Christmas Day and we didn't get up until the sun was beginning to rise which in Lapland, at this time of year, is pretty late in the morning. Looking out towards the south there was a nice orange glow on the horizon.

We ran from the cabin to the house for coffee and cakes, the breakfast before breakfast. Katja was making rice porridge this morning, and making it with tons of butter. It always tastes good but with an extra quarter pack of butter in it, it was tasting even better although perhaps a bit unhealthier.

Shrek III was showing on television, but it was in Finnish so David settled down at the table to write more of the blog and read his book.

Later in the afternoon, David, Maria, Katja and the dog, Nena, walked for a couple of kilometres down the road for a bit of fresh air and exercise. It was only a little after 3pm, but it was dark and felt like late evening.

Back in the house, Grandma and Tarja had been making dinner - reindeer stew with Christmas trimmings of liver and vegetable casseroles. David and Joonas had a Swedish Christmas beer, St Eliks, which was very good while the others had red wine. For dessert there was a Plum Rahka (quark). Yum!!

Later in the evening we phoned Scotland to wish David's parents a 'Merry Christmas' which came as a surprise to them.

We packed our bags in preparation for moving on to Ylläs tomorrow. It wasn't just clothes we needed for Ylläs, we needed our gear for snowboarding too. David was getting excited already about getting back on the slopes.