Christmas is often a time of togetherness and the Christmas fairs around the city, and so would be in Lappeenranta too, if the current situation did not prevent the fairs from being organized. The city has built a small Christmasland on Marianaukio city centre, where you can go to feel Christmas no matter the time of day. There is no actual program on offer, but it is worth visiting the Christmasland in both day and evening, when the lights of the Christmas trees get to shine.
It’s not great, but at least for myself, a nice stopover for the city centre’s Christmas shopping. When Christmas isn’t going to be celebrated in your own student apartment and the hustle and bustle of the rest of the year hasn’t eased yet, there’s usually no time or feel to build Christmas at home. In my opinion, the Christmas decorations in the shops are too big and decorative in the American style, but Christmasland is much more Finnish and cozy. It was also quite wonderful to notice how the largest Christmas tree was decorated with decorations made by the students of Kimpinen elementary school. Even with my parents, the Christmas decorations made by me and my siblings in elementary school end up in the Christmas tree again this year, even though they are not very pretty. The thought is what counts.
So, if you miss the Christmas feel but don’t want to put your own effort in it, the atmosphere can be found in Christmasland. You won’t be smelling freshly baked gingerbreads nor hear the Christmas carols ring, but visually the atmosphere is conveyed. And from the window of the red cottage, you can peek into the workshop of the elves and leave a letter to Santa Claus or Ded Moroz! It’s totally okay to feel and act like a child sometimes, at least at Christmas.
Meerimaria Ketokulta
The author is a board member of LTKY, who doesn’t have any Christmas decorations in her home.