Finnish Traditions You Want to Experience

Whether you're staying in Finland for a semester, a year, or until you get your degree, this country has a lot to offer to make your Nordic experience amazing. Since my arrival last year, I've had some amazing opportunities and I'd love to share them with you. That is why I have compiled this (nowhere near complete list) of things you should take part in if you want an authentic experience. Let’s be honest, some of these you can’t miss while you are here.

Lappland/Santa Claus

​Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, or you’re like me and refuse to believe that Santa comes from anywhere except the North Pole, visiting Lappland and Santa Claus’ village is a must.

Santa Claus' village is located in Rovaniemi just across the Arctic Circle. People from all across the world travel to visit Santa, stay the night in the Holiday Village, and experience an authentic Finnish winter. You can go through various buildings, take photos with Santa, and even send your friends and relatives postcards from the village post office (with a unique post mark). While there, you can also see the thousands of letters that children all over the world have mailed to Santa. (More than half a million letters from more than 180 countries!)

If you don't make it to Santa's village, you can still have an amazing Lappland experience. Going on reindeer or husky safaris in winter, taking snowmobile rides through the forests, ice fishing, and camping out to experience the amazing Northern Lights are all things you can do during your Lappland adventure. You can also sleep in igloos, have a night out in an ice bar and visit Lordi Square (named after the 2006 Eurovision winners who call Rovaniemi their hometown).

If you go during summer, there are plenty of opportunities to go hiking, pick berries, and spend time in nature.

Just remember to pack extra clothes if you go during the heavy winter months and mosquito repellant if you go during the summer.

Overalls and Badges​

One of the most interesting traditions I've witnessed from students is the various times they wear overalls and collect badges through different activities (...pub crawls…). The colors of the overalls vary based on what school you attend and which faculty you are a part of. If you're coming through an Erasmus program, you can also join ESN (Erasmus Student Network) and purchase their blue overalls.

The badges are collected from various events and festivals. Each is unique. Add a patch symbolic of your personality or even a flag from your home country to really make it diverse.

One general rule of thumb is to not wash them, unless you DESPERATELY need to. Any dirt or discoloration can be worn with pride, not shame.

They may not be the most luxurious fashion item, but you will cherish the badges, awkward stains, and memories you made wearing them.

Sauna

Who knew that sitting naked in a room, sweating with other people, would be such a cathartic experience?

The Finns.

Sure, they exist in various other countries, but the sauna is such an integral part of the Finnish culture that it's almost impossible to find a residence that doesn't have one. Most HOAS/student apartments have them, and as of 2013, there were more than 2,000,000 saunas throughout the country. Considering that there are roughly 5.4 million people in the country, it would be fair to assume that there's room for you in a sauna, somewhere!

Like I mentioned before, most HOAS apartments have some type of sauna (whether communal or private), but if your apartment doesn't have one, then you can also check out public saunas located throughout the city. One example is the famous Arla Sauna, which was featured on Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations".

If you want a legit sauna experience, also consider using vihta to help circulate your blood. This is a cluster of birch branches tied together and hit against your body. It sounds strange, but it really is a pretty relaxing feeling when using these branches. In summer you can make your own bundles, and in winter you can find them preserved and sold in specialty sauna shops.

Vappu

If you want to be blissfully confused for an entire day, this is the holiday for you.

Vappu is celebrated on May 1st and is similar to "Labor Day" celebrated in other countries. There is definitely a history behind Vappu....but let's be honest, who cares? To some Finns, Vappu marks the beginning of summer, which, after living through the winter, is reason enough to celebrate.

The actual holiday falls on May 1st, but partying begins way before that. The stores close, the businesses shut down, people are discussing/planning their Vappu celebrations and people of all ages are partying.

On the eve of May 1st, a big celebration occurs at the Market Square, where a spectacle is made to put a ylioppilaslakki (Finnish graduation cap) on the Havis Amanda statue. Each year the people who "cap" the statue changes and each group tries to make it a more eleborate gesture than the previous years.

I'm not entirely sure where the cap comes from, but I have heard that it disappears every year, so I imagine it's somewhat of a trophy to end up with this specific cap at the end of the holiday.

You will see pretty much everyone else wear a similar cap (one they earned at their high school graduation) walking around town. There are rules and traditions that come with these caps, but it depends on what they study. I'm not 100% sure of the rules, but if you are here for Vappu, feel free to ask someone. I'm sure they'll be "happy" enough to help you understand ;).

When May 1st does come, the excitement moves to Kaivopuiso Park. This event is so popular, with so many attendees, that every year a map is created to "guide" the students where to sit. Generation after generation of students have their "place" and some return long after they graduate to reunite with old friends.

Conversing with Finns

Now this may not seem like a phenomenon to us “international” students, but ask any Finn, anywhere, about what Finns are like and they will tell you one word, “shy”.

As someone who LOVES talking (probably more than I should….) it was a bit intimidating to meet and speak to Finns. I constantly thought that I was somehow “bothering” them with my conversation and I was afraid of being that weird American who never shuts up.

BUT Finns are quite chatty once their supposed “shyness” goes away. I’ve met many people and learned a lot just by being willing to initiate conversation. You just need to take a few moments of insane courage and put yourself out there. Most likely, they will talk back to you. If they don’t, then the problem is not you.

You never know who you are meeting. You could be conversing with your future best friend or work colleague. Either way, you have the chance to make lifelong friends.

You didn’t come to Finland to sit on your couch, or make yourself into a hermit in your HOAS apartment. You came here for an experience. So go out, have adventures, make friends, and make memories.

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