Cultures from around the world use wheat, hay, or straw as an integral part of their Christmas decorations. For some, bushels of wheat are brought into the house or placed under the tablecloth to represents hope for a good harvest in the coming year. For others, straw is spread as a symbol of the straw that lined the manger of Christ at His birth. In Finland, straw takes on a much more structured form.

On the Fifth Day of Imported Christmas, we made a himmeli, using straw and thread to form geometric shapes that have given our house a beautiful Nordic feel this season.