Weigh Out Way-In

CHAPTER 59

CHRISTMAS DAY

'When will Santapukki be back home? I want to see him again.'

This question in a most appealing, endearing voice makes Mrs Claus hug little Qi.

'Joulupukki will be back tomorrow, on Boxing Day. Today is Christmas Day so he is away on business, giving presents in all the continents, in Europe, in Africa, in America and also in Asia.'

'What is a continent?'

'My dear little child, when you start school, you'll learn about this. But now, what Christmas present did you get yesterday?''

Qi shows her beautiful baby doll and Mrs Claus pets the doll's and Qi's head. Then Qi runs to her mother, who has followed her little early bird Qi from their igloo to the main building.

Mrs Claus asks Mrs Zhao (Wei) if they slept well last night. Panda and Magpie are there to help them understand each other, so Mrs Claus receives an answer in the affirmative and smiles. Then she asks another question,

'Did you feel cold?'

'Yes, we did.'

'Really?'

'We walked here and I have to admit it was really cold outside.'

'Oh, you mean that. I was asking whether it was cold in the igloo.'

'Oh? Yes. No.

It was comfortably warm inside.

Shufu, hen shufu.'

'I'm happy to hear that. I hope you will have a memorable day today too.'

'Thanks.'

Then she ushers them to the breakfast table. A very typical Finnish breakfast has been laid on the buffet table, so it seems it'll be self-service again.

Mrs Zhao wonders what to take. Coffee seems the most important morning drink for adult Finns; luckily there is some tea too. Cold juice and cold milk are available too but it is Finnish kids, mostly, who choose either, or, not to mention, hot chocolate.

Fortunately there is also something more substantial on the table. Mrs Zhao wonders whether she can drink porridge, which baffles Mrs Claus. Mrs Claus shows her oatmeal porridge and explains,

'We Finns eat it; it's so thick. Nobody can drink it.'

'We also have some bread, both slices of rye bread and of wheat toast. You can also take Karelian pasty if you like. The toaster is over there.'

Mrs Zhao toasts both some wheat and some rye slices. The Finns don't seem to toast their rye bread but eat it cold. They also spread some cold butter, put some cold cuts (during Christmas it is mainly cold ham), some cold cheese slices and cold, sliced cucumber or tomato on their rye bread.

Mrs Zhao asks for rice. Mrs Claus shows her Karelian pasties. Mrs Zhao doesn't quite yet jump out of joy, nor does she dig in this strange-looking rice. She watches what some Finns do with the pasties. They put on them a strange-looking spread, which, Mrs Claus tells her, is a mixture of egg and butter.

Mrs Zhao wonders silently, 'So most of the ingredients are cold! And no sign of any sweet things like gingerbread cookies, Christmas tarts, cardamom rolls or any cookies anywhere either. Neither are there any croissants. Don't they eat anything like these for breakfast!'

Then, later, at lunchtime, Mrs Zhao and so many other Chinese are a bit startled to see that they still serve yesterday's ham, accompanied with the leftovers of the casseroles. Some more potatoes and some more vegetables have been boiled as fill-ins though.

Then, at dinner time, the Chinese are flabbergasted; the same leftovers, ham, casseroles, rosolli etc, again! Fortunately the Chinese cook has noticed the Finns keep on serving the same dishes over and over again and, as a consequence, has made some Chinese noodles and has mixed vegetables, ham and egg there.

Then Mrs Claus' question 'Have you ever tasted Panda?' almost makes them fall off their chairs. They think to themselves 'What?! Our national animal?!'

But they don't have time to say anything because the lady of the house passes some pieces to them to try and says,

'Here you are.'

Mrs Zhao and so many other Chinese hesitate, but after having a closer look at the pieces, they say to each other, 'Zhege bu shi xiongmao.'  (ie, This is not (the animal) Panda.) Then they take a bite and say, 'This tastes good. What is this?'

Mrs Claus answers, 'It's chocolate made by the Finnish Panda candy manufacturer.'