gradual build up. December as a whole feels like a big string of events: the four advents (the four Sundays before Christmas) which act as milestones of sorts, the Finnish Independence Day on 6th December, St. Lucia’s day on 13th December, to name the more notable ones. It’s perhaps why Christmas calendars are also a big deal here, not just in terms of the chocolate countdowns but with each TV channel typically having their own daily seasonal “Christmas calendar” show during the month and other media outlets having daily giveaways. My mom’s neighbourhood area has been doing a local christmas calendar for a few years now where the addresses that take part get assigned a day and on that day they reveal a little handcrafted set piece by the front gates for people to visit and see (it’s now gotten to the point that it’s become a little competitive on who does the fanciest thing, so the usual escalation that happens with these things).

• Christmas Eve morning

We typically start our day with the Christmas sauna - which is exactly the same thing as a regular sauna, except we have it in the morning instead of the evening and we’ve put some christmas scented essential oil in the water we throw on the rocks. (For the record, if you’re not aware, saunas are a super common thing in Finland, most houses come with one and they’re nothing fancy as such)

The rest of the morning is basically then a mix of having breakfast (traditionally rice porridge but I prefer the generic, less seasonal options), getting ready and watching the usual seasonal TV programming.

• Cemetery visit

Morbid! But visiting the graves of family members who’ve passed away is a common thing during Christmas here, to wish happy christmas for those who aren’t here with us anymore. We’ll make sure the stones are nice and neat, that there’s a lit candle by them, etc.

(It also gives us the chance to do last minute resource shopping on the way back before all stores close)

• The Wait

Christmas dinner gets prepared, the kids go increasingly wild, the adults lose their patience bit by bit. The christmas peace gets declared (our version of the Queen’s Speech) and while it was going on today, ironically the first crying tantrum with the family young’uns occurred :).

• Christmas Dinner

The traditional Finnish Christmas dinner isn’t really a set meal like it is in the UK or the US. Instead, it’s a buffet. Besides the centrepiece meat (traditionally ham, though these days most families opt for both ham and a small turkey), there is a wide variety of sides from salads to casseroles to sauces to other meats (meatballs, fish, etc). Some of these sides are traditional, others are traditional for the family: things particular family members had historically, special treats that have become a staple due to preferences or dietary requirements, dishes from other cultures with families where some family members aren’t Finnish, etc. Everything’s set on a big table and people help themselves to anything they want, as much as they want.

There’s no traditional dessert as such but my mom loves making cakes and pannacottas and she always has a surprise each year in store for us.

• Post-Dinner

Shortly after Christmas dinner we exchange our presents and I hope everyone likes ours!!

After that, it’s just chilling. The kids finally calm down (hopefully), the adults pop open the wine, everything is cosy and nice.

Christmas Day on the other hand is simply relaxing. We enjoy our new presents, have christmas dinner leftovers, chill out and enjoy the holidays.

That’s the fox family home christmas in a nutshell. I hope you guys enjoy the holidays the exact way you prefer, and may Santa get you something extra nice!

Somehow not surprised that the first brand I see on a new website is Sonic.

Alright, everyone, time to show off! Share/comment with something you're proud of having done this past year, big or small!

• Co-bought a house
• Finally created my silly personal website that's only been in my mind for about uhhhh 15 years or so.
• Continuing to be more open around other people and true to myself, which is a huge thing for my normally reserved self and something I continue to work on and which I'm making good progress on.