Finnish characteristic festival customs

Whether it is Easter, Midsummer or May Day, Finns celebrate national festivals in a unique way. Although Finland's long and dark winters restrict outdoor activities to a certain extent, Finns still enjoy festivals. On the other hand, many major Finnish traditional festivals happen in winter. In the traditional Finnish calendar, winter festivals include Saint Lucia Day, Confession Sunday, etc., which is celebrated on Tuesday according to Finnish tradition. These festivals have deep Finnish cultural roots. Strong contrasts form an important element of Finnish cultural life, such as running out of a steaming sauna and immediately leaping into a frozen lake. We embrace this feeling to the fullest.

New Year's Day (Uudenvuodenpäivä - New Year Day): January 1. Every New Year's Eve, the mayor of Helsinki delivers a New Year's message to the gathered citizens on the Parliament Square in front of Helsinki Cathedral in the city center. When the New Year bell rings, citizens begin to set off fireworks, dance, sing, and celebrate each other. New Year, laughter fills the streets and alleys.

Loppiainen - Epiphany): January 6. It commemorates the day when Jesus appeared.

Confession Sunday: The Finnish version of Confession Sunday is "Confession Tuesday", which is celebrated every year on the Tuesday in February, seven weeks before Easter. Finland's unique "sleigh carousel", called "napakelkka" in Finnish, is rare nowadays, but it is an indispensable element of Confession Tuesday.

Traditional activities on Confession Tuesday include sledding, drinking bean soup, and eating a sweet bread stuffed with jam or almond paste. In the past, people believed that if they ate thick soup and heavy oil on this day, they could ensure a good harvest in the coming year. "Valentine's Day =" Friends's Day ": On February 14 every year, when this love festival is celebrated around the world, Finns have their own saying. Valentine's Day in Finland is called "Ystävänpäivä", also known as "Friends 'Day". The Finns decided that this day would be the day to kill everyone. Friends, family, neighbors, colleagues-and of course lovers!- Everyone will receive greeting cards, flowers, chocolates and so on.

Good Friday Pitkäperjantai): April, the Friday before Easter, is a festival commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus.

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Easter Pääsiäispäivä - Easter Day): April, the first Sunday to Monday after the full moon of the vernal equinox, is a festival commemorating the death and resurrection of Jesus.

As Easter approaches, there are more "little witches and little wizards" wandering around the streets and alleys. Don't neglect these children in disguise. On Palm Sunday (the Sunday before Easter), these little witches and wizards would go door to door ringing doorbells and say,"Virvon, varvon, tuoreeks, terveeks, tulevaks vuodeks, vitsa sulle, palkka mulle." This tradition dates back to before Christianity spread to Finland, when people believed that chanting spells ensured a good harvest the coming year. Children expect little reward: candy, Easter eggs, or some change.

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Easter meal includes lamb meat and the Finnish rye pudding "mämmi". Although it is not attractive, it is worth tasting with cream and sugar. Many Finns also like to go skiing during the Easter Festival. At this time of year, the days in northern Finland are long, the sun is shining, and it is covered in silver.

May Day (Vappu - May Day): April 30-May 1. In Finland, May Day is not only a festival for workers, but also a festival for graduates and a carnival for Finns to celebrate the arrival of spring. May Day is also known as the "Hat Wearing Day" due to the ceremony of putting on a student's hat on the statue of "Havis Amanda Lady" next to the dock.

The biggest festival during spring is May Day (Vappu). On the eve of May Day, men, women and old all over the country gather together to hold carnival-style street celebrations. Students and old alumni wore white hats from high school graduation to welcome the arrival of summer. However, balloons, confetti, more champagne, etc. are not all about the celebration. Traditionally, May Day is a political festival and a festival for workers. Public speeches by members of all political parties can be heard in almost every public square in major cities across the country. May Day desserts include the fried donut "tippaleipä" and the donut "munkki", paired with the Finnish fermented drink "sima"-delicious!

Helatorstai - Ascension Day): May, the first Thursday forty days after Easter.

Helluntaipäivä - Whit Sunday): May or June.

Midsummer Festival Juhanuspäivä- Midsummer): June, Friday to Saturday of the week where the longest day of the year lies. Midsummer Day is also a festival where Finns celebrate the shortest night of the year. It is considered by Finns to be the most romantic and auspicious day, so many people choose this day to hold weddings.

On Midsummer Day, the whole of Finland is closed. During Midsummer, most Finns spend the summer in cabins, eating sausages around a campfire, taking saunas, and going swimming in a lake or sea to celebrate the longest day of the year. On this day, the sun never sets at all in most parts of Finland. Everyone put white birch branches on both sides of the wooden house door, and some even decorated them on small boats to welcome guests. This event stems from an ancient tradition that predates the spread of Christianity and is called the "Ukko", the most important god in Finnish mythology. Finns celebrate Midsummer Day on the Saturday between June 20 and 26 every year.

Wife Carrying World Championships: In July, in Sonkajärvi, 550 kilometers from the capital Helsinki, strong men from all over the world carried their wives through puddles and obstacles. Spectators crowded on both sides of the track, cheering the contestants loudly while being amused by various funny scenes.

Halloween Pyhäinpäivä - All Saints): November, the Saturday closest to November 1.

Itsenäisyspäivä- Independence Day): December 6. Every year on Independence Day, the Finnish President delivers a televised speech in the lobby of the Presidential Palace. Independence Day December 6 Finland Independence Day commemorates those heroes who died heroically during the First and Second World Wars for Finland's independence. On this day, relatives and friends will have dinner at home or in restaurants. Watching the live TV broadcast of the Independence Day presidential reception and commenting on the guests 'dress and demeanor is also one of the favorite customs of Finns on this day. Many people will also participate in the torch parade or pay homage to the martyrs cemetery. Blue and white candles symbolizing the color of the Finnish flag will be placed on the windowsill of every household.

Saint Lucia Day: The tradition of Saint Lucia Day originates from Finland's Swedish population. Saint Lucia is one of the few saints respected by the Christian Lutheran Church. Every year on December 13, a new "St. Lucia" is crowned and then starts from the cathedral on Senate Square to march through central Helsinki. Similar Saint Lucia Festival activities are also held in Turku.

Pre-Christmas party season-"Little Christmas season": Pre-Christmas parties may start as early November. During the darkest time of the year, music, dancing, Christmas lights and the traditional Christmas drink "glögi"(a spicy hot drink) illuminate people's hearts. Even Santa Claus can't help but come to the little Christmas party!

站图片位置Joulupäivä - Christmas Day): The Christmas season in Finland begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, the day of the coming of Jesus in the Bible. On December 24-25, Christmas comes to its climax. Christmas is a time for family joy and the festival that children look forward to most. On Christmas Eve, the family sat at a table with rich food, lit candles and prayed for God's blessings.

Everyone on earth knows that there is only one real and only Santa Claus in the world. He lives in Lapland, northern Finland. With the help of the elves, he prepared gifts for the children and replied to letters written by the children. Santa Claus Park is next door to Santa Claus's house. Bring your children to play together and feel the happy atmosphere! Finns prefer to stay at home and spend Christmas with their families, preparing traditional Christmas dinners, usually must-have dishes including turnip paste, carrot and potato stew. Salmon is very popular, and some people like turkey or ham. At noon on Christmas Eve, Turku, known as Finland's "second capital", broadcast a ceremony of "Christmas Peace" live on television and radio. For many Finns, taking a Christmas sauna is a must, and going to church for the whole family to sing Christmas carols is a regular event.

Tapaninpäivä - St. Stephen's Day / Boxing Day): December 26. Gift Day is the day after Christmas and the time to open Christmas gifts.

In addition, there are many art festivals in Finland, mainly including the Tampere International Film Festival in March, the Turkuluis Rock Music Festival and the Kuopio International Dance Festival in June, the Rovaniemi International Folk Music Festival, the Savonlinna International Opera Festival, the Poli International Jazz Festival, and the Senajoki Tango Festival in July, the Tampere International Theater Festival and the Helsinki Music Festival in August, and the Oulu International Children's Film Festival in November.

There are also anniversaries for Finnish national poet Runabery and many other famous writers. The Finnish national poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg (1804 - 1877) celebrated his anniversary on February 5, when he ate Runebergintorttu, a cake covered with jam filled with almonds, rum or arice. Since Finns love all their country's poets and novelists, almost every famous writer has its own anniversary. Unfortunately, not everyone has a cake named after them. Finnish writer and social activist Minna Canth is the first Finnish woman to have her own flag-raising day, which falls on March 19. The official anniversary of Elias Lönrot, the creator of the Finnish national epic Kalevala, is April 9. Finnish poet and journalist Eino Leino celebrates July 6, while Aleksis Kivi, one of the earliest writers in history to write prose and poetry in Finnish, commemorates October 10.