ESTONIAN VOICES - Popurrii "Saanike"

With Christmas almost upon us, here's a medley to ease you into the festive spirit.

Gingerbread Mania - Forest

Every December Estonian artists come together to create delightful gingerbread masterpieces for the "Gingerbread Mania" exhibition. This year's theme is "The Forest" as forests are close to every Estonian's heart! Gingerbread Mania is a 'must see' if you're in Tallinn during the Christmas season.

Gingerbread Mania is located at the Gallery of Design & Architecture, Pärnu Mnt 6, Tallinn and runs from 9th December 2016 until 4th January 2017. Tickets cost 2€ for adults and 1€ for children.

For more information, please click here: Piparkoogimaania / Gingerbread mania

The Christmas card of Estonia's new President - 'Maa, mis kõlab kokku'

President Kersti Kaljulaid released her official Christmas card today entitled 'Maa, mis kõlab kokku' (we are stronger together).

To watch, please click on the link below.
President Kersti Kaljulaidi jõulukaart kannab pealkirja “Maa, mis kõlab kokku”.

Inspiring Estonian homes for 2016

I love Estonian design, houses in particular.  Here's a Delfi write-up about the best Estonian houses for 2016. The article is written in Estonian so to view the gallery, you need to click on 'SIIT' under each photo.

Top Estonian homes for 2016: AASTA TOP: Inspireerivad Eesti kodud 2016 — vali oma lemmik!

Latvia claims original Christmas tree but all Estonians know we did it first in 1441!

Every proper Estonian knows that the world's first Christmas tree was erected in Tallinn, but that the nation's Grinch-of-a-neighbour, Latvia, is trying to steal the claim to fame.

Whether it is blaming each other for exceeding fishing quotas or laying claims for a bear that caught international media attention when it forged the Baltic sea and scared island inhabitants - it is always the important things that Estonians and Latvians contest over. Now, the seasonal dispute considers archives that historians say were devoured by mice centuries ago. 

"Riga, Latvia – home of the first Christmas tree, anno 1510,“ the southern neighbour advertises on its billboards.

Yet a merchants' guild in Tallinn erected Estonia's first tree in 1441 - 69 years before Riga, by expert calculations. "I believe we can confidently use that date as the world's first Christmas tree," said historian Jüri Kuuskemaa on ETV.

It is known that after merchants and single women had danced around the first Christmas tree (in Tallinn, naturally), it was set on fire and all evidence was disposed of. According to records, the Riga Christmas tree wasn't even a real tree, just a wooden pyramid decorated with flowers, fruits and toys. 

Latvia recently gave Estonia a Christmas present. Tallinn's mayor kindly returned the favour. "He congratulated us on the 500th anniversary of the Riga Christmas tree and reminded us that Tallinn is celebrating the 569th anniversary," Mayor of Riga Nils Usakovs told AFP. "It's good that the sole topic of disagreement between Riga and Tallinn is who has the oldest Christmas tree."

Now the ingenious Latvians point to the fact that Estonia and Latvia both made up a united Livonia during the time of the first Christmas trees. 

Decorating Christmas trees was for a long time considered a pagan tradition that did not reach the West until hundreds of years later. "Thus, we and the Latvians [...] can be proud to have introduced the Western Christianity with a fun tradition that is now celebrated everywhere. But the story began here in Old Livonia," said Kuuskemaa.

Source ERR News: Latvia Claims Original Christmas Tree

Best jokes about Estonians

This video is hilarious and gets even funnier as it goes along. Enjoy!

The Guardian: 10 of the best winter city breaks in Europe picked by readers

Great to see Tallinn on the list! It comes as no surprise however, Tallinn is absolutely stunning during the winter months. In a few short weeks I'll be there myself, enjoying the winter splendour! Can't wait!

To read the full Guardian list of the best places to visit this Christmas, please click here:
10 of the best winter city breaks in Europe: readers’ travel tips