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

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!

Summer Is Here

Finally it looks like summer has arrived. Although we had a big storm the other day, now it seems quite nice. Temperature has been over 20 ºC (on Monday we had 31ºC!) and over 15 even by night. Flowers have started to bloom and grass is growing like weeds. This picture is from the side of our small yard.

Eurovision Song Contest

This event happens tomorrow and I'll write more about it later. It is the biggest Song Contest Ever in Europe.
Click the title above and read more.

She is the Finnish representative Hanna Pakarinen who won the local Idols contest a couple of years ago.

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.

New Idols Winner

The Final of the Idols Contest in Finland was last Friday. Here is the winner.

He has an interesting voice and his interpretation of this song is not that bad to my mind.

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.

What Is Important in Life?

As everyone anywhere in the world is very excited and interested in knowing what has happened in the World Championships in Nordic Skiing, I am happy to announce that we (The Finns that is) have won pots/lots of gold. We Are The Winners.

Prime Minister's Bride

Monilla alkaa mennä yli Susan Kurosen jatkuvat avautumiset suhteestaan pääministeri Matti Vanhaseen. Siksipä päätinkin laittaa sivulleni linkin adressiin, joka toimitetaan Susan Kurosen itsensä tietoisuuteen, kunhan nimiä on tullut vakuuttavan paljon. Hartaana toiveena on auttaa Susania ymmärtämään, etteivät kansalaiset todellakaan koe sympatiaa häntä kohtaan, eivätkä varsinkaan kannata hänen tapaansa käsitellä päättynyttä parisuhdettaan julkisuudessa. Tämä adressi toiminee myös varmasti Matti Vanhasen puolesta, sillä hän on selvästi osoittanut kypsää käyttäytymistä olemalla hiljaa asioista, joista Susan kylläkin on tahdittomankin kovaääninen. Olkoon tämä adressin viesti: Susan, ole jo hiljaa.

Winter in Finland 3

Another view from a window ( not my window, alas) of my company. The sun does rise every now and then.

Winter in Finland 2

The scenery from a window of the house where my company is situated. Not bad, eh? And ten minutes ride from the very center of Helsinki...

Winter in Finland

The Winter as it's best is really nice here in Finland. The temperature during the winter moths is usually (though not this winter!) something between minus 5 and minus 15. Although there is daylight only for six hours or so, it really is not that dark because of the snow.