Xmas party in the Da Hood!

Near where most of us live is a rather big hall that is apparently built in the honor of Princess Noelle of Selenia, so it's in Christmas decor the whole year round. We arranged a party there and invited some neighbors and such, not all could make it, the band guitar tech was nowhere to be found (probs in Canadian wilderness) and only Empress was able to drag her family to the event. You get first glimpses of little Max!

That fire place was amazing! You can tell it hasn't been that much used, there was very little soot, but oh boy it warmed! -Sera

People dropped off presents there early, I had to be the courier, but hey, it's only once a year. So far the guest list was short, but we did have a nice Christmas Eve.
In Finland, the 24th is the actual party day, there's Santa's hot line with lots of classic cartoons and stuff for the kids in the morning, a tradition I hear. The Snowman is almost mandatory every year. At least that is what our songwriter thinks. Then there's Joulurauhan Julistus, Declaration of Christmas Peace around noon-ish. Then the whole of Finland sorta... shuts down, people calm down. By now the trees are brought in and porridge made, church later on and candles to the graves. Presents in the evening, some more annual Christmas shows, eating and drinking until they can't function and then they go to bed. The next day, Christmas Day is usually reserved for visiting friends or family, some visit grandparents or very good friends.
As 3/4 Russian this has always been peculiar tradition for me, since my parents didn't incorporate dad's Finnish roots into my childhood or in our lives when I was a kid. All these traditions I've learned from our songwriter and few other selected friends, who have lived their childhood in Finland. It was still rather... Orthodox and Russian traditions even when we lived in Lappeenranta, so at school I had quite many hardships. -Mirka.

Always first to arrive, The Twins, but considering the place is right next to theirs... -Kath

It was rather cold day, but we just ran in... -Anje, who ran in heels.

I hate skirts... I want shorts! Pants! Jeans! Cargos! -Sera the Drama Master

I'm not even gonna... We made most of the food, since we are rather good cooks and my husband was kind enough to take our kids to his parents'. Sera was left alone too, so we hijacked our apartment back from our dad and wrecked havoc in the kitchen. Our kitchen and bathroom are getting renovated anyway, so the mess is quite ok. -Anje

Our beloved keyboardists! Mikayla Nylander and Kathleen Harding-Turner.

Classy as ever. -Mikke

That tattoo covering make up works like a charm, btw. -Kath

One of our admins and our drum tech,
Katrina Yelenka (who has met a flat iron)
and her little sister, Nina Yelenka. 

Aaaaaand as usual, Vicky and Slavy, joined at the hip. -Sera

Well, whacha can do... -Slavy

That was surprisingly mellow response from you -Sera

I don't always rise to your bait. -Slavy.

Proud of you for that. -Kath

What a feast <3

I think Mikke took this one, it's so blurry, but that was helluva feast. -Slavy

I didn't take this, Janita (our temping guitar tech) took it. -Mikayla

Twins really cooked up a storm, sure we all did our part. We are rather used to spending Christmas with the former hockey team of ours. And now the band, since the team has dispersed, literally scattered to the wind. We all miss those parties we threw at the HQ. Coach had grey hairs from all the running around in sugars -Mirka

Mirka and Katrina got presents!

As did Janita and Ana ^^