Published 17 Dec 2025
A year-end roundup from Lithuania: Christmas Eve traditions, a new AI helper for BCP, why Bulgaria is getting attention, EU migration shifts, and a cozy Vilnius forest log house for sale.
Growing up in sunny New Zealand, Christmas was always an opportunity to sweat through a heavy roast meat, lunch, whilst looking forward to unwrapping this year’s bundle of new socks from under the tree.
Now that I live in a place where it gets dark around 4 PM, often snows, and every surface is literally lit up like a Christmas tree, I finally get it.
Thanks to my new Lithuanian friends, I’m also getting a deep understanding of the histories of the pagan celebration, which Christmas replaced a couple of thousand years ago in a manger.
As a wee lad, I used to sing a couple of Christmas carols, one of my favourites was always the 12 days of Christmas. Of course, being an ignorant little chap, that’s about as far as my understanding went. Now, of course I understand that there is an advent, and 12 is a very important number in the Christian/pagan calendar this time of year.
It is so important, that in Lithuania, it’s still traditional, and extremely common, to have at least 12 dishes of food on the table for Christmas Eve. No meat is eaten, and no alcohol is consumed. Perhaps for the only time in the year to be fair. Local salmon, trout, and other strange and wonderful fish are consumed in all forms possible. Potatoes, of course, are abundant in many shapes, sizes, and flavours, along with all sorts of pickles and wonderful local cuisine.
This year, in an effort to be even more Lithuanian myself, I might throw a sliver of smoked salmon on the Christmas Eve table in a tip of my hat to local culture.
Of course, not being born in Lithuania, I see no reason to abstain completely on the night from the best part of (my personal) Christmas celebrations… Mulled wine, mince pies and setting a brandy soaked pudding or two alight!
Find out more about a traditional Lithuanian Christmas here:
https://www.vilniuswithlocals.com/activities/post/christmas-traditions-in-lithuania
“Europe simply sparkles this time of year.. Nothing better than strolling cobbled streets warming your hands on a hot mulled wine”
Ok, ok.. Sorry! I couldn’t help it.
When the voice we selected, to be the voice of our knowledge base, turned out to be called “Richard”, I decided to have a little fun with it. Especially as I have seriously mixed feelings about AI and what it will bring in the next 10 years.
As most of you will know, we have a fantastic team of real life humans up here in sunny Lithuania, and we’re spreading like the proverbial around the EU as we speak.
We also get a large volume of inquiry from people seeking additional information, that may not be ready to sit down, face-to-face, and go through their personal situation directly with us on Zoom, yet.
So.. I thought, instead of sending people to our FAQ or those long, complicated articles about migration and tax mitigation – topics that are both complex and often misrepresented in Google searches or ChatGPT results – wouldn’t it be great if all that information were available in a more accessible “human” format, accessible anytime, 24/7?
Turns out, we can make that happen working with one of our existing providers.
My ever helpful sidekick Gabby has put a lot of time and effort into building a couple of AI voice models, that we will soon use to help people who land on our site, or call a specific phone number, answer a wide range of questions in a conversational, and most importantly, natural way. They will then be given the option to connect to one of us good ol’ humans in the office, or to make a time to meet with me face-to-face online.
To have a little fun with it over the holiday season, we’ve decided to let Dick reach out to some of our existing clients, who may have missed an invoice or two in their spam folders, to give them a gentle nudge so we can close off our end of your accounts.
We’d love any feedback, and of course, any suggestions, while we work hard to keep simplifying, and innovating what can be one of the most painful industries and experiences on the planet… legal migration…
I think it’s the man-child and me, but I’ve always loved the name Richard. I do put up with Aaron, though why people’ve been calling me Dick for years – I have no idea.
God I hope not! I love it here!
When I came across this article though, I thought I would send out a little reminder to everybody, that we do help people settle in all over Europe. From Latvia, to Bulgaria. From France to Portugal. We offer the same high level of service, personal attention, and dedication as we do with our Gateway to Europe through Lithuania.
In most cases though, other paths are simply far more complicated, time-consuming, and expensive.
Still, this can depend on your personal circumstances, so we always discuss each case, as we do now, before we tailor a solution to suit.
In this article, I’m reminded, that out of the box thinkers are starting to find great European hideaways, in droves.
I first went to Bulgaria around 10 years ago, when I announced to my wife one day, bored as hell in Dublin, that we should mix things up and explore Europe. To be fair, I think she thought we were moving to Spain. When I proudly declared Bulgaria was the plan, it took some convincing!
We loved it there. Though at the time, it was very much a former Soviet republic. The streets were broken, and there were black SUV motorcade everywhere full of gangsters. Fantastic stuff. Very, very different to anything else we’d ever seen, or likely will again.
Almost a decade later and several billion euros from the EU fund, and the place is transformed. Mostly.
We’re dealing with a few clients now who are exploring this unique country, as one of their preferred boltholes in Europe. And for good reason.
Remember, no matter where you choose to enter Europe, or keep as a home base – with 27 countries and no internal borders, when you travel through our Gateway to Europe, you’ll be amazed at what you find on the other side!
Major new law changes are again being announced on the 1st January in Lithuania.
As exciting as the many options in Europe are to explore, Lithuania remains the fastest, smoothest, and cheapest way to obtain European residency. Including Bulgaria. And that’s saying something!
These constant changes throughout the EU, in terms of migration, are making it more expensive, complicated, and frankly more restrictive than ever. Year on year.
If you’ve been thinking about moving forward with EU residency, thinking you’ll sort it out in a few months, my advice is unchanged, get it underway now!
As you will have noticed in previous newsletters from us, they have been several major changes in the political landscape, over the last couple of years in Europe.
To name, but a few changes I’ve seen this year. Both Spain and Portugal have either scrapped, or significantly changed their “golden Visa” categories, largely due to the negative impact on local housing, and cost of living that mass (mostly British) migration has had. The locals are struggling to afford housing, or their traditional lifestyle as mass tourism takes hold. So they’re fixing it.
In a spectacular move by the European court, Malta was deemed to have acted illegally for over a decade, in issuing “economic passports”.
Greece has doubled the cost of a minimum property purchase, in order to qualify for residency there, and France has shut down a couple of entrepreneurial categories, while tightening others.
The tide is turning all over Europe, as the people are sending a clear message to politicians, that European values are not for sale, and shouldn’t be hijacked by illegal migrants or people without a genuine interest in becoming European.
In order then to be culturally sensitive, and maintain compliance, I’m personally forced to drink a bottle of red a day, shave truffles on everything and nap in the afternoon. The things we do to give our children, a brighter future!
Sadly though, this new tough approach to migration has a flow on affect across the board, and in coming months and years I’m sure we’ll find it even more difficult to secure residency for a whole range of application categories as a result.”
Is it just me, or does this guy look like AI as well?!
At only 30 years old, I’ve got socks older than him.
At least he’s speaking some sense I guess in terms of securing European borders, and shares a bromance with Farage.
FOR SALE:
Price: 95 000 Eur
A FOREST ESCAPE, JUST MINUTES FROM VILNIUS
This cozy log house offers forest calm with city convenience – a fully landscaped, fenced yard and a quiet neighbourhood, all just a quick drive from Vilnius. A perfect little retreat for anyone who wants peace without isolation.
PROPERTY SPECIFICATIONS
Website for the sales listing –
We’ve found another little beauty – a proper forest-side hideaway in Sakiškės that feels like a countryside escape but is still close enough to Vilnius that you won’t miss your morning coffee spot.
This 122 m² log house is solid, cozy, and comes with a fenced 6 ares yard that’s greener than Greta Thunberg.
Trees, quiet, birds, peace – the whole package. And thanks to the newly upgraded connecting road, you can get to the city centre faster than ever.
The layout is yours to play with, the heating burns real wood, and yes – the bus stop is just a quick stroll away for when you don’t feel like driving after your Sauna and Schnapps.
In short: nature, comfort, space, and zero city noise… unless you count the squirrels bickering. Come take a look and let the stress fall away…
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