Ziemassvētkus/Christmas

Beautiful Christmas!

Christmas Market

Lauris and Gunda- so cute! :)

Gunda and I

Present Time! -Taiga

Latvija is a beautiful place to be at Christmastime! There is a big Christmas market with all sorts of handcrafts, food and karstvīns (mulled wine) One night I went to buy my last presents and there was music playing, people bustling about, snow began to fall, the smell of gingerbread and wine and a Christmas spirit in the air. It was just like a fairytale. I spent an evening walking around and taking pictures and sipping wine :)

I just got back to Riga after having a wonderful Christmas. I celebrated Christmas in the countryside with my Latvian relatives. I spent Christmas Eve at Taiga's house together with Taiga, Zane, Raimonds, Linda, Irbe, Gunda, Saiva, Eriks and Lauris.

It was a very traditional Latvian Christmas and it was really interesting to experience. I went to church with Zane, Linda, Irbe, Lauris and Gunda. I had been told that the church would be cold, but I didn't expect it to be as cold as it was. The church didn't even have a heating system! Everybody just stays dressed in their warm winter jackets, mittens and hats, with the church door open. It felt like I was in the olden days. In Latvia, presents are opened on Christmas Eve and in order to receive a present you must recite a poem or sing a song. Little Gunda and Lauris put everybody to shame by knowing the most poems from memory. We had a huge, delicious feast and a beautiful Christmas tree decorated with candles. Along with my gifts from my Latvian relatives, I got to open my Canadian Christmas presents that Erik had brought with him in November. It was so lovely to have some reminders from home :) I especially enjoyed reading the cards!

On Christmas Day I went to church again to sing with Silva, Uvis, Silva's organist friend Ilze, and another man . Again, it was in a very cold church! I was happy to have the opportunity to play organ, even if my fingers were a little cold! Then I went to Silva and Uvis' house and all the rest of the family gathered there for some more food, singing and good company :) There were 15 of us in total! So then I had 2 more days of relaxation and now I am back in Riga, starting to think about sunny Spain and Portugal in a few weeks! Time has just been running by. I am already thinking about summertime and the following year. I have been accepted to Acadia University :) Linda, Makonis and I have already started to become excited for our "trip" to Nova Scotia. Also, I am going to visit Anna for the last 2 weeks of August, which I am really looking forward to!