Which fictional world would be the most fun to vacation in?
I have no doubt that my favourite place to vacation would be in Finland with the Moomins and their various house guests. Many people stay in the blue tower this family call home, on the edge of a lake in Finland. Built a long time ago by Moominpappa it was once lost, but after the Great Flood it is rediscovered in the perfect setting:
“At last they came to a small valley that was more beautiful than any they had seen that day. And there, in the midst of the meadow, stood a house that almost looked like a stove, very elegant and painted blue.”
The Moomins and the Great Flood (1945)
It could easily take a day just to explore this strange house that’s full of the features Moominpappa didn’t have when he was a child like balconies, turrets, secret staircases all topped off with a glass knob that looks like an onion. I mustn’t forget to visit the huge chandelier where the Ancestor hides out. It’s a comfortable house with squishy furnishings, fabrics like plush and velvet, and endless shelves of books and trinkets to enjoy.
“And so the Moominhouse was rather full – a place where everyone did what they liked and seldom worried about tomorrow.”
From Finn Family Moomintroll
The best thing about Moomintroll’s family is that they accept everyone ‘just as you are’ – a promise so important it’s engraved on the inside of my wedding ring. The beauty of this family is that you can belong but you don’t have to fit in. The Moomins simply accept everyone for what and who they are. Snufkin comes and goes for long periods but there’s always a bed for him in the Moominhouse. The Hemulen prefers to wear a dress and has his magnifying glass on a chain around his neck. Even the very naughty ‘Stinky’ takes refuge behind the vacuum cleaner on one occasion!
There’s something magical about snow and the way it seems to muffle noise and cut us off from the rest of the world. Moominmamma and Pappa are always hospitable, feeding their guests well and sharing their celebrations and outings with whoever is around. I could have a gossip with the Snork Maiden or go fishing with Snufkin and Moomintroll, with a hearty picnic packed by Moominmamma. I could go nature walking with the Hemulen who could surprise me with their botanic knowledge. Their celebrations are always lit by dozens of fairy lights flashing between trees or the tiny tube-like Hattifatteners who look like miniature ghosts and feel like stinging nettles if they brush against your legs. The family are so accommodating I doubt they’d mind if I curled up in a window seat with a book watching the snow fall. There’s always a chance of seeing the Northern Lights too, from the warmth of the glass veranda, reflecting their changing colours in the lake. I have no doubt I’d come back with so many new experiences to share, incredible photographs and new friends I can visit whenever I want.
“Moomintroll’s mother and father always welcomed all their friends in the same quiet way, just adding another bed and putting another leaf in the dining-room table. And so the Moominhouse was rather full – a place where everyone did what they liked and seldom worried about tomorrow.”
(Finn Family Moomintroll, 1948)
The Lotus Readers 