Early-morning Christmas church on Christmas Day morning is part of the Protestant tradition. [21] Before giving out the presents, some may light candles for the dead. Christmas is the time in which we all enjoy sharing traditions that remain through time. Christmas in Finland begins, as is commonplace on public holidays in Finland, on Christmas Eve. The children usually dress up and go around giving Daffodils d… Hi, I’m Wilbur.Is anyone else really excited for Christmas? They often have a porridge for lunch—with a hidden almond in it—where the person who gets it has to sing a song and is considered the luckiest person at the table. People washed in the Christmas sauna before the festivities, and food and drink gifts were left there for the elf. Decorated Christmas trees became popular in Finland towards the end of the 19th century, although the habit of erecting festive trees is known to have been common already long before this in the Nordic countries.. Christmas trees are spruces, usually decorated with (nowadays electric) candles or lights, silver or golden … The tradition of declaring Christmas peace is known to date back to 13th century. Christmas is the most important holiday of the year – as in many other countries. Nov. 2, 2020. During Christmas, the average amount of snow is normally around 40 centimetres in Lapland, 30 centimetres in Central Finland and 10 centimetres in Southern parts of Finland. Christmas and New Year in Finland. For those wondering where on earth Finland is, it’s a European country that has the fewest amounts of residents in its borders of all members of the European Union and it also has the second longest tunnel. Christmas In Finland goes on for another 13 days after Christmas which is why it is called the Christmas season. The Christmas gospel is heard and Luther’s hymn 21 Enkeli taivaan (Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her) is sung. [10] In Sweden, the church was against this tradition, and it was about to disappear in Finland too, until some newspapers and charitable organisations revived it. Some traditional Christmas decorations are himmeli (a hanging decoration made of straw) and Yule Goat. Christmas tree. Evening messages plus, 2009, no. The Finns try to keep the Christmas spirit alive for father Christmas, so that he can Getting together with friends and family during the Christmas season is always special, and heavy metal musicians are no exception – even if, on stage, they are bad boys and girls all year long. [20], To preserve nature, some people choose a tree in the garden or nearby forest to decorate for the birds, instead of buying a Christmas tree. Finns often hope to have a white Christmas – at least everyone seems to have golden memories from their childhood when “there was always snow during Christmas”. Advent calendars come in many forms from a simple paper calendar with flaps covering each of the days to fabric pockets on a background scene to painted wooden boxes with cubby holes for small items. Some cemeteries are so large, there are police on duty just to manage the traffic, and everyone must walk to last few yards to the grave. They often have a porridge for lunch—with a hidden almond in it—where the person who gets it has to sing a song and is considered the luckiest person at the table. People in wealthy families started giving each other presents at the beginning of the 1800s. [18], Christmas has traditionally been a family celebration, but in the 2000s it has become common to spend Christmas alone. The day after Christmas is known as St Stephen’s Day or Boxing Day where family visits are common and it is tradition to go horse riding or sleigh riding since St Stephen was the patron saint of horses. This tradition was called “Christmas Peace” in Finland, and has been kept alive ever since the war. Reading the Christmas gospel before the meal became common at the end of the 1800s as a consequence of the Christian revival. Saint Lucia was a 3rd-century martyr who brought food to Christians in hiding. In the Nordic countries, the most important Christmas celebration takes place on Christmas Eve. Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Joulusta voi nauttia myös yksin – yksinäisyys voi antaa hengähdystauon tai intoa tehdä uusia asioita", "Rakas, tuttu ja tunnelmallinen suomalainen joulu – jouluperinteet", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Christmas_in_Finland&oldid=996532599, Articles with dead external links from November 2017, Articles needing additional references from November 2017, All articles needing additional references, Wikipedia articles needing rewrite from December 2017, Articles with multiple maintenance issues, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Vento, Urpo: Joulu, vuoden suurin juhla. [13] The first Christmas trees came to Finland in the middle of the 1800s.[14]. The Kekri tradition of leaving presents for the dead was moved to Christmas. Many children use advent calendars that count down the remaining days to Christmas Eve. After a couple of Christmas ales, carols are sung with gusto. The Finnish Christmas starts on December 23 and ends after December 26. [1] Especially the evening of Christmas Eve has become the most important day of the Christmas period, and is nowadays a paid holiday in most workplaces. In sauna you had to be very quietly, so the mosquitoes couldn’t find you next summer. [15], This article is about the public holiday in Finland. Nowadays candles may be lighted as a common experience to honor the dead.[17]. Turku is considered to be the oldest city in Finland and it has for centuries integrated Christmas traditions from all over Europe into the Finnish culture. Finnish traditions can have some similarities with neighboring Scandinavian countries and some traditions are shared among other Christian households around the world, including in the U.S. Old-fashioned Christmas fun in Helsinki. Obviously, food plays a central part in Christmas celebrations in Finland, too. [15] Christmas calendars arrived in Finland after the second world war. Harjumaa, Marika: What a miracle Christmas plum ?. [7] The Finnish Orthodox Church spends Christmas at the same time as the Western Christianity. This is reflected in several rhymes and jingles, such as Hyvä Tuomas joulun tuopi, paha Nuutti pois sen viepi (“Good Tuomas the bringer, bad Nuutti the taker of Christmas”). The Christmas ham replaced the kekri lamb, and in the 1940s it was challenged by the wild turkey. [4], In the Finnish tradition, the Christmas period has usually been considered to start on Tuomas’s nameday on December 21 and to continue until St. Knut's Day on January 13. The purpose of the barley or oat sheaf was to keep the birds away from the crop in the summer. Animals are given their own Christmas in Finland, with farmers sometimes hanging a sheaf of wheat on a tree to be eaten and pecked at by the birds. Christmas in Finland does not officially end until 13 days after Christmas Day, which makes the holiday time truly a season, as opposed to a single-day celebration. The Finnish Easter holiday is a blend of Pagan and Christian customs. Christmas Eve in Finland is filled with the bright sounds of carols and local Christmas songs. Finland’s heavy-metal stars reveal their lighter side at Christmas. [6] The third and fourth Christmas Day have also been called little holidays or midweek holidays. Christmas in the Nordic countries is celebrated on Christmas Eve. Many Finnish families also visit cemeteries to remember lost loved ones. Finland is his home town. The first Sunday in December—also called the First Advent—starts the Finnish Christmas season. Traveling to Rovaniemi, Lapland in Finland for Christmas is more rewarding when equipped with some general information regarding the country’s traditions. We also have fun games, jokes, recipes, and gift ideas for the whole … ... Easter traditions in Finland are very interesting. Christmas in Finland it’s the time spent with family during the festive, traditional supper. She serves her parents buns, cookies, coffee, or mulled wine. Joulurauha (Christmas Peace) It’s an old Christian tradition to put war on hold during Christmas. In Finland, the day is celebrated with lots of candles and formal celebrations in every Finnish town. Christmas Eve, not Christmas itself, is the highlight of Joulu celebrations. Baked ham is cooked for hours in the oven. Why are they so concerned about keeping the Christmas spirit alive? The tree is decorated with fat balls. Santa Claus, called Joulupukki in Finnish, generally visits most houses on Christmas Eve to give presents—at least to those who have been good. Because it gets very dark early in the day around Christmas in many parts in Finland (around 3PM), it’s a tradition to go to cemeteries to visit the graves of family members. Traditional Christmas dinner in Finland comprises of a cold platter of fish like Graavi or Salmon, with fish eggs and salad on the side. In Sweden, Estonia and Finland, joulupukki (Christmas goat) was a man who dressed as a fertility rite character, a goat. Casseroles, prune soup and gingerbread biscuits were adopted from the upper classes in the 1800s and 1900s. Teoksessa, This page was last edited on 27 December 2020, at 04:22. They may have also believed birds to bring good luck to the home. Traditionally, the eldest girl in the family portrays St. Lucia, donning a white robe and a crown of candles. Finnish traditions include the Christmas sauna and the preparation of Christmas dinner. Offices hold parties and in the homes families set up a little Christmas tree with little gifts for the children. Finns start wishing each other a hearty Hyvää Joulua, or "Merry Christmas," weeks before Christmas day and continue to do so for nearly two weeks after the official holiday. Finnish winter in itself reminds a holiday: wonderful nature is dressed in a fantastic snow-white lace. The meal traditionally consists of oven-baked ham, rutabaga casserole, beetroot salad, and other foods common in the Nordic countries. People from all over the world send letters to Santa Claus in Finland. Advent wreaths are hung on the doors of apartments and houses. Christmas in Scandinavia: Traditions, Events, and Foods, Celebrate Christmas Italian Styles at These City Events, Christmas in New Mexico: Family Activities and Lights Displays, An Alaska Christmas: Festivals and Events, Christmas Activities and Festivities in the Greater Phoenix Area, 18 Places to Spend Your Christmas Vacation With Kids, Learn How to Celebrate St. Lucia Day in Scandinavia, Things to Do for Christmas in Northern Virginia, How Día de la Candelaria is celebrated in Mexico on February 2, Best Things to Do for Christmas in Nashville. It became a common practice at the graves of fallen soldiers after the Winter War and soon at other graves too. Finland marks ‘official’ start of Christmas with peace declaration 24.12.2019 Finland declares Christmas Peace in 700-year-old tradition 24.12.2018 Finland declares Christmas Peace against snowless backdrop 24.12.2017 Finland declares Christmas Peace amid security concerns 24.12.2016 Security stepped up for Turku Christmas Eve ceremony [22], The Finnish Yule table normally features different casseroles made usually of carrot, swede (lanttulaatikko) or potato (sweetened potato casserole) and various fish, such as cold smoked salmon, gravlax and Coregonus lavaretus (graavisiika). Discover these strange and magical Christmas tales from Lapland, and how they have shaped our modern Christmas traditions. In the old town of Turku, the former capital of Finland, a special ceremony is held to declare the beginning of "Christmas peace" period, starting at 12 o'clock noon on Christmas Eve and lasting for twenty days. On Christmas Eve, Danes have a Christmas dinner usually consisting of duck or goose, red cabbage, and caramelized potatoes. December 13 is St. Lucia Day, otherwise known as the Feast of Saint Lucy. Their Christmas follows the Christmas trees tradition and Advent calendars. Many times ago it was the most important part of the Christmas, and the heating of the sauna was started very early, sometimes already the night before so everyone could go to sauna before it got dark outside. Eating abundantly at the Christmas meal comes from the ancient Finns and relates to the agricultural year cycle and the festival of light celebrated around the winter solstice. Lutefisk and porrige are some of the oldest Christmas foods. In the morning of the 24th of December families gather together for Christmas rice pudding, served hot and topped with cinnamon, sugar and other spices. The traditions and holidays in Finland are a perfect blend of their pagan customs and Christianity. [2] Unlike on other public holidays, public transportation stops almost completely on the afternoon of Christmas Eve[3] in Finland. The Declaration is a reading at mid-day on Christmas Eve, in which listeners are encouraged to treat Christmas with respect and adopt an atmosphere of peace. Previously the Lutheran church was very strict about attending the Christmas church. Posti Group has been publishing Christmas stamps since 1973. On Christmas Eve people usually eat rice porridge. Nuts and pieces of suet are also hung on trees in bags from the branches. Remote health initiatives to help minimize work-from-home stress; Oct. 23, 2020 The traditional dessert is a light rice pudding … Christmas dinner is served in Finland, between 5 and 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve. After that, baked Ham with mustard sauce is served with baked vegetables. The Finnish consume the largest amounts of coffee in the wor The Christmas period ends on Epiphany. At noon on Christmas Eve, peace is proclaimed with a ceremony in Turku, the former capital and oldest city in Finland. Families and friends also begin to exchange Christmas cards at this time. In Finland, Santa, ( or Father Christmas) is where the big man lives. Pork roast is the main dish in most households and a variety of fish, casseroles and salads are served with it. Traditions on Christmas Eve in Finland include going to a Christmas mass if you are Catholic and a visit to a Finnish sauna. In the Finnish tradition, the Christmas period has usually been considered to start on Tuomas’s nameday on December 21 and to continue until St. Knut's Day on January 13. [19], The usual Christmas decorations are spruce twigs, Christmas tree, Christmas wreaths, straw goats, himmelis, apples, candles, Christmas tablecloths, Christmas flowers, outdoor torches, ice lanterns and sheafs. soul birds, celebrated the mid-winter holiday with the living. It is commonplace to go in the sauna at Christmas. She used a candle-lit wreath to light her way, leaving her hands free to carry as much food as possible. Finnish Christmas traditions In the old town of Turku, the former capital of Finland, a special ceremony is held to declare the beginning of "Christmas peace" period, starting at 12 o'clock noon on Christmas Eve and lasting for twenty days. Meta: A look at Christmas traditions from Finland. There are plenty of holiday traditions, such as the Christmas Eve broadcast of the Declaration of Christmas Peace . The Christmas tree is considered by some as Christianisation of pagan tradition and ritual surrounding the Winter Solstice, which included the use of evergreen boughs, and an adaptation of pagan tree worship; according to eighth-century biographer Æddi Stephanus, Saint Boniface (634–709), who was a missionary in Germany, took an axe to an oak tree dedicated to Thor … 23.12.2009, p. 7. [11][12] Decorations made of straw have their source in kekri, the harvest festival. The Finnish pagans may have believed that the dead, i.e. FINNISH CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS. Finnish Christmas Traditions. Finnish Christmas Main Dishes If salmon is the queen of the Finnish Christmas table, ham is definitely the king (joulukinkku). Talking about other Christmas traditions in Finland, they begin much before the actual date of the festival. [5] However, King Gustav III of Sweden cut them down to two, because the nobility and bourgeoisie believed that long holidays made the workers too lazy. The highlight of the evening comes when Santa knocks on the door and asks, “Are there any well-behaved children here?” For the Teletubbies episode "Christmas in Finland", see, Overview of the role of Christmas in Finland. Gifts are given on Christmas Eve, and people eat on Christmas day which is followed by sauna. Christmas in Finland can be memorable for visitors because Finnish yuletide traditions are very different from many other countries and regions in the world. the first Sunday in December marks the beginning of the Christmas season. Lessons from Content Marketing World 2020; Oct. 28, 2020. The Christmas season in Finland begins on the Saturday before Advent, known as Little Christmas. Evidence of this is even the name of the month December – “Joulukuu” – “Christmas month”. Terri Mapes specializes in giving first-time Scandinavia visitors practical tips for their travels. Christmas in Finland (as all over Scandinavia) is mostly about taking things slowly and enjoying the company of loved family members. The meals on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are quite elaborate. Feeding small birds at Christmas is an old tradition and the peasant culture’s ritual that brought good luck to farming. The surface is usually thinly coated with breadcrumbs, rye flour, or mustard and broiled until nicely browned. Prior to 1774, Finland also celebrated a third Christmas Day, the day of apostle John the Evangelist on December 27, and a fourth Christ… This is reflected in several rhymes and jingles, such as Hyvä Tuomas joulun tuopi, paha Nuutti pois sen viepi (“Good Tuomas the bringer, bad Nuutti the taker of Christmas”). The Declaration of Christmas Peace has been a tradition in Finland from the Middle Ages every year, except in 1939 due to the Winter War.. Finland - Christmas traditions & customs. From the First Advent, people, especially the children, maintain the advent calendar, wherein they keep checking the coming of Christmas. The Old Tyme Christmas market in Turku has a lot of traditional Christmas decorations such as the Yule Goat. Prior to 1774, Finland also celebrated a third Christmas Day, the day of apostle John the Evangelist on December 27, and a fourth Christmas Day, Massacre of the Innocents on December 28. There is a big tourist theme park called Christmas Land in the north of Finland, near where they say Father Christmas lives. Traditional Finnish Christmas decorations in Turku. Blog. Many Finnish families also visit cemeteries to remember lost loved ones. Christmas traditions in Finland are based around family and the warmth of the family home. If you did not attend, you were reprimanded publicly in the annual catechetical meeting. The outfit also included a mask made of birch bark and a sheepskin coat worn inside-out.[9]. [8], The Finnish Christmas has acquired some characteristics from the harvest festival kekri, that used to take place around the old All Saints' Day. Traditions on Christmas Eve in Finland include going to a Christmas mass if you are Catholic and a visit to a Finnish sauna. The most authentic Christmas Eve breakfast is rice pudding. People in Finland say that Santa does not have to travel too far since they believe that he lives in the north part of Finland called Korvatunturi (or Lapland), north of the Arctic Circle. [16], The tradition to visit cemeteries to light candles on family graves was started in the 1900s. poinsettias, Christmas seals, Christmas trees, gift giving, hanging stockings, nativity scenes, Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, Santa Claus, and more. Customs of Christmas explores the origins of our Christmas customs and traditions, like advent, candy canes, Christmas caroling, Christmas cards, Christmas lights. Having a sauna at Christmas is an old tradition. Finnish Christmas Carols and Songs. At a time when food was grown at home, gluttony and eating meat at Christmas was rare luxury. He put goat horns on his head as in shamanistic tradition to look like a goat. Christmas sauna is a Finnish tradition. Much like the end of Thanksgiving is the signal for Americans to start Christmas celebrations, Saint Lucia Day is usually the day that Finns begin to start Christmas tree shopping and decorating. First Advent i.e. Beetroot salad, smoked salmon and/or pickled herring are served as side dishes to the main course. Barley was replaced by rice in the 1800s. This is the day the Christmas lights are turned on. 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