Almost all

of the Christmas shopping is completed.
Few gifts need wrapping.
Yesterday we took the rugs to laundry.
Christmas cards have been posted yesterday.
Grocery shopping done yesterday.
Ready to celebrate tomorrow.

Tomorrow is our Independence Day which brings to mind that I run into our former President (of the country, yes) on Monday. I was closing the elevator for the floor and as the doors opened there she was and invited me to join the ride. I then just told that I need to close the elevator for our floor and did it. She was a bit concerned that now I'll lock her into the elevator but I assured her that will not happen. She continued on, but few minutes later I had to go check the elevator so that she had been able to get out. She had :-)

And everyone has asked me did I wish her Happy Independence Day, and I stupidly did not! I was too abashed to understand to do that! I've met her 2 times before near the elevator. She has her office on the 4th floor of the building. But still it makes me weirdly self-conscious when I run into her. She was our President for 12 years! And there she goes without any security... Just like the rest of us. Amazing.

Btw, I can tell you something about her that not many people know. There was a fire alarm in the building and everyone had to get out. What did she do? Took the elevator downstairs. Are you supposed to use the elevator in case of fire?

Instructions for you all wanna-be-Finns-out-there!

How to Celebrate Finnish Independence Day
1. Rise the Finnish flag at 8-9 am if you have one.
2. During daytime, either take part in a torchlight procession close to the main church of your town, go to a church or visit war memorials. If you are unprivileged and in Helsinki, get food from a man called Hursti.
3. Find 2 blue-white candles, lite them, and put them in the window.
4. Watch the movie Unknown Soldier from TV.
5. Invite your family or friends. Prepare a nice dinner using quality ingredients and a hint of Finnish flavor. Decorate with small flags.
6. In the evening, switch on a Finnish national TV channel and follow Presidential Independence Day reception (Linnan Juhlat) broadcast. Comment on the style and etiquette of famous people and spot neighbors. If you are invited, follow the instructions in the invitation.
7. At 20.00 lower the flag and blow out the candles.

from: http://www.wikihow.com/Celebrate-Finnish-Independence-Day

I'm clearly a bad bad citizen since I only do the number 6, but I only wanna see who got invited, how great they look, not to bad-mouth them.

And I took a false start on lighting the candles.