Christmas Details Ang Moh Style

I hope you have relaxed during the holidays!! :) I sure did! This was my first Christmas without my family in Finland; we spent it with my husband just the two of us. It was different, and of course I missed my family and all the traditions from watching the same tv programs every year to Christmas sauna, waking up to rice porridge (the person who finds an almond hidden in his/hers bowl will be lucky!) and all the amazing food. I actually tried making rice porridge but my husband didn't really like it :p I guess it needs improvement...

We spent most of the afternoon shopping for food (and a few pressies for myself, you know, to cover for the loss of missing all the nice food) :D Then we popped the champagne and prepared dinner. It didn't turn out exactly like the Finnish dinner but at least it filled our stomachs and tasted good!

On the menu we had steak and fries (we were planning on turkey but changed our minds haha), assorted veggies, goat cheese salad with pine nuts, pomegranate seeds and a honey-mustard dressing, bread and of course graved salmon - my favourite! :)

After stuffing ourselves (yes, every bit was finished), we opened the pressies that my mum and dad had sent us all the way from Finland! We were so excited!! :)

Among other things, I got a very cute apron from mum and a streetstyle tee from my dad (the figure on the tee refers to the symbol shown in pedestrian signals in the former GDR.

From husband I got two dresses, one Spartacus style (we are hooked the program :D) and one romantic style. I gave him cufflinks with our names' first letters engraved on them. I at least guess he liked them ;)

Have a Great New Year lovelies!! :)

X Ang Moh Chick

Merry Xmas!!

Just came to quickly wish you all Merry Xmas!! And thank you for coming to read what's on my mind time after time - you being there, from every corner of the world, is the reason I write this blog :)

I will write a whole post about my Christmas celebration, first time outside Finland. However, I can already tell you that it was filled with lots of food, nice well thought pressies and champagne!

Have a fantastic rest of the day!!

<3 Ang Moh Chick

1st of December and Tips for a Christmas Feeling

Here it is - December! It's my first time ever to spend Christmas abroad, and I must say that I'm missing the Christmas feeling of Finland. The lights in the dark, candles, music, snow, crispy cold days, excitement in the air, happy faces, present planning, and of course all of the gorgeous Finnish Christmas dishes!! 

In Finland, Christmas is celebrated on the Eve, 24th. In the morning we wake up late for Christmas porridge made by boiling porridge rice (bigger, thicker rice) in thick milk. The porridge is enjoyed with plum soup or cinnamon and sugar. In the evening the true fest begins! Mashed potato, carrot and rutabaga casserole, pork or turkey, beet/carrot/pickle salad, smoked fish, bread spiced with syrup and raisins, glögi (a hot spicy sweet drink with or without alcohol)... My favourite is the smoked salmon; I could eat it every day!!

Well, so now that I will be spending my Christmas with palm trees, I have to use a bit of imagination to get myself in the mood. I'm actually planning on making some Finnish dishes on the Eve. I won't be able to make the exact versions but something similar anyways. Singaporeans overall don't usually celebrate Christmas to that extend as Finns but there are Christmas songs playing in shopping malls and some very very tacky huge Christmas trees here and there :D

Here are a few things that get me on the mood despite the tropical weather:

1. Christmas decorations

I took some photos of tasteful Christmas decorations that were sold at a shopping mall. Looking at these doesn't make you feel like it's summer outside right? ;)

2. Christmassy foods and drinks

For me the taste of cinnamon in hot drinks also brings back the feeling of Finland and winter time. So I sprinkle some cinnamon on my sweet drinks and foods every now and then to feel like it's winter ;)

3. Christmas ideas and presents

Planning for what to get to your loved ones is a fun way to get into the Christmas mood whether it's snowing outside or you are planning to head to the beach. I think that the thought is always the most important when it comes to gifts and I can immediately see if the gift giver has spent time thinking that this present will make me happy. As for relationships, I usually go for something romantic that makes my husband feel like the gift is specifically for him. 

Here is one example of something cheap but nice that I got him during the time that we were physically apart. A key chain with our photos in it. As you can see it's been used a lot! :)

4. Pre-Christmas Parties

I love parties! And pre-Chistmas parties are usually among the funniest ones as people are on a great mood, love is in the air  - and glögi warming up the socks doesn't hurt ;)

I like how people are dressing up in an unusual way and usually trying out something more daring! These parties are sort of giving people an excuse to be a bit wilder with the outfit and make up. I attended one blogger event arranged by Nuffnang and hosted by Chic Kiss Love where a make up artist from ProAcademy gave us some good make up tips. Here are my more daring party-lips :D

Have a great time waiting for the Christmas. If you have some more good tips to add I would be happy to hear! :)

X Ang Moh Chick