How to celebrate Christmas in Finland

Finns are so fond of this holiday, which is celebrated, as in all of Europe, from 24 to 25 December, which was named after him a month. December here is called joulukuu, which translates as "the month of Christmas". Pagan rituals and symbols closely intertwined with the Christian, and age-old traditions organically fit into modern variants of city celebrations.

1970/5000 V kazhdom gorode vybirayut «rozhdestvenskuyu ulitsu» (naprimer, v Khel'sinki eto Aleksanterinkatu) i ukrashayut yeye dorogoy i vpechatlyayushchey illyuminatsiyey. Takzhe gorod znamenit yezhegodnym deystvom dlya detishek – otkrytiyem vitriny univermaga «Stokmann» so skazochnymi installyatsiyami, kotoryye menyayut kazhdyy god. A detyam pozvolyayut tselyy mesyats ukrashat' nizhniye vetvi prazdnichnoy yelki, kotoruyu ustanavlivayut na Senatskoy ploshchadi. V Finlyandii prinyato darit' mnogo nedorogikh podarkov – preimushchestvenno eto sladosti ili prazdnichnyye suveniry. Rol' privychnogo nam Deda Moroza v etoy strane ispolnyayet Youlupukki («rozhdestvenskiy kozel» v perevode). Prazdnik schitayetsya semeynym (nikto ne dolzhen prazdnovat' yego v odinochestve!), no v gorodskikh restoranchikakh i barakh v kanun torzhestvennogo dnya provodyat pikkujoulu – vecherinki «malen'kogo Rozhdestva», kotoryye mozhno posetit' s druz'yami i kollegami. Chto primechatel'no, massovyye gulyaniya, yarmarki, festivali nachinayutsya 26 dekabrya, a vot 25 samoye poseshchayemoye mesto – tserkov'. Bol'shinstvo finnov chtut rozhdestvenskuyu traditsiyu darit' rodnym i blizkim otkrytki, poskol'ku imenno oni sozdayut prazdnichnoye nastroyeniye i voploshchayut v sebe dukh Rozhdestva. V kanun prazdnika u sotrudnikov pochty zametno pribavlyayetsya raboty! Prinyato veshat' venok u vkhodnoy dveri, kotoryy oznachayet, chto v dome rady gostyam. Finny obyazatel'no stavyat yelku i veshayut girlyandu. Zhil'ye takzhe ukrashayut tsvetami i puansettiyami – rozhdestvenskimi zvezdami. Zolotoy, zelenyy, krasnyy – traditsionnyye tsveta dlya dekora. Kazhdaya finskaya sem'ya sobirayetsya za prazdnichnym stolom, menyu kotorogo ne menyalos' na protyazhenii vekov: okorok, vinegret, zapekanki, a takzhe risovaya kasha i imbirnyye pryaniki na sladkoye. Traditsionnyy rozhdestvenskiy napitok – goryachiy glogg (glögg) ili glegi, kotoryy napominayet glintveyn i podayetsya v 2 variantakh: alkogol'nyy i bezalkogol'nyy. Turisty mogut polakomit'sya traditsionnymi prazdnichnymi blyudami v restoranakh ili na yarmarkakh. Hyvää Joulua! Schastlivogo vam Rozhdestva v Finlyandii! In each city, choose a "Christmas street" (for example, in Helsinki it is Aleksanterinkatu) and decorate it with expensive and impressive illuminations. Also the city is famous for the annual action for children - the opening of the store window of the department store "Stockmann" with fabulous installations that change every year. And children are allowed to decorate the lower branches of the festive tree for a whole month, which is set on the Senate Square.
In Finland it is customary to give many inexpensive gifts - mostly sweets or holiday souvenirs.
The role of the Father Frost in this country is played by Joulupukki ("Christmas goat" in translation). The holiday is considered family (no one should celebrate it alone!), But in city restaurants and bars on the eve of a solemn day, pikkujoulu are held - "Christmas" parties, which can be visited with friends and colleagues. What is noteworthy, mass festivities, fairs, festivals start on December 26, but the 25th most visited place is the church.
Most Finns honor the Christmas tradition of giving cards to relatives and friends, because they create a festive mood and embody the spirit of Christmas. On the eve of the holiday, the postal staff noticeably adds work!
It is customary to hang a wreath at the front door, which means that guests are welcome in the house. Finns always put a Christmas tree and hang a garland. Housing is also decorated with flowers and poinsettia - Christmas stars. Golden, green, red - traditional colors for decoration.

Every Finnish family gathers at a festive table, the menu of which has not changed for centuries: ham, vinaigrette, casseroles, as well as rice porridge and gingerbread on sweet. Traditional Christmas drink - hot glögg (glögg) or glies, which resembles mulled wine and served in 2 versions: alcoholic and nonalcoholic. Tourists can enjoy traditional festive dishes in restaurants or fairs.
Hyvää Joulua! Happy Christmas to you in Finland!