What does Tallinn look like at Christmas?
Tallinn is the capital of Estonia, on the Baltic Sea. The Old Town is surrounded by stone walls with pointed towers and red roofs, and its cobbled streets seem unchanged for hundreds of years. In December, snow settles on the roofs and the windows light up one by one.
The Town Hall Square market
Every winter, the Christmas market opens in Town Hall Square, in the heart of the Old Town. Wooden huts stand around a huge tree, and behind them rises the Gothic Town Hall, more than six hundred years old. Tallinn says that one of the world’s first public Christmas trees stood here.
What do you find at the market?
- Piparkoogid, Estonian gingerbread biscuits with honey, cinnamon and ginger.
- Wooden toys and handmade ornaments.
- Wool mittens and socks, with colorful Estonian patterns.
- Alcohol-free glögi, the warm spiced drink of the Estonian winter.
What can kids do in Tallinn?
- Walk through the Viru Gates, the two old towers at the entrance to the Old Town.
- Climb Toompea Hill and look down at the red roofs and the sea.
- Find the big tree in Town Hall Square and count its lights.
- Look at the domes of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, like giant onions covered in snow.
Two Estonian Christmas customs
The päkapikud elves
In December, Estonian children put a slipper on the windowsill. At night, the elves called päkapikud leave a small surprise in it: a sweet, an apple or a toy, for children who have been good.
The tree in Town Hall Square
Tallinn says the first public Christmas tree was put up here in 1441. Historians still debate the details, but the tree in the square is still where people gather every winter.
A taste of Estonia: piparkoogid
Piparkoogid are thin, crisp gingerbread biscuits with honey and spices, cut into festive shapes. Their recipe, to make together with an adult, is in the book.
How do you say “Merry Christmas!” in Estonian?
Häid jõule!
Try saying it at dinner on Christmas Eve.
What word did Mira discover here?
In each of the eleven cities of the journey, Mira finds a special word. The word from Tallinn is written in her Christmas passport, at the end of chapter 9.
