Tanja @tanjaostman@dingdash.com

We have a tradition of celebrating Finland's 🇫🇮🇫🇮🇫🇮 Independence day (Dec 6th) with two neighboring families. This year we met outdoors in -13°C. Celebrating our Independence day is not like celebrating the 4th of July. For obvious reasons there are no celebrations outdoors. But I remember growing up, this was a very serious holiday. Maybe people remembered wars and sorrows, losing loved ones? But now there are only a few veterans alive, and the mentality has changed a bit. But I am thankful to my forefathers fighting for our freedom when attacked by Russia several times. Finland used to be a part of Sweden for several hundreds of years until Sweden lost a war against Russia in 1808-1809 and had to give this area away. Then we became independent in 1917, when Russia was busy with the revolution. Then we had a bloody Civil War. Then we had a few wars when Russia tried to take us back.

A survival guide for -20°C (as we have today): layers of clothing and wool. Wool and wool. Wool is the perfect material because it's breathing, stays dry and keeps you warm. When you have many layers of clothings you easily sweat and it's super important that you stay dry. I have wool underwear, socks, mittens, scarf, caps (not this one), sweater... almost everything. My boots are one size too big so I can wear two pairs of socks.

Great picture! 😂 The persons who should be locked down.

A screenshot from Laura Aboli's channel on Telegram (not owned by Big Tech and no censorship). HANG IN THERE!

The same thing a doctor from South Africa testifies. No hospitalizations because of Omicron. Seems like a mild flu. Those that we always have around us. BUT you need to close down countries and force vaccinations or punish those who refuse. Madness.

In the northern part of Finland (and Sweden and Norway) the sun doesn't rise for two months.

There is scientific and statistical evidence for everything he says (I have read lots of them)! This world has gone mad. Please wake me up from this nightmare!
#plandemic

#humor

From a book called Broken English. I suppose you have experienced some of it @sinbach Here are a few examples from China, and one from Finland. There are even worse, but I suppose it's not appropriate to share it openly on DD. 😂

Omicron - the title of a movie from 1963.

One more beautiful day! Soon we can ski. I'm so happy! ⛷🏂❄☃️

Unusual temperatures for this month. We use to get this cold in January. -18°C this morning - from our kitchen window. Thank God for engineering and triple glazed windows. I've never been freezing indoors in Finland, Sweden or Norway. But a lot in other warmer European countries.

The day before first Sunday of Advent we call 'little Christmas' in Finland. Some even give gifts, and have a small Christmas tree. We don't do that. But we started to decorate, were baking gingerbread and invited guests for dinner.

A lovely day! November and December on the Finnish coast can be very rainy. This looks like Christmas 🎄. From our garden and neighborhood.

"QR codes are for our products, not people."

I own a NIV Student Bible, and I like the language. It's very heavy, so I don’t carry it with me anywhere. But in my Bible app there are 67 English translations! 😃😆 It's impossible to know what to pick. But I would avoid old translations (even if yhey would be theologically "perfect") because I want to learn contemporary language. (If I need to make exegetical studies on some topic I can do it in my mother tongue Swedish).

For all who need it! It might not always be a physical abandonment, but parents not capable of loving and nurturing their children properly.

We had a beautiful day today. Now it's already raining... But it gives hope that we will have winter soon. Snow is much needed on this latitude where it's so dark this time of the year.