Language/Finnish/Culture/Finnish-Holidays-and-Festivals

Finnish Culture → Finnish Traditions and Customs → Finnish Holidays and Festivals

As a Finnish language teacher, I believe that learning about Finnish culture and traditions is essential to truly understand and appreciate the language. In this lesson, we will explore some of the most popular Finnish holidays and festivals.

Christmas - Joulu

Christmas or Joulu is one of the most important holidays in Finland. The celebration starts on December 24th, and Finnish people usually decorate their houses with candles, lights, and ornaments. A traditional Finnish Christmas dinner includes dishes like ham, casseroles, and beetroot salad. On Christmas day, many families attend church services and spend time together.

Here's a table with some useful Christmas-related vocabulary:

Finnish	Pronunciation	English
Joulukuusi	['jouluˌkuusi]	Christmas tree
Glögi	['gløgi]	Mulled wine
Joulupukki	['jouluˌpukki]	Santa Claus
Joululahja	['jouluˌlɑhjɑ]	Christmas present

Easter - Pääsiäinen

Easter or Pääsiäinen is another popular holiday in Finland. The celebration usually starts on Good Friday and lasts until Easter Monday. Finnish people often decorate their homes with birch branches and colorful feathers. They also enjoy traditional Easter dishes, such as mämmi (rye pudding), pasha (a dessert made of quark and raisins), and chocolate eggs.

Here's a table with some useful Easter-related vocabulary:

Finnish	Pronunciation	English
Pääsiäismuna	['pæ:sijæisˌmunɑ]	Easter egg
Tipu	['tipu]	Chick
Pasha	['pɑʃɑ]	Pasha (dessert)
Mämmi	['mæmmi]	Rye pudding

Midsummer - Juhannus

Midsummer or Juhannus is celebrated on the weekend between June 19th and 25th. Finnish people usually spend Midsummer at their summer cottages, where they enjoy Finnish sauna, barbecues, and bonfires. It is also customary to decorate the houses with birch branches and flowers.

Here's a table with some useful Midsummer-related vocabulary:

Finnish	Pronunciation	English
Juhannussimaa	['juhɑnnusˌsimɑː]	Midsummer country (someone's summer cottage)
Saunominen	['sɑu̯nomiˌnen]	Sauna bathing
Kokko	['kokko]	Bonfire
Särä	['særæ]	Mutton and potatoes, boiled in salty water

Vappu - May Day

Vappu or May Day is celebrated on May 1st and is considered as the Finnish Labor Day. Finnish students usually wear white student caps and participate in a series of traditional celebrations. People also enjoy picnics and outdoor activities, including drinking sima (a Finnish fermented lemonade) and eating tippaleipä (deep-fried doughnut sticks).

Here's a table with some useful May Day-related vocabulary:

Finnish	Pronunciation	English
Vappu	['vɑppu]	May Day
Sima	['simɑ]	Sima (fermented lemonade)
Tippaleipä	['tipːɑleipæ]	Deep-fried doughnut sticks
Serpentiini	['serpentɪˌni]	Serpentine streamers

I hope this overview of Finnish holidays and festivals has been informative and entertaining. By understanding Finnish traditions and customs, you'll be better equipped to communicate with native speakers and immerse yourself in the Finnish culture.

Sources

• Christmas in Finland
• May Day

Table of Contents - Finnish Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction to Finnish

• Alphabet and Pronunciation
• Basic Sentence Structure

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Nouns and Adjectives

• Noun Cases
• Adjective Agreement

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-20
• Telling Time

  ---

Verbs and Tenses

• Present Tense
• Past Tense

  ---

Daily Activities

• Daily Routine
• Hobbies and Leisure

  ---

Questions and Negation

• Forming Questions
• Negation

  ---

Food and Dining

• Food Vocabulary
• Dining Out

  ---

Prepositions and Postpositions

• Prepositions
• Postpositions

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Travel Phrases

  ---

Finnish Culture and Traditions

• Holidays and Celebrations
• Finnish Sauna

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Weather and Seasons

• Weather Vocabulary
• Seasons

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Conjunctions and Subordinate Clauses

• Conjunctions
• Subordinate Clauses

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Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationships

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Finnish Literature and Music

• Finnish Literature
• Finnish Music

Related Lessons

• Finnish Traditional Crafts
• Finnish Society and Values
• Finnish Mythology and Legends
• Finland Timeline
• Finnish Classic Literature
• Finnish Sauna
• Finnish Film Industry
• Finnish Music and Arts
• Finnish Contemporary Literature
• Finnish Cuisine