I’ve lived in this lovely Lumo home with my two boys for about six months now. This will be our first Christmas in our new home and in our new situation in life.

While there is a feeling of wistfulness to it, I’m happy to have the opportunity to do things my way and create new Christmas traditions.

I’ve always been a Christmas person, or at least someone who values a rich atmosphere. It is really important for me to have a good atmosphere at home. In this dark time of year, creating the right atmosphere takes mood lighting, candles and music.

I get into the spirit of Christmas by having a real Christmas tree with lights and putting on Christmas music by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong (look for Ella & Louis Christmas on Spotify).

In this new, colourful home, I’ve realised that the colours of Christmas do not need to be the traditional shades of red and green. They can just as well be pink and light blue, for example.

Each year, I’ve created home-made Advent calendars for my sons, with a surprise in a little pouch for each morning. One year, I made a Lego calendar where they got new pieces every day and finally completed the model on Christmas Eve.

For me, Christmas preparations start each year with a thorough Christmas cleaning right at the beginning of December.

For me, Christmas preparations start each year with a thorough Christmas cleaning right at the beginning of December. I take out all of the rugs and bedding, reorganise cabinets and dust all surfaces, including the tops of cabinets. I picked up this habit from my childhood home in Ostrobothnia. My mum used to joke that Christmas cleaning needs to be so thorough that even the teaspoons are aired out.

My work keeps me very busy, so I was pleased to have the chance to try the Lumo home cleaning service that is provided in partnership with the Koti Puhtaaksi cleaning company. Lumo residents are eligible for discounts for regular and one-off home cleaning services.

Three hard-working cleaners came to our home for three hours and did a fantastic job!

I’m not one of those people who clean their house before the cleaners get there, so I was delighted when I came home to see the piles of clothes – both mine and my children’s – folded and organised in neat stacks. I was also pleased to see how well the sofas had been vacuumed, even between the cushions.

I think I’ll make this a new tradition – ordering a thorough Christmas cleaning as a service each year. I give full marks to the Lumo home cleaning service and the Koti Puhtaaksi team!

When your home is clean and tidy, you can relax with complete peace of mind and just enjoy Christmas. In our home, it means not having to do anything at all.

We simply enjoy spending time together, play board games, solve jigsaw puzzles and eat delicious food. We also go for walks outside and sometimes even do a bit of ice swimming and sauna. After that, it feels nice to get back on the sofa with a good book.

I wish everyone a relaxing Christmas season!