We were all taught basic knitting in school when I was a kid, alongside sewing and all. But I think I stuck with it because my mom likes to knit and helped me whenever I lost a knit or got confused. It was pretty simple to figure out stuff after you learn to read the knits though and after that I've been learning new techniques from YouTube whenever a pattern requires it. But I would probably still credit those school lessons for providing me with the tools and materials to try so I could then look more into it myself to really learn!

I knit a matching set of hat, mittens and a thick scarf for me and my boyfriend this Christmas, I can't wait for him to open them up and see that we can match! I think another cute idea could be knee socks for a family member who might feel chilly at home during winter, I know my mom preferred something that covered more leg since it helps warm up the blood flow better. I have not yet tackled a sweater project but a sweater or cardigan could be a valued gift too. Another good idea for winter would be a throw blanket although that plan would need a bit more time to prepare for, haha.

In Finnish folklore there's a couple of scary things but the one that pops to my mind is the water spirits. Näkki, vetehinen and hiisi. They are all slightly different but all have basically been used to scare kids to stay safe around waters or the water spirit of your choice will drown you. There's stories of them attacking boats too and trying to trick adults into drowning themselves.

I think the carcinogenic part is exaggeated but there has been multiple studies suggesting that aspartame makes you gain more weight and it affects your body's ability to process sugars so it's still not healthy