I read recently that Finland has five seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter and November. While it’s true this month is dark and wet, here are a few reasons it’s not all bad…
Warm weekend breakfasts at our favourite cafe
Galleria Keidas
Practising the art of Christmas ginger biscuits
Taking the shot before Miko steals the dough…
Discovering ‘new’ bars that are old favourites of friends
Just a spritz of alcohol behind the ears….@Strindberg
Buying Norwegian salmon cooked over hot coals outside work
Enjoying wine tasting and dinner on a wet Thursday night
Photo: Angela Lee
Still getting around without full winter gear
Anticipating the best parts of a good Finnish winter
Natural History Museum
Remembering that Santa will soon be on his way (on a bicycle powered by oars)
Talivisirkus (Winter Circus)
The chance to wear my favourite boots to work
Having to use Miko’s umbrella when I can’t find mine
Seasonal office attire
New winter socks
Finding out my bank thinks I’m a dame
My bank’s bathroom door
….and waking up to a ground cover like sugar on cornflakes.
First snow of the season
Hey Helsinki 
Lovely!
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Thanks Leslie!
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Nice pictures! Would you recommend visiting Finland in November or is it better to visit Finland in the summer?
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Definitely summer. It’s pretty dark here at the moment so while there’s still things to do come when it’s warm & light to get the best of the outdoors too.
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Thanks!
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I agree that November is a separate season, and might feel a little depressing at times. Thanks for sharing these positive moments and raising up the mood! I personally like November for Christmas preparations, Ravintolapäivä and an opportunity to have some quality time at home enjoying a good book over coffee with korvapuusti 🙂
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All good reasons! Time to slow down & not feel guilty about it ☺️
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You’ve done an amazing job in making the Finnish November look lovely 🙂
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Thank you! We also put the Christmas tree up yesterday. The lights were turned on in Aleksanterinkatu so it somehow felt time. ☺️
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I almost miss Finnish November, wrapping yourself in the darkness and being cozy, meeting people at someone’s home instead of bars…
And I have that same pair of rubber boots (as soon as my mom can locate them amongst my other things still in Finland).
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Those boots are a great way to bring some colour into the month. I don’t really mind that it’s going to rain this week. 🌂☺️
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Beautiful. I remember, when I was about 14, my family visiting Alaska in July, and being astonished that the sun crept toward the horizon each evening, but never dipped below it — daylight at 11:00pm! The opposite season must be equally curious. 🙂
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Thanks Carrie. Yes, sometimes it feels we live one day or circadian rhythm over a year, not needing much sleep in summer & sleeping long hours during winter. Must have been a trip to remember for you all.
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You make it sound poetic. That is a skill!
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That’s a lot of sugar.
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Marras in old Finnish means death – so it’s the Dead Month, rather appropriately…
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Good point. I love it when google translates all the Finnish months of the year into English for me. Very closely related to nature. I may just have to do a post on that. Thanks for the idea!
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