This year we had a big party with 19 people for dinner. Sohkanen family (7 of them) from Mikkeli, Finland arrived on 12/23 for two weeks and then Riikka and her 4 kids from Draper and Rod's sister Whitney and her husband Craig and daughter Elle. We all fit around the dinner tables and the food was plentiful....the traditional Finnish food with carrot and rutabaga casseroles, Rosolli (don't ask) and ham galore.
Adults' dinner table before everyone sat down for dinner.
Kids' dinner table was set up in the living room.
Time for "Glögi" and appetizers.
From left, Dana, Alex, Elle, Craig, Enni-Riia, Sini-Tuulia, Joakim, Jetro and Joonatan.
Kari and Riikka catching up with news.
Kids having dinner. From the front: Yonah, Billy, Sedric, Elle, Jetro, Alex, Avalon
Adults' dinner: From the front, Riikka, Jaana, Sini-Tuulia, Enni-Riia, Dana, Joonatan, Joakim, Kari, Whitney and Rod's bald head.
Joonatan, Joakim, Kari, Whitney, Craig, Rod, Riikka, Jaana, Sini-Tuulia and Enni-Riia
Before opening the presents, we had some musical numbers.
Before opening the presents, we had some musical numbers.
Sini-Tuulia (violin student at BYU) played "Varpunen jouluaamuna" and "Whose child is this?" Beautiful!
Elle sang and played "Silent Night". She has such a beautiful voice.
Riikka and her kids singing Finnish Christmas songs. Or, maybe it was just Riikka who sang.
Craig and Whitney tried to keep up with the Finnish songs.
Sini-Tuulia singing by the fire.
Tip-Tap-Tip-Tap-Tipe-Tipe-Tip-Tap-Tip-Tip-Tap
Jaana, Kari, Enni-Riia and Joonatan
Then we opened presents. Everyone seemed to be so happy.
Then we opened presents. Everyone seemed to be so happy.
I got the biggest box of chocolates I've ever seen.
What a great Christmas Eve we had. It was so fun to have dear friends and family around to share a special evening with us.
4 comments:
Your dining table is beautiful! It looks like you had a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Let me wish you a Merry Christmas 3 days after the fact, again.
WOW. What a great celebration! Your table setting is just gorgeous. I love all the happiness in the pictures. Is the tip tap a game? Do tell...
You look beautiful in the picture, Marja!
Glad to see Dana has graduated to the adult table! Those finnish songs are awesome! Michael's got a tape of finnish songs and I totally recognized the tip-tap one. Another favorite is the Joulupukki song. Did Rod dress up like santa claus and bring all the kids presents? Just kidding!
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