h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well. I think the subject explains rather well, actually. For an assignment (subject: food & festivals) I am researching Christmas celebrations in Finland - what you eat, what the religious significance of the day is, do you wear something funny/special, do you give each other presents, do you have a meal with the family, that sort of stuff. So if you could help I'd be really delighted.

GP

We celebrate mostly on the Christmas eve. As brunch or lunch we eat rice porridge which has one almond in it, the one that gets the almonds gets to make a wish and must not tell it to anyone. On christmas eve dinner we eat ham and many dishes made in kind of boxes in the oven (usually made of carrot, potato or swede/rutabaga(?), actually my dictionary says that the one made of the last one is called swede pie) and rosolli, which I think is cubed carrot and beetroot and something else (I haven't eaten it myself), and boiled potatoes and salad and maybe some desert made of plums or lingonberry.
I think most of the Finns don't really think of the religious side. Some go to church Christmas eve or Christmas morning. Quite many go to set candels at the graves of close relatives (if they are in the same town) on Christmas eve. We give gifts to each other, especially to the children. We usually open them the Christmas eve after dinner. Many children wear christmas-elf hats (long red cone), adults might have red clothes or some christmas themed jewelry (jingle bells or christmas trees or christmas elves or angels or santa claus). On Christmas day we mostly sit home (or where ever we are) and relax, enjoying our presents. On second Christmas day it is traditional to visit relatives and friends, but I don't know how many actually do it.

Thankyou very very much!

GP

Some more specific questions:
Does everybody celebrate Christmas, or only those who are religious? Do those who aren't religious still go to church?
Is there a difference in the way christmas is celebrated by these two different groups?
How important is food and drink in the celebrations?

On another matter of personal interest, is Finnish spoken by every body?

thanks
GP

Most Finns celebrate Christmas, not only the religious ones. Some that aren't really religious go to church but not most. I don't really know if there are other differences.

I think food and drink are quite important to most.

Some immigrants don't speak Finnish at all. There are quite many whose first language is Swedish, but most of them can speak Finnish too (all the kids learn one of the official languages (Finnish, Swedish and Lappish), other than their first language, in school and I think the Swedish-speaking don't forget the Finnish as much as some Finnish-speaking forget the Swedish). And in the Lappland there are Lapps, I think most of them can speak Finnish.

Thanks, and the sauna on Christmas Eve...?

I don't really know what the tradition is, but I think most people who have sauna go to sauna either the night before Christmas Eve or morning/midday of Christmas Eve. (It is traditional to go to sauna at some point, but I'm not sure at what time.) It is good to be clean for celebrations...

I must admit that things look quite the same in Estonia exept the food part. We seem to have different menu.

Oh dear.. I'm sorry I missed this. I kinda did something to my computer and it was "out of order" for ages. I hope I'm not too late..

One thing missed here is the Christmas tree! I'm not sure how the tradition goes for others but in my family we decorate on the morning of Christmas eve. The presents are piled up underneath it while the kids are eating their Christmas dinner and after dinner Santa comes. That's quite important for the smaller children, I suppose up until they start school. Not sure of that, though.

Actually, using the word "ham" might be a bit misleading. In fact it's almost the whole back leg of the pig. My dictionary says it's "shank". It's a bit difficult to describe when you're not sure of the words.

The drink on Christmas is hot mulled wine. It's quite good actually. I don't think there are other traditional drinks especially for Christmas.

Luinelen, the third thingie in rosolli is cubed onion, which is the reason I don't eat it. I have decided to be allergic to onions. Basically, I don't like onions.

Oh yes, and sauna on Christmas eve morning, definitely. If I only had my own sauna.

A belated thankyou, and I think I did alright in the assignment

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year too! (late as well)

GP