The thing about living somewhere new is that you’re never quite sure whether you’re seeing something for the first time or if you just weren’t paying attention before.
Image credits: visit Tartu
I’d walked through Tartu’s Old Town maybe a hundred times by now, always passing beside the cute little restaurants and stores on my way to lectures. But tonight something felt different. The cobblestones were the same, of course. The kissing students were still doing their kissing students thing. But something about the air, or the way shadows were falling, or…
Oh. Oh. The lights. There were lights everywhere. And wait, where did that giant Christmas tree come from?
It was at this random moment, on this random December evening, that I felt the weight of what it meant to spend my first Christmas away from home.
Panic mode activated.
You see, I’ve never thought of Christmas as something you figure out. To me, it just happens. You know, the way gravity just happens. You showed up, and your family had somehow handled everything – the tree, the food, the weird uncle, the traditions you complained about but secretly loved. I had no idea how to do Christmas without all that.
And now I was standing in a square, surrounded by Christmas lights and a giant Christmas tree, realizing I had only 15 days to figure out how to have Christmas in a completely new place. 15 days to make Christmas feel like Christmas, or spend December 25th in my dorm room eating a sad sandwich.
The stakes felt absurdly high for what was, objectively, just one day.
So, like any reasonable person facing an existential holiday crisis would do, I made a plan.
I would do Christmas in Estonia properly. I would go to the markets, learn about the traditions, eat the foods, and attend as many events as possible. Maybe if I did it right, I could make this Christmas beautiful for me.
Let the challenge begin.
Ice Skating
One thing about Christmas in Estonia, it starts early.
My Estonian language teacher had announced in early December that we’d be having our last class at the ice rink. “A mini Christmas hangout,” she said, “We skate, we drink something warm, we finish the semester nicely.” Then she added, “Who’d like to join?”
I’d never skated before. But, mentally, I knew the mechanics. You just have to stand on a surface specifically engineered to be slippery, wearing shoes specifically designed to have no traction, and you glide. How hard can it be? I raised my hand.
Regardless of temperature or common sense, we used the outdoor rink at the old town square. It was maybe 2°C, which, if you know anything about Estonian weather, is not the worst.
The first challenge was putting on the skates. I nearly sprained my ankles doing that alone. Just when I thought I was safe, I realised that standing upright on thin metal blades is its own extreme sport. Getting onto the ice was another story entirely. By the time I made it out there, I was moving with the grace of a baby giraffe discovering legs.
We skated for maybe an hour. I spent about 95.6 percent of that time holding onto the railing for dear life. By the end, though, I managed a full lap without the railing, and that felt like winning an Olympic medal. Then we went to get hot drinks, and we stood around a small fire in the square, drinking and laughing as we made fun of one another for the weird moves in the rink.
Yes, I was scared senseless, and yes, I saw the ground rushing to my face many times. But I didn’t die. And I tell you without mincing words, it was the most fun I’ve had in my time in Estonia.
ISA Christmas Event
As the festive season drew closer, we, the International Student Ambassadors, decided to have our own Christmas hangout. Nothing monumental, just skating (again), then dinner, then secret Santa.
The skating was NOT easier the second time. I was back at the railing, back to doing that giraffe thing. But still, it was fun.
For dinner, the restaurant was cosy and warm. It was the kind of place where you cram around a table, and your elbows touch, and nobody minds. We ate, talked, played games, and laughed a lot.
Then, it was time for Secret Santa. For anyone unfamiliar, it’s where you secretly gift someone, and someone else secretly gifts you something. But there was a twist. You had to “deserve” your gift before collecting it. You could recite a poem, sing, dance, or do anything fun just for laughs and good vibes. It was fun and joy-filled.
I smiled all the way to my dorm that night. Maybe this Christmas thing wasn’t so bad after all.
The Christmas Market
For locals, or people who’ve been in Estonia for a while, the Christmas market is just another December thing. Familiar. Expected. Maybe even a little boring.
But for me, this was a big deal. I’d never been to a Christmas market before. So, this was my chance.
The Christmas market had wooden stalls selling everything from pastries to souvenirs and marshmallows. There were couples slow-dancing as a vocalist sang in Estonian. Children ran around, their voices high-pitched, squealing and laughing with excitement. Some played in the tiny hay house, others rode the swing. Then a choir of children climbed onto the stage and started singing carols. They were so good, I had to take videos.
I tried glögi for the first time. That’s Estonian mulled wine. I walked around and just took it all in. What struck me most wasn’t the market itself, but the feeling of it. Friends chatting, people smiling. Kids being kids. Couples being annoyingly cute.
It was peaceful, and calm, and whole.
Christmas Day
Image Credits: visit Tartu
No, I didn’t eat a sad sandwich on Christmas Day. I didn’t spend the day miserably lazing around either. Instead, I spent it with friends, playing host and PlayStation 5. I planned a small hangout, cooked good food, invited friends, and let the day unfold naturally.
Being far from home doesn’t mean being far from joy. And there’s really no proper way to do Christmas. What matters is staying open to the experience and being grateful for the chance to have it.
For the first time in my life, I experienced Christmas at 2°C, in a small, peaceful city with a different culture. There was almost snow outside. Almost. I had friends I’d only met a few months ago, but who already felt like people I’d known longer. I had Nigerian food that reminded me of home. And, most importantly, I had joy and gratitude in my heart. What more could I ask for?
Though the day itself was perfect, Christmas wasn’t just about that day. It was everything that led to it. The Christmas lights on the streets, the people, the cold, the skates, the hangouts, the market, the entire city of Tartu.
So, did I do Christmas in Estonia properly? I don’t know
But what I had was more than enough. And that’s what matters.
All images are author’s own unless otherwise indicated.
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