Today we finished some Christmas E-cards we’re going to send out to our family and friends! It’s animated and plays music as well, but it still doesn’t have the feeling of a real, handwritten Christmas card, but then again, it’d be summer before that arrived, so we’ll have to stick to the E-cards. Sadly, we can’t send everybody in the family an E-card as everyone doesn’t have a computer!
I also kind of miss the snow, how Christmas used to be white. The fireplace would be lit and the smell of a pine tree would waft throughout the rooms of the house, intermingling with the sweet scent of hot chocolate and gingerbread cookies. Christmas music would be playing softly within the house, which would be vaguely illuminated by warmly-tinted lights and yellow flames burning down the wicks of candles with hot wax dripping down their sides. While we still have the decor and the music, the snow is really an important addition to the entire feel of Christmas, especially coming from Finland which is rather far up north. How do you celebrate your winter holiday?
anexpatriatewithacamera 
Being a born and bred Singaporean, welcome to the world of Singapore’s Christmas, lol 🙂
No spring, no autumn, no winter – just summer. But I’m not complaining ❤
Haha thank you! I love Singapore, it’s an amazing place to be an expat in. Still getting used to having summer all year round though!
I was just lamenting to my boyfriend last night about our lack of actual “cards” this year — and yet I failed to send them out myself. I recognized the hypocrisy right away, but I believe this is a reflection of our changing times (and inflating postal rates, might I add…).
No snow for us this year either — but lots of family and friends surrounding us. So we are blessed beyond measure!
🙂
Haha I know what you mean! Especially when you have a lot of cards to send! You end up having to write and post a lot of envelopes, we would have had quite the pile this year!
Having grown up with lots of snow at Christmas, I know how you feel. I now live in Texas and sometimes it has been hard to have that Christmas feeling, especially when it is really warm outside rather than at least cold.
But sending out Christmas cards helps me and decorating the house and all that.
Merry Christmas, snowless though it may be!
I’m in Canada, and it doesn’t look like we’re going to have snow on Christmas day. First time that I can remember.
http://midnightwatcher.wordpress.com/
Now, that is how I think Christmas should be as well! It doesn’t feel the same now that the weather is so warm in Toronto that it feels like September more than it does December!
I celebrate Christmas with my family, eating TONS of food and playing games on Christmas Eve until we just can’t keep our eyes open anymore, and then, on Christmas Day, we wake up to the smell of my Mom baking fresh sweet bread (which she then drizzles with icing..yummy!), and we just chat and laugh for a while. Eventually, we all head towards the fireplace and grab our stockings, then it is time for presents, and then we just eat and talk and laugh some more.
Somewhere in there, we eventually fit in some turkey… 😉
Lovely post and Merry Christmas! 🙂
I feel you! I’m from the Philippines by the way 🙂
From new york and im surprised it barely snowed yet!
global warming at its finest huh
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I am in Toronto Canada and we usually have snow, but not this year! Mother nature is blessing (or cursing – depending on your feelings) us. I am okay with no snow because I have a lot of running around to do and I hate driving in snow, but I do miss the feel snow brings to the holidays!
i like you coment…
Don’t feel bad about the cards. People aren’t sending them out like they used to; at least not here in NY.
I’ve had Christmases without snow and it doesn’t matter to me. Honestly, the snow is a huge inconvience in the city. Years ago, growing up, it was fun, but not when you have to go to work in it.
Val
http://valentinedefrancis.wordpress.com
I’ve only ever had one Christmas where there was actually snow. Living in the Southwest for most of my life a “white Christmas” is something that I’ve only ever seen in the movies so I don’t really miss not having it.
We always make tamales and then I eat as many as I can. It’s not Christmas without the smell of a freshly steamed tamale.
Christmas cards cause more stress than anything. We aren’t going to have snow either! Sadly, it’s supposed to be 50 degrees and sunny.
http://sywsoyouwanna.wordpress.com
I am from India and we are having a pleasant Christmas season.
Merry Christmas to you!
Living in Alabama, snow is an infrequent visitor. The high today is 67. I remember in Texas, we’d turn the air conditioning down to 50 or 60, light the fireplace and invite everyone over for a sweater party.
Hi half of my ancestry is from Finland. Thanks for sharing your holiday post. I’ll listen to Finnish music on your behalf today. Traditional Finnish music goes well with this time of year.
drink and drink celebrate all in once
My christmas is always sunny with clear skies and not a cloud in sight. It is very annoying! I want to have a classic white Christmas but living on the west coast it seems impossible!
Part of my Canadian family is from Finland too, so I share your joy about Christmas and snow. We’ve celebrated Christmas in India, Canada, different parts of the U.S. and the South Pacific. Don’t miss snow, but do miss being with those I love: http://stateofgrateful.wordpress.com. Thanks for sharing your Christmas e-card, and enjoy the season in Singapore!
As a fellow expat, I’m feeling your emotions. Being an American now living in India, there is no snow or pines trees or egg nog for me. Family is far away. But, have you notice how much depth your memories of Christmases past have gained? I know I feel like I’ve found a new dimension in myself didn’t even exist. Reminds me of the song “Don’t it always seem to go, you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone…” Happy Holidays to you and your family.
I know how you feel. I could never get used to having air conditioning on Christmas day in Texas – I longed for cold, frosty England. I imagine Christmas in Finland must be very beautiful. But do enjoy the food in Singapore.
Loved your idea of what Christmas is. I grew up and still live that type of Christmas, but it won’t be happening here in North Dakota this year. It is cool, but not super cold, and except for a little snow on the ground, nothing coming by Christmas. Love your ecards idea. I think next year, I will post my card, and if anyone wants to read it, they can. Think of it as living green, though I may have to dig out old cards to use for decoration. Everyone out there have a Blessed Christmas and New Year.
It doesn’t seem like Christmas without snow, but having had a few now I know that it can be done. The main thing is, don’t forget the meaning of Christmas, or if you’re not a believer, try to look at the role of light in a season of darkness. There is more to December than Christmas – there is also yule, hanukah, buddha’s enlightenment, and epiphany shortly on, all dealing with the theme of light. Maybe snow makes it better because of it’s “lightness.” Check out my thoughts on the matter here: http://dayreturn.wordpress.com/2011/12/22/bringing-the-mystery-home/
Best Regards,
James LaForest
This will be our first Christmas without snow. I think my children are accepting this much better than I am.
Nope, No snow here in So-Cal…. But we are having a “wind event”.
Winter holiday is a combination of traditions, with wreaths and candles and many days of family gatherings and good food. Hurray!
http://schroedernotes.wordpress.com/
Thank you for saying Christmas rather than the politicly-correct garbage of Happy Holidays.
People in southern hemisphere celebrate their Christmas during summer, snow is far fetched thing! 🙂 We’ve been lucky enough lately in NE US to have some snow before Christmas. Not this year though.
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I’m Norwegian, and right now it is actually raining. We had a little snow earlier, but It’s rapidly disappearing as I type this. Merry Christmas!
Love your tree photo!
This Christmas in New England isn’t likely to have any snow, unless we get a dusting. None last year, if I remember correctly, but it more than made up for it the rest of the winter! Maybe that will happen this year, too. It doesn’t quite feel like Christmas with no snow, especially in a place that’s supposed to have it! But there are lights everywhere, which is probably my favorite part, and lovely parties with friends, and I’ll see my far-away family, so it’s still the sweet season.
It’s always grey here in eastern Pennsylvania on Christmas. I haven’t seen a white Christmas in over 10 years. It snowed for Halloween though. That was interesting. But just pretend there’s snow outside and continue with the music, light some pine scented candles, keep baking the gingerbread and enjoy the holiday! There’s more to Christmas than snow. Cheers!
I wish we had snow for Christmas in Alabama. We did last year but this year we got severe weather.
Greetings from Sweden! I will have a white Christmas but it was close not to be so. Luckily I got snow a few days ago and it stayed. Current weather conditions are:
Cloudy 33,6°F/0,9°C
Snowdepth 6 Inches/15 cm
The snow seems too be melting during christmas. For me snow is very important for the feeling of christmas. It just don’t feel the same. A example for that are christmas 2007.
http://joktr.wordpress.com/
I ignore the entire damn crass thing.
It boggles the mind that rational people living in these times of global hardship and struggle still waste prodigious amounts of money, energy and time on the obscene “Holiday Season” {very PC, that phrase!} orgy of materialism and greed.
It goes to show how American-style money worship has spread across this sorry world.
http://americanotstandingstill.com/
Will spend Christmas Eve at church playing in our handbell choir for two services … a long evening.
despite the lack of snow on southern california beaches, i miss the snow in the mountains. but, nothing beats a christmas where you can wear sandals and short sleeve shirts.
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HE WAS MARRIED W/KIDS (let me know an hour in) & he wanted me to meet his wife for a 3some – do i win a prize? worst date ever #badfirstdate
From Canada here and Canadian born. Never been to Asia yet.
Admittedly I am a sucker for white snowy Christmases. Then I want it to disappear and the cold by Valentine’s Day.
Right now where we are in Alberta, there’s hardly any snow. So we’ll go biking to get groceries to make our Christmas dinner. But we’ve already had 5 different snowfalls since November. Yes, when there is no wind, it is lovely to walk about in snowy fairyland. Usually every Christmas/New Year’s holiday we go into the mountains to do snowshoeing.
LIke here, with the pics of several past Christmases:
Merry Christmas. And remember we’ve had very cold winter temperatures as low as -26 degrees C several times last year!
Hi, it’s a really nice short story, I really want to know how look like Christmas with snow, since here, in Indonesia there is no snow, plan to go to Finland next year and visit a friend in Tampere, but not sure when..
http://indonesiabestplaces.wordpress.com
My FIRST White Christmas was when I was about 11 years old, it was a family vacation rental in Lake Tahoe, and it was nice, but in all honesty, I was too young to remember it being Christmas, there was no tree, I got socks, underwear, and gloves (someone screwed up and got 2 sets by mistake). But my first REAL White Christmas that I actually had a tree and could really enjoy it, was when I was probably 22 or so. I was living in Portland Oregon, and drove with my friend from work to visit her family in Spokane Washington (who later became my family) and was totally shocked that they lived in snow EVERY Christmas. I was a little jealous, but I was lucky enough to enjoy many MANY Thanksgiving and Christmases with them in the snow until unfortunately two of our beloved passed away and the tradition broke and we all moved away.. now I live in SF, and every few years there is a day of snow that falls and I freak out (it doesnt stick) and try to have a good enough time.
I live in the northeastern u.s. and we are just getting about 4 inches of snow right now.
With temps in the 20s tommorow I think it will be a white Christmas!!
I can only remember a handful of times when we didn’t have a white Christmas… this year is sadly one of them 😦 I just feel bad for the kiddos who have no snow for sledding over break!
I remember christmases without snow…I’ve pretty much lived abroad most of my life too and I know I’m going to continue to do that with my husband (also an expat)! When I was a kid we had white christmases (Wisconsin/Montreal), but after that became pretty hard in Mexico, the Philippines, Australia and France! Now back in Connecticut there’s more of a chance…but it often snows after Christmas here. I hope you have a very merry christmas, even without snow! And congrats on being freshly pressed!
yes you are right! snow is vital to a white Christmas.I’ve never seen snow …boohOO!!! because I live in Hong Kong 😦
I wish there was snow as well! Christmas is only 2 days away and you could hardly know it! It just doesn’t feel like Christmas without all the snow. 😦
ugh its raining where I live. Its not asposta rain it is asposta snow!
Living in Florida I am having a tropical Christmas this year. On Christmas day I will be one block from the ocean and sand. This is the first time in ten years that I will not being going home to Canada for my white Christmas. While I don’t miss experiencing 5 months of snow I am missing a white Christmas. Hope you have a beautiful holiday.
Merry Christmas from southwestern Utah! We have snow here in the high desert today. It’s pretty. If I could box it up and send you some I would. 🙂
Hello,
I’m an Indonesian living in Albany, NY. We normally have plenty of snow here, but this year I don’t think it will snow on Christmas. When I was in Indonesia, my dream Christmas would be a snowy-white Christmas, just like what we’ve always seen on the movies or Christmas cards. But I have to say that now I really miss having a tropical Christmas in Indonesia… not because I miss the warm sunshine, but because I miss my friends and family. Turns out they’re the ones who make Christmas feels like Christmas, whatever the weather or the temperature is.
Hope your Christmas is surrounded by your loved ones.
Merry Christmas!
Having lived in Coastal California most of my life I have never had a white Christmas. But that has not stopped me from celebrating Christmas. My family and I turned our backs on the commercialism of Christmas several years ago and now celebrate by volunteering our time, energy and money to help those less fortunate. With our extended family we draw names out of a hat so we buy (and therefore recieve) only one gift each year, except for the children.
No matter how you celebrate the season, I extend to you warm wishes for a holiday filled with love, hope, joy and family. Merry Christmas!
Live it up! Christmas only comes once a year with or without snow 🙂
I can empathise with your feelings – I live in Alberta and after so much snow last year,
it is a shock to have so little this year, may even be a brown Christmas here, too. Though I am not missing the bone-chilling temperatures, I am psychologically wired for a “White Christmas” . Going to the legislature grounds in Edmonton helps, with the amazing light display and piped- in music on the grounds.There are choirs singing inside the rotunda in the evening and free hot chocolate for the public. There are also lighting ceremonies for Hannukah here. I attended a candlelighting service that helped me gound myself with the Christmas spirit. Real cards make a difference.I enjoy hanging them up on the walls and I save them. Visiting with friends is important to me so I have an open house sometime during the holidays-people can come and go as they please and stay to snack and chat.May your soul be jolly!
Wish you Merry Christmas too ! Well, I see I am not the only one who is sad about not having snow. We have to hope, wish you luck… 🙂
Merry Christmas Anyway!
Here is a cheering non-snowy quirky festive image from Scotland: a Festive Kiss with a Twist. Happy Xmas, everyone!
Not even the south of Sweden gets snow this year. For me, Christmas cards are a thing of the past, e-cards are definitely the way forward. A merry Christmas to you!
I feel you. I am from Eastern Europe and we could not even imagine having Christmas without snow. But as I am now in The States, I kinda needed to get used to the green Christmas… The American song “Dreaming of a White Christmas” makes so much more sense now 🙂
Nevertheless, Merry Christmas to you and your beloved ones! 🙂
Christmas is being surrounded by friends, family, looming credit card bils and lots and lots of fun!
it neversnows were i live
Even here in Montana … NO SNOW! 😦
So we bought ‘Twister’ and ‘Catch Phrase’ and plan on torturing the entire family ALL weekend!
I love Christmas.
To me snow means Christmas. It just doesn’t feel like it unless there is a white blanket on the ground. I am from Canada which is known for buckets of the stuff. However, this year it is green as far as the eye can see. So instead of toboggan’s and snowmen this year we will stay indoors and eat cookies and drink egg nog. Merry Christmas to you!
it was fantastic go ahead !!!!!!!!
Hello, I check your blog regularly. Your story-telling style is awesome, keep up the good work!
Normally we have the best of both worlds, 30 minutes to the snow on Teide (Spains highest mountain) or 10 minutes to the beach where it will be 25/26C. But this year only the slightest dusting of snow I’m not sure Canarios will be rushing to build snowmen but at least it gives the feel of Christmas seeing the snowy mountain cap.
I live in South Georgia. In fact I’m so far in South Georgia that Florida is only 15 miles from my home. The only White Christmas I can remember having was back in 1989 when we received record snow falls. I don’t believe we have gotten and snow since then. Maybe a flurry or two. Right now its been running in the mid 70’s here and its the day before Christmas. We are expected to hit 70 tomorrow.
I celebrate Christmas by remembering why we have it to begin with. Jesus Christ. I also try to bring a smile one someone’s face. A way to really just share the joy that God has blessed me with.
It is so sad, I don’t have any snow for Christmas as well. 😦
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I lived with snow for many years and while the ice, bundling up, and shoveling got old, after a couple of years in Florida, I miss it…a little! Thanks for sharing!
Ha ha, as a South African I’ve never had a white Christmas, as Christmas is in the middle of summer for us! So we are usually on or near the beach on Christmas day. I don’t know what we’d do if it snowed!
I’ve only experienced snow once – when I lived in China for a year.
being a singaporean and all, i ha ve spent a few snowy white and chilling christmas-es abroad. it is indeed easier to feel and “taste” the air of christmas around snow, cold weather, hot cocoa and bright lights. i’m sorry singapore could only offer hot christmas but what i’m grateful at the efforts made to liven up the atmosphere. at least this year’s christmas is wet as well, so maybe it isn’t that bad after all.
Merry Christmas!
ive never had any experience in snow so im very hoping that one time i can all experience what it feels like ..:)
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You sound so wistful and sad- hope you have a nice Christmas anyway. I’ve spent hours writing cards- 20 or so to my Polish family! Wasn’t going to do e-cards this year but just this evening I opened a lovely post from a friend in Portugal. It contained an e-card for the Macmillan charity and before I knew it I’d spent an hour sending some- such a great cause. Merry Christmas!
I live in Hawaii, so just like you, no snow, unless I was on top of Mauna Kea on the Big Island, but I’m on Oahu. But it’s okay, I love Christmas in Hawaii as long as I have family!
I’ve lived in Australia my whole life so Christmas has always been in the summer. To me, it’s been celebrated with barbecues, pool parties and the heat. I think I need to experience a white Christmas soon. It’s just too pretty.
I live in Italy, on the Adriatic Sea Coast…. Having lived just two or three (maybe four) Christmas with snow… so for me it’s normal a Christmas with snow !!!
sorry…. without snow!
I’m from England and here we have no snow 😦
mindlesslog.wordpress.com
Christmas here in Baltimore, Maryland is quite cold. We’ve been experiencing some warm spring like weather the past few days but today Christmas Eve was a tad bit nippy. My family doesn’t have a tree up, but i did decorate a miniature tree and put lights around the window with my Mr. and Mrs. Claus! that was fun to do. Hopefully no one steals my Santa hat off my front door.!!!
Merry Christmas. As a kid I lived in a few states that would give us a white Christmas and all four seasons…. some more than others! But, since 1976 we arrived in California and had to go to the mountains to get to see snow. Arizona for 7 years…yes, no snow unless we went way north and we are now in Kentucky and are awaiting the snow and enjoying the cold of the winter season for sure.
So just roll with it! To us the celebration of Christmas is about Jesus and His coming to earth as a baby in a manger to then become and adult and become the savior of the world giving His life for all of us! It is also a time we spend with family and friends, share good food, become mindfully more appreciative for them and how much they mean to us and take time to look at our lives and see where we can make changes for the better that will effect our lives as well as others around us!
So that’s my share time! I hope you have a wonderful, snowless Christmas and have a blessed New Year….. Kevin
Mmm. I’m of Finnish descent, and my Finnish ancestors moved to a part of America that had a similar climate to their homeland. So I, too, am used to white Christmases! We haven’t had much snow in December lately though, which makes me worry about global warming…
We celebrate Christmas with a combination of Finnish and Irish traditions! We have a delicious recipe for Finnish Christmas cookies–I don’t know if you’ve heard of them, they are called Fiska Pinnars. They are so much work to make, but so good!
With 50-60 degree temps. no snow in sight it really doesn’t feel like Christmas either.
I’ll be glad when things get back to normal.
Raven
I can relate. I grew up in New England and was used to of a white Christmas. Now I live in South Florida. Enough said. 😀
I’m from Norway but I live in the U.S. this year, so it’s been a different way of celebrating than what I’m used. I think it’s so strange that I celebrated a white Christmas last year, but this year it’s not even cold outside.. Have a very merry Christmas!
No White Christmes here in Berlin!!!
I can totally relate… I grew up in Iowa and always had snow for Christmas. When I moved out of my parents house I moved to the southern states. This year I prayed really hard for a white Christmas aaand the past few days in North Carolina it’s been 50 degree weather 😦
No snow in Chicago either, but I’m not complaining! After what we had to dig ourselves out of last year, I’m hoping for no snow this year. Merry Christmas to you!
bagaimana caranya bikin sampul seperti itu ?
balas ke http://armadaband2008.wordpress.com/
how to make a cover like that?
reply to http://armadaband2008.wordpress.com/
I live in California, I’ve been born and brought up in California, so unfortunately, I’ve never fully experienced the joy of snow on Christmas or during the winter holidays. For me, snow is like something special, because the only times I get to see it are when I visit relatives scattered across America. I have an aunt up in Pittsburgh, and when I do go to her home for Christmas, the snow is wonderful. Merry Christmas to you!
Ashley
i live in Batam near from Singapore kkkk~
yeah ‘hairlustandstardustthe’ first comment : No spring, no autumn, no winter – just summer
Merry Christmas 😀
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No snow every Christmas here in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea – we have the same climate as Singapore. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a great 2012. I love your photo of the Christmas tree – it’s beautiful.
I live in Massachusetts, and usually around this time the snowblower is running overtime – but not a snowflake this year!
And I hear you about the Christmas cards! I used to hand-make them, but now I email and write a blogpost. Saves paper, time, and postage, and caters to my procrastination. But I enjoy each ‘real’ card I receive immensely!
Happy Holidays to you!
we don’t usually get snow here for christmas, just rain. if we want snow, we have to go to the mountains, which isn’t that far away, so i guess it’s not that bad. but it is nice to have snow outside your door while enjoying the tree and a warm fireplace inside. we don’t usually send xmas cards by snail mail or email, but we do exchange them. always love getting xmas cards and putting them on the fireplace.
love the way you write. This post is juicy 😀
Sadly all of my christmases have been without snow. Maybe one day….
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