Midsommer In Finland

Almost only in Finland there is a great feast in the Midsommer. Some people in Sweden know what we are talking about, but that's it. I guess Finland is geografically one of the countries which has to use every opportunity to celebrate summer, in case we have one. At least, if we do not have a fine weather, we have a lot of light. Actually in Juhannus (The Midsummer Feast) in the northern parts of Finland the sun never gets down! Nor do the Finns, at least the younger ones... But you who do not realize that this is it: after the midsummer the days are getting shorter again. On Friday nobody goes to work beause it is Juhannus.

Midsummer is the celebration of the most luminous time of the year. In Finland it is also the Flag Day and according to the official rules, flags are raised at six in the evening on Midsummer's Eve and lowered at 21 hours on the evening of the following day. Midsummer is surely the most delightful of Finland's public holidays.
It is called the festival of "Nightless Night" because in the northern part of Finland, that is above the Arctic Circle, the sun does not go down behind the horizon at all!
The festival is celebrated on the Saturday that falls between 20th June and 26th June. Many of the customs associated with Midsummer's Day derive from the pre-Christian and pan-European festival of light and fertility that marked the summer solstice. The burning of the Midsummer kokko (bonfire), originally a tradition linked, in the north and east of the country, with beliefs concerning fertility, cleansing and the banishing of evil spirits, has in the 20th century spread throughout Finland. It has become the central element in the programme of commercial Midsummer festivities, along with music and dance.


Homes are decorated with flowers and birch branches. A Midsummer pole, reminiscent of an ornamental sailing mast, is part of the Finland-Swedish tradition of southern Finland and Ahvenanmaa (also called Aweland...)
Everybody who has the slightest possibility travel to the countryside and towns are really deserted. Everything is closed and the tourists who do not perhaps know about this tradition think that a Neutron Bomb must have hit the streets.
It's a Finnish tradition to drink a lot during the festival, many people don't go to sleep at all during Midsummer Night because it is so bright. The statistics for the number of people drowned and otherwise killed in accidents are morbidly counted every year.

Here you can listen to our National Anthem and see some pictures from Finland.
We love Juhannus!

Independence Day of Finland

Finland's Independence Day (Finnish itsenäisyyspäivä, Swedish självständighetsdag) is a national public holiday held on December 6 to celebrate Finland's declaration of independence from the Russian empire.The movement for Finland's Independence started after the revolutions in Russia (1917), caused by the disturbances from the defeats of the First World War. This gave an opportunity for Finland to withdraw from Russia. After several disagreements between the non-socialists and the social-democrats about the matter of who should have the power in Finland, the parliament, led by Per Evind Svinhufvud, finally declared Finland as an independent state, on the 6th of December 1917.

During the early decades of independence, this day was a very solemn occasion marked by patriotic speeches and special Church services. From the 1970s onwards, however, Independence day celebrations have taken on livelier forms, with shops decorating their windows in the blue and white of the Finnish flag, and bakeries producing cakes with blue and white icing. Today, rock stars and entertainers have been accepted as worthy interpreters of Finnish patriotism.

It is traditional for Finnish families to light two candles in the windows of their home in the evening, Historically these two candles were used as a sign to inform Finnish Jäger troops that the house was ready to offer shelter and keep them hidden from the Russians.[1]

State festivities

The official festivities usually commence with the raising of the flag on Tähtitorninmäki, in Helsinki. There is a religious service at the Helsinki Cathedral, followed, in the evening, by a gala reception for approximately 2000 invited guests at the Presidential Palace. This event, known as Linnan juhlat ("the party at the castle") is broadcast on national television and has been a perennial favorite of the viewing public. The reception invariably attracts the attentions of demonstrators, supportive of various causes, and various demonstrations and shadow parties are held to coincide with the official event. Philanthropist Veikko Hursti organized the most popular of these events, providing free food for the poor and underpriviledged. After his death his son is keeping up the tradition.

The most popular television segment of the Independence day reception is the entrance of the guests, who number roughly around 1800. These include persons who receive invitations every year, including the knights of the Mannerheim Cross (traditionally the first ones to enter), members of the Parliament of Finland, archbishops, judges and various diplomats dignitaries. The second group includes people of the President's own choosing, typically entertainers, activists, sportspersons, and in general, people who have been in the spotlight over the past year. The last people to enter are always the previous presidents.
From Wikipedia

Summer Holidays

I've been on a holiday since the second of this month and therefore not had time to blog. Now I'm spending some time in the US at my daughter's house and still I do not have time. But I'll come back...
Meanwhile I give you this piece of wisdom:

You Know Nobel Price?

I just spent an evening at the City Hall of Stockholm. At the very place where the Nobel Prize Winners gather after their ceremony to spend the night eating and dancing in the precence of The Royal Family. It was breath taking. I felt like somebody myself. It was the reception of The 13th Congress of the International Headache Society. I did not win the Nobel but I felt almost like it.

Juhannus or Midsummer

To-morrow nobody goes to work beause it is Juhannus.

Midsummer is the celebration of the most luminous time of the year. In Finland it is also the Flag Day and according to the official rules, flags are raised at six in the evening on Midsummer's Eve and lowered at 21 hours on the evening of the following day. Midsummer is surely the most delightful of Finland's public holidays.
It is called the festival of "Nightless Night" because in the northern part of Finland, that is above the Arctic Circle, the sun does not go down behind the horizon at all!
The festival is celebrated on the Saturday that falls between 20th June and 26th June. Many of the customs associated with Midsummer's Day derive from the pre-Christian and pan-European festival of light and fertility that marked the summer solstice. The burning of the Midsummer kokko (bonfire), originally a tradition linked, in the north and east of the country, with beliefs concerning fertility, cleansing and the banishing of evil spirits, has in the 20th century spread throughout Finland. It has become the central element in the programme of commercial Midsummer festivities, along with music and dance.


Homes are decorated with flowers and birch branches. A Midsummer pole, reminiscent of an ornamental sailing mast, is part of the Finland-Swedish tradition of southern Finland and Ahvenanmaa (also called Aweland...)
Everybody who has the slightest possibility travel to the countryside and towns are really deserted. Everything is closed and the toutists who do not perhaps know about this tradition think that a Neutron Bomb must have hit the streets.
Unfortunately it's a Finnish tradition to drink a lot during the festival, many people don't go to sleep at all during Midsummer Night because it is so bright. The statistics for the number of people drowned and killed in accidents are morbidly counted every year.

Here you can listen to our National Anthem and see some pictures from Finland.
We love Juhannus!

Flag Day in The US of A

Flag Day - the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777 - was officially established by the Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30th, 1916. While Flag Day was celebrated in various communities for years after Wilson's proclamation, it was not until August 3rd, 1949, that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th of each year as National Flag Day. For more info click the post title.
Our official National Flag Day will be a little bit later, on July 23rd which is also The Midsummer Day.

Labour Day

In almost every country, May the 1st is Labor Day. But in Finland, it means more than that. It is one of the most important days of the year in addition to Christmas and Midsummer Day ( I'll tell you more about it in due time...) Vappu, like it's called in Finnish, is celebrated by everyone, not just by workers.


"Vappu" is "the party of the spring" and it begins already on April 30th. If May 1 falls on a Monday, celebrations usually tend to begin on the Friday preceding Vappu.
The celebration has different features in different parts of the country. In Helsinki people gather to the Park of Esplanadi to wash and "cap" the statue of Havis Amanda, also known as Manta.
As soon as Manta is capped, everyone who has passed the matriculation examination in high school can wear a white cap. When the folks assigned to wash and cap the statue have done their job, white caps appear everywhere.
After the capping and popping of thousands of bottles of Sparkling Wine or Champagne Finns normally proceed to different parties.
Besides being "the party in the spring," Vappu is the official opening of the summer season. And every Finn has a reason to celebrate. It is not that summer actually begins in Finland on May 1st. Instead, Finns believe that the weather on Vappu gives them an idea what the summer will be like. This year, despite the sunshine, it was perhaps the windiest and coldest day since spring began.
Vappu means different things to different Finns. For students, Vappu is an important party day that marks the end of lectures and the school year. For young, unemployed people, it is a reason to drink, get drunk and forget their troubles. For the old, it is a time to get stoned with friends. For everyone, it is a Finnish Carnival.

Administrative Professionals' Day

Administrative Professionals' Day (previously known as Secretary's Day) is an unofficial secular holiday observed on the third or fourth Wednesday of April (i.e. April 26, 2006; April 25, 2007; April 23, 2008), to recognize the work of clerical employees such as administrative assistants, receptionists, paralegals, etc. It is celebrated as part of a larger Administrative Professionals Week, which takes place during the last full week of April.
National Professional Secretaries Week and National Secretaries' Day was created in 1952 through the work of Harry F. Klemfuss of Young and Rubicam. Klemfuss recognized the importance and value of the position to a company or business. His goal was to encourage more women to become administrative assistants (called secretaries at the time). Using his skill and experience in public relations, Klemfuss promoted the values and importance of the job of administrative assistants. In doing so, he also created the holiday in recognition of the importance of these assistants.
Have to buy flowers for my Assistant...

World Voice Day

World Voice Day, celebrated on 16th April of every year, is a day dedicated to increasing awareness of the importance of vocal health.

In the 21st century the voice is as important as ever; it is a vital resource at work, in social interaction and for pleasure. Voice problems can affect anyone. The entertainment sector has long appreciated the need for voice preservation and recognised the role of ENT surgeons, speech and language therapists and other professionals involved in caring for the voice. Yet the general public is generally unaware of what is needed to maintain vocal health or where to turn when a problem occurs.
The mission of this awareness day is to raise public awareness of common voice disorders, and how they can be treated; to educate about medical disorders that can affect voice quality and can cause problems with the voice (such as overuse of alcohol, tobacco, or speaking too loudly! A trait all to familiar with the Latin culture); and to highlight the importance of paying attention to possible ‘early warning signals’, such as persistent hoarseness, that could be indicators of serious health issues.
The idea for World Voice Day originated in 1999 in Brazil, when numerous outreach activities were organised, directed at improving awareness of voice problems and the availability of care for the voice to the public. The key question was ‘How Can I Look After My Voice?’ Since then, the European Laryngological Society and American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) have become involved in fostering World Voice Day as a major event. Due to this, a determination has recently been fostered worldwide to increase public recognition of voice disorders and the importance of vocal health. April 16th, World Voice Day, has been dedicated to this important task.
Sorry this entry is a few days late. Couldn't publish it earlier.

Tax Day

Don't worry you American taxpayers! You still have one day more!

John Trever, New Mexico, The Albuquerque Journal

Taxpayers Have Until April 17 to File and Pay

IR-2007-15, Jan. 24, 2007

WASHINGTON — Taxpayers across the nation will have until Tuesday, April 17, 2007, to file their 2006 returns and pay any taxes due, the Internal Revenue Service announced today.
Taxpayers will have extra time to file and pay because April 15 falls on a Sunday in 2007, and the following day, Monday, April 16, is Emancipation Day, a legal holiday in the District of Columbia.
This means the entire country has an April 17 deadline. Previously, the April 17 deadline applied just to individuals in the District of Columbia and six eastern states who are served by an IRS processing facility in Massachusetts, where Patriots Day will be observed on April 16.
This really doesn't concern me but had to publish this because many calendars have Tax Day put on Monday. And how else could the Americans get the message...

nicked from Anniina

Easter Fun

This does not work with my wife...

Virpominen

"Virpominen" is an old Karelian custom on Palm Sunday. The Finnish verb ‘virpoa’ comes from the Russian ‘verba’ meaning ‘willow.’ It has it's root in the Latin ‘verbanae,’ or ‘holy branches’.
Nowadays two old customs are mixed: In the western part of Finland people used to light big bonfires in the spring time to scare off bad witches. Over the years the witches stopped being bad in people's minds and children started to dress up as ones already in 19th century. In the mainly orthodox eastern Finland people used to wish good luck and health to each other by "virpominen". When you went to do that, you tapped your relatives, friends or neihgbours with willow twigs blessed in church on Saturday.
Yesterday, on Palm Sunday, you could see children dressed up as witches, holding decorated willow twigs in their hands, walking towards the houses in the area. One usually gets chocolate eggs, other candy or even some money for pay when one does the "virpominen".
In Eastern Finland you got the pay after a week, on Easter Saturday. Today you normally get it right away. That's probably the reason why it's so popular in Finland among children. Some people don't like the mixture of these two traditions very much and would prefer the "virpominen" being done without the witch costumes.

Thought of The Day 32, Birthday

So it's my birthday! What can I say? I'm kinda young!



"I am not young enough to know everything."
Oscar Wilde

About Birthdays; Thought of The Day 25

My wife had her birthday yesterday. Happy Birthday!


"Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, ...it doesn't matter." - Mark Twain

Ides of March

Julius Caesar's bloody assassination on March 15, 44 B.C., forever marked March 15, or Ides of March, as a day of infamy. The phrase came to represent a specific day of abrupt change that set off a ripple of repercussions throughout Roman society and beyond. Inspired by Mischievous Muse

Valentine's Day

”Puh, lupaa että et koskaan, koskaan unohda minua.
Et sittenkään kun minä olen satavuotias.”
Puh ajatteli hetken.
”Kuinka vanha minä olen silloin?”
”Yhdeksänkymmentäyhdeksän.”
Puh nyökkäsi.
”Lupaan”, hän sanoi.
(A. A. Milne, Nalle Puh rakentaa talon)

Valentine's Day or (Ystävänpäivä in Finnish, which means Friend's Day) has been celebrated in Finland only from 1980's. In the official calendar it was marked 1987. Nowadays it is the second popular "Card-day" after Christmas.
It differs from the Valentine's Day in USA being more a day to remember one's friends than only a festival for lovers.

Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day is a traditional festival celebrated in the United States and Canada on February 2. It is a cross-quarter day, midway between the Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox.
In traditional weather lore, if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day and fails to see its shadow because the weather is cloudy, winter will soon end. If the groundhog sees its shadow because the weather is bright and clear, it will be frightened and run back into its hole, and the winter will continue for six more weeks.




See trailer of the movie Groundhog Day