Traditionally  Finnish homesteads were scattered over large areas of forest. This has been instrumental in the conceptualization of Finnishness. Many city dwellers have access to a summer cottages in the middle of a forest or by a lake. At the very least, they dream of it.

After the humdrum of everyday working life, the forest soothes and rejuvenates the soul. For Finns it is essential to get away from it all’ at least for a while.

In the Spring the forest embodies rebirth.
In the Summer it enwraps you in a thousand greens.
In the Autumn it dazzles and exhales.
And in Winter it enraptures your soul.

The Finnish language. Though sparsely populated and modest on the world map, Finland still boasts its own language – suomi.Known in English as Finnish, it is distantly related to Hungarian. The language wasn’t officially recognized until the 19th century, and yet the oldest Finnish words date back 5,ooo years or more to the Finno-Ugric and Uralian periods. Perhaps one of the reason why foreigners consider Finnish so difficult is because of its versatility. Its syntax is extremely flexible, giving rise to endless nuances. Standard colloquial Finnish is freely mixed with a variety of dialects, slang and words from other languages. In fact, Finnish is so versatile that it is possible to construct new words for specific or new situations.

As in most countries, Finland enjoys many colourful, local dialects. Many families also employ their very own vocabulary or particular linguistic style. So, in Finland, a person may speak on family or individual dialects. The Finnish language is so extremely onomatopoetic. The actual resonance of the words enable the speaker to relate his message accurately and vividly.

Finns love their language. Millions of books are printed in Finnish every year. And books are still the most popular gifts for special occasions, including Christmas and birthdays.

Finns also believe in and exert the power of the spoken word. They are avid theater-goers and Finnish amateur dramatic enjoys nation-wide enthusiasm.

The Finnish national epic, the Kalevala, has been translated into several languages, as have   Mika Waltari’s “Sinuhe the Egyptian”, Tove Jansson’s “Moomin” books, etc.

The Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) The swan was voted Finland’s national bird in 1981. Karelians have long held it as a holy; symbolizing purity, light and beauty. It also has a pertinent role in the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala.

Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa) Wood anemones proclaim the Finnish spring with a prolific floral display. They are also often given to mums on the second Sunday in May, Mother’s Day in Finland.

Sauna.

The sauna is a constant and beloved institution in Finland. It has helped shape Finland’s history and can even affect the economy of the country. Traditionally, the sauna has not only been a place for washing, but has been used as breweries, curehouses and laundries. Sauna dressing rooms have been used as living-quarters for farm hands and sons-in-law. In the wilds the sauna provided crucial hiding places. Many an elderly Finn was born in sauna. It has been the place to treat illness, give massages and go about that very Finnish tradition of cupping bad blood.

In all probability, there is not a single Finn in the world who has never had a sauna.  The sauna is not essentially erotic. It is at its best when you are there alone. The sauna can offer you a tour of your inner self. It’s a haven for feeling and listening to the basics of life. The dry wood gives off a strong smell and with each breath-in inner frustration expels. The fire in the sauna burns off any remaining anxieties. Hot stones, steam and hot air relieves stress. The aroma from the birch leaves brings with it an almost spiritual calmness. Water rinses away all that’s old. In the sauna Finns are born again.

Baking Bread in Finnish style.

Every country has its own traditions of making bread. Finland is not exception. Originally, the country was divided into two permanent areas of inhabitation: the East and the West. Both geographical areas developed their own regional kitchens. The eastern area was influenced by Slavic culture, the western by Germanic.

The traditional Finnish cottages in the east had an oven which was heated up on a daily basis during the winter. Food was prepared in clay pots in the oven, the meat was cured in a wooden trough and bread, pies and pasties were baked whenever the need arose. Soft rye bread was the daily bread of the east, an area where the preparation of food relied heavily on the oven.

In western regions the cottage was heated by a fireplace and the food cooked in a three-legged pot or a pan hanging over the fire. Outside, there was usually a separate little hut of baking bread, often huge quantities at a time. Baking days were in the autumn and the spring. The breads, which were usually circular with a hole in the middle, were dried and hung on poles that stretched across the ceiling. The bread of the west was dry rye bread, which was soaked before eating.

Rye bread still plays an important role in Finland’s impressive range of breads. It is also the bread that Finns most long for when they are abroad. Its strong taste is easy to get used to. It appearance and degree of sourness vary from region to region.

Many Finns also eat rye bread at breakfast . It definitely fills you up more then white bread. The best rye bread is still baked in a wood-fired baking oven. The rye grains are carefully ground is a stone mill. Only water, salt and sourdough root are then added into the flour. It the old days, when children were sent out from remote county houses into the big wide world, rye bread and sour milk, the staples of the Finnish diet, were always included in the rucksack.

Go fishing. Every Finn has probably been fishing at some time or other. Finland has nearly two hundred thousand lakes, an abundance of rivers and a long coastline. Summer cottages are located on the sea shore and lakes sides. Rowing boats are therefore a useful commodity. In summer evening Finns spread their nets and go out fishing. Winter’s frozen conditions present no problems for fishermen. Nets can be cast underneath the ice. Ice fishing is a very popular, even if a little peculiar, winter pursuit in Finland. Thousands of men and women dress up in extra-warm clothing and go fishing on the ice. A small hole is drilled through the ice by means of an ice drill and the intrepid ice angler just sits there fishing, sometimes for hours. This is yet another opportunity for Finns to fulfill their yearning to be at one with nature. Being able to spend time in a true winter wonderland, alone with one’s thoughts, is probably more important than the catch itself.

Nearly one hundred different species of fish swim in Finnish water. Only about twenty of them, however, end up on the dinner table.
Salmon (Salmo salar) and sea-bred rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) are the most popular fish for Finns. For the most part, salmon is still eaten in the traditional way; slightly salted. Fresh rainbow trout is on offer practically every day of the year. it is inexpensive and easy to prepare. Salmon is caught in the Baltic Sea with fyke nets. Sport fishermen go fly fishing for large and handsome migratory salmon in the rivers of Lapland.
The most prestigious fish for most Finns, however, is perch (Perca fluviatilis). It is also the most endemic, and can be found in most waters except for the petite mountain lakes of Lapland. The largest perch are caught in nets from the sea.
Pikeperch, related to perch, is also widely appreciated. Its bones are easily removed and it’s frequently favoured by restaurants.
There are many varieties of whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) in Finland. It is popular too and can always be found alongside salmon and pikeperch in restaurants. Whitefish is particularly good broiled or smoked. It gives a superbly fresh taste to fish stock. Whitefish roe is a real delicacy – caviar at its best – served on top of blinis, as a filling for baked potatoes or as an ingredient for sauces.

source: Finland – Nature’s table

In Finnish Santa Claus – Joulupukki literally means Christmas goat. Long time ago he visited families in his grey fur and with wooden stick. Goat has always been a symbol of prosperity. Finnish Santa has little helpers – Christmas elves.

Children believe that Santa Claus lives in the cold snowy country and travels on reindeer-drawn sledge. Thus Finnish Lapland became a perfect place for Santa’s motherland.  It is believed that the official residence of Santa Claus is ear-shaped mountain Korvatunturi (The Ear Fell) in Finnish Lapland close to the russian border. The story tells that with this “ears” Santa Claus can listen children wishes from all over the world. 

Finns have combined myth with reality and in 1985 opened Santa Claus Village in Rovaneimi, the capital of Lapland province. The Village now includes Santa Claus’s house, his workshop, post office and variety of shops and restaurants. Rovaneimi city has airport and can host large jets.  As a result today Santa Claus Village receiving visitors from all over the world, offering not only Santa Claus Village attractions, but also reindeer-drawn sled rides, Sámi culture (Sámi – ethnical minority of the northern European countries) and fascinating  scenery of snowy Lapland. 

Visit Santa Claus Village website  http://www.santagreeting.net

These are Finnish fairy-tale books with astonishing illustrations on myths, history and folklore of Christmas and  Lapland: 

The Bearer of Gifts  by Kenneth Steven, tells about how Santa Claus came to Lapland

Tarlena, the Elf-Gir  by Elina Karjalainen,  is  a story about Tarlena’s adventure in Santa Claus land.

A Glimpse of Sámi Earth Spirits. Is a collection of old Sámi stories which tell about earth spirit and other mythical creatures of Sámi folklore tradition .

It is believed that the Christmas diner must be over – abundant so that the coming year would be rich and favorable. Traditional Christmas diner contained 12 different dishes which symbolized 12 months of the year. Dishes which contained meat were strictly avoided while nuts, seeds, beans and dry fruits were preferable. On this day women baked ritual loaf of bread. The oldest man in the family burned incense over the table then he broke the loaf and gave a piece to each member of the family. After the diner it was a time for fortune-telling about love, the weather and the harvest. 

Another feature of the festival was the Christmas fire. It was important to support the fire all night long. If the fire died out it signified a bad luck for the family.     

Carol singing mostly performed by boys and men was the third aspect of the festival. Children were granted with walnuts and ring-shaped buns specially backed for the feast. The adult carol singers wore their best Sunday clothe and visited all houses in the neighborhood chanting blessings.    

Its a Fight of Tomatoes, yes, you heard it right- Its a week long festival where people throw tomatoes on each other.

This is the biggest tomato fight in the world, according to local lore it began in 1940’s with a vegetable battle that broke out between youngsters of the village of Bunol, Spain.

During this fiesta week, more than 150,000 tomatoes gets crushed and around 20,000 participants get messy at the town square.

Search for more information on La Tomatina at FestiveSearch.com