National traditions of Finland, habits and characteristics of local residents. Finnish customs

Finland is a country with special traditions. The way Finns behave, their restraint and slowness correspond to the temperamental characteristics of these people. In the old days, loudness was a sign of bad manners, and they still honor this custom. Our time has had virtually no effect on their attitude towards loud and overly active people.

For Finns, a visit to friends and relatives is an event for which they prepare for a couple of weeks. The preparation of the evening, the table and the gift are also of great importance. Finns are great patriots, so it is preferable to give goods from local producers. In this regard, even in the most expensive imported exclusive they do not see a reason for delight.

Finns are quite punctual. They believe that accuracy is a sign of prosperity. There is no doubt that a person who is late for an appointment without warning does not deserve respect; he is a frivolous person. Finns think this way, unlike some of our people.

The most favorite and traditional hobby for Finns is fishing, then skiing and, finally, sauna. IN Finland there are many baths, about a million saunas for less than five million people. Saunas are built to be used by a small number of people. Visiting a bathhouse is a ritual. Baths, as a rule, are built in a quiet, peaceful place near a lake. In the bath they gain strength and restore peace of mind, and not only wash themselves.

Finns are very passionate about fishing. Finland is immensely rich in lakes, and the Finns protect nature for posterity, so they catch only as much fish as is required in this situation, despite the good bite. A real Finnish fisherman will not allow the use of electronic fishing rods from the modern arsenal of fishermen. They use basic fishing gear.

To fish in the country, you need a license. Buying it is not a problem, because they are sold everywhere: in special vending machines, in police stations and even in libraries.

Finns take great care of dogs. In Finland, much attention is paid to animal shelters: these are kennel clubs that were created back in the nineteenth century. Finland has managed to solve the problem of stray dogs. There are practically none. They are building areas for walking animals. Specialized stores sell dog care products and food for them. The Humane Society monitors the welfare of dogs, their health and nutrition.

Almost 70% of the country's budget is allocated for the development of sports. The sports and fitness program is very strong. A love of sports is instilled in childhood, which is perhaps why Finns are so keen on sports. On city streets you can meet older people who enthusiastically do sports exercises in any weather. All Finns engage in physical education: from the youngest to the elderly.

Finns are especially fond of orienteering and skiing. There are 140 ski centers in the country, where ski slopes are provided for everyone: professionals, beginners or experienced amateurs. In February, lovers of ski holidays go to Lapland. Finns honor the traditions of their people, their country, they are faithful to their culture. In conclusion, I would like to say that this is the most basic Finnish tradition - to remember the past, to remember the history of our people.

Finland is the “land of the midnight sun” because in June and July the sun shines for 24 hours. The northernmost state in the world. About 1/3 of the country is located above the Arctic Circle. It borders with Norway, Russia, Sweden. A country with a small population, despite its numbers, the country is very beautiful, with many beautiful places, monuments and cathedrals. The most attractive place is the residence of Santa Claus. The Finns are very scrupulous about cleanliness, so the cities are clean and tidy, and they have been observing their customs and traditions to the utmost precision, at the genetic level, since ancient times.

Finns are a silent and slow people. They are not in a hurry to live, but enjoy life; when speaking, they draw out their words slowly and clearly; they do not understand people who talk quickly and loudly, and especially should not interrupt their story. The proverb says: “The laughter of a wise man is not heard, but seen.”

Customs of the Finnish people

Do not come to visit without the owner’s invitation, the meeting is agreed upon by phone in advance (7-14 days), they prepare very carefully for the event (menu, gift).
There is no need to give an imported item as a gift; they will not appreciate it, since they support their manufacturer. Finns are old-fashioned and do not consider expensive imported items exclusive. Local stores have regular promotions and discounts on goods; depending on the season, discounts on goods reach up to 70%.
If you have agreed on a meeting, then you must arrive on time, due to their punctuality, they do not treat the person in a dignified manner; if you are late, then you must warn them.

Finnish people are very reserved and do not like to show their affection and love to everyone. They are very distrustful, but if you are on their list of friends, they will not add you.
When they meet, both men and women shake hands; women and women rarely kiss on the cheek. A pat on the shoulder is not perceived.
They address each other as “you” without a surname or patronymic, only by first name, even a subordinate with a boss.

Finnish traditions

The people of Finland are very careful about the environment and animals. Loves sports, fishing, hunting and the sauna.
Finland is called “the land of a thousand lakes.” More than 200 thousand lakes, schooners, sea bays, straits. Finns love nature and tranquility, saunas are built on the shore of the lake so that they can have a good rest in nature, go fishing and go to the sauna after relaxing.

People consider dogs to be their first helpers and best friends. You won’t see abandoned dogs on the streets; there are many dog shelters and animal protection societies and kennel clubs. They carefully and carefully monitor their food, clothing and animal care products.

Like their ancestors, Finns are lovers of fishing and hunting. Fishing competitions are held every year. To fish, each person is required to buy a license. There are a lot of fish in the reservoirs, but fishing is only allowed with simple gear that is not expensive. All fishing areas are equipped with tables, scaffolding, and places for a fire. Maps with designated fishing spots and fish varieties can be purchased in stores. If you are not a specialist, but have the desire, then you can order yourself an instructor.

Finnish children have been involved in sports since early childhood. The country allocates more than 70% of the local budget annually for sports entertainment and competitions. Due to the love of skiing, there are more than 140 indoor ski centers in the country. People in the country are fond of hockey, athletics, Formula 1 and football.

Hunting

To obtain a hunting permit, you must provide the following documents:

Weapons permit;
Hunting license (with payment of state duty);
Hunting permit;
A document confirming passing the test and a license for rare species of animals;
To hunt on private lands, have a shooting permit.

To obtain permission to shoot a bear, elk, wolf, lynx, you must pass and pass an excellent test, in which at a distance of 70-75 meters you must shoot at a simple and moving target three times. Applications for hunting must be submitted one month in advance. You can also hunt on private property.

A hunting permit is issued for a year, sometimes the forestry department gives permission for shooting from one to seven days. You can personally obtain the right to seasonal and short-term hunting of small game: black grouse and partridge.
Permits are issued in late spring, and short-term ones in June and August.

Have a nice trip and holiday around Finland!

Traditions in Finland are such that to many they seem like a relic of past centuries. However, the Finns themselves carefully preserve and honor their own national customs and culture. Specific traditions in Finland are passed down from generation to generation. They have firmly entered into the everyday life and way of life of every indigenous resident of this country.

All over the world there are legends and anecdotes about such a trait of the Finnish character as slowness. The conservatism and certain phlegmatic nature of the Finnish people are completely incomprehensible to many foreigners. But for the Finns themselves, these are age-old traditions in Finland, which have become an integral part of the national character. For a long time, restraint and slowness were considered in this country to be signs of well-mannered, intelligent people. That is why loudly and violently expressing one’s emotions is not accepted here.

Traditions in Finland that deserve special attention include punctuality, the widespread use of “you” and equality between the sexes. The Finns, of course, are inferior to the Germans in punctuality, however, even here it is not customary to be late. You can say “you” to your interlocutor, regardless of age and chain of command. Equality and partnership underlie such a tradition in Finland as the relationship between a man and a woman. Women favorably accept signs of attention from men, but it is absolutely important for them that a man appreciates and respects their right to independence and their own opinion.

Ancient and modern customs of Finland

Some national customs of Finland are known far beyond the borders of this country and have even managed to become a blessing in the cultural life of other countries. These are, for example, traditional Finnish hobbies: fishing, sauna and skiing. Finnish customs require respect for nature. Finns love to fish, but they never use ultra-modern fishing methods for this purpose. There are several tens of thousands of lakes on the territory of the country, so there is a real expanse for fishing here. However, Finnish fishermen never catch more fish than they need, and when fishing they use the simplest gear.

The ancient customs of Finland are directly reflected in the proverb: “First build a sauna, then build a house.” The native Finns have done this for a long time. And to this day, bath culture is an integral part of the life of the Finnish people. Traditionally, people relaxed and washed in the sauna. Today there are more than a million small and large saunas in the country that do not stand idle. And the bathing customs of Finland themselves spread throughout the world.

The locals simply love skiing. The state allocates huge sums for the development of winter sports. There are more than 140 ski centers in the country, where both young and old can practice. Physical education is a mandatory daily activity for many Finns. It is customary for the whole family to go on ski holidays to Lapland.

These are the customs of Finland. Here it is customary to take care of your health and the health of others. It is not customary here to smoke in public places or talk loudly on the phone, disturbing other people. But it is quite appropriate to look directly into the eyes, demonstrating full attention and concentration on the words of the interlocutor. Forget about empty chatter, because in Finland any words you say will be taken seriously. And remember: interrupting a Finn means being extremely impolite.

Festival traditions in Finland

Over time, customs and traditions in Finland undergo changes. The country keeps pace with the times, which means that new trends of the modern era will not escape this snowy corner of the world. Mobile phones have given rise to a distinct culture. In Finland, it is prohibited to use mobile phones on airplanes, hospitals and other public places.

In this country you will never hear negative comments about your own culture and customs. It is customary to respect and cherish traditions in Finland, including completely new ones. Suomi does not have a large number of historical monuments and monuments. However, this country has its own treasure - all kinds of festivals that are held throughout the year. Festival traditions in Finland have become firmly entrenched in the lives of Finns. Numerous festivals of literature, ballet, music, arts, fishing, etc. attract thousands of tourists to the country. Just look at the holiday weeks in Helsinki, which are a recognized event on an international scale. This cultural event is unique in the Scandinavian countries. Festivals in the small and large towns of Suomi decorate the quiet life of Finns, and provide foreigners with an amazing opportunity to relax and get to know the traditions in Finland better.

A European country with beautiful northern landscapes, numerous rivers and lakes, as well as the famous homeland of Santa Claus - Lapland. There are special traditions, customs, and characters here.

Finns are extremely friendly and straightforward people. In most cases, they are characterized by polite, calm and correct behavior. Residents of Finland highly value thoroughness and unhurriedness in business, but this is not dictated by physiology (according to a common stereotype), but by common sense. Harsh natural conditions force you to carefully think through your actions in order to get the desired result.

Many people believe that Finns are conservative, even somewhat old-fashioned. They tend to carefully preserve and pass on family traditions from generation to generation. Finns have great respect for their own culture and carefully observe national customs.

Population

The population of Finland is about 5.1 million people. The most common nationality (about 93%) are Finns. Also living in the country are Swedes (approximately 6%), as well as Lapland residents Sami, Karelian peoples, Gypsies and Tatars.

Finland has a fairly long life expectancy, with an average of 78.66 years.

Language

There are two official official languages in Finland: Finnish, spoken by 93.5% of the population, and Swedish, spoken by 5.9% of the population. Russian, Estonian, Tatar and Karelian languages are also in use. And in the tourism and business spheres, English and German are widely spoken.

Residents of the northern regions speak the Sami language. It has a special status in the country (Law on the Sami Language of 1992). For example, important decisions of the Finnish government must be translated into Sami.

Religion

About 85% of the population of Finland professes Lutheranism, 1.1% professes Orthodox Christianity. Despite the undoubted predominance of Lutherans in the country, both the Evangelical Lutheran and Orthodox Churches of Finland have state status.

You can meet representatives of other religions, for example, Muslims. And about 13% of the population do not identify themselves with any religion at all.

Behavior rules

Finnish etiquette laws are quite common for northern European countries, but a Russian person, accustomed to wide and not too forced communication, needs to remember a few rules.

When meeting people, as in many other countries, handshakes are used. Finns greet each other in the same way, and not only men, but also the fair sex exchange handshakes. If you are meeting several people at once, you should shake hands with women first, then men. It is worth remembering that in Finland you should not start conversations with strangers.

Many gestures that are considered natural in Russian culture can be misunderstood by Finns. So, to cross your arms over your chest means to demonstrate an arrogant attitude towards your interlocutor, and to keep your hands in your pockets during a conversation is to show negligence, almost rudeness.

Finns value their personal space very much and do not like unnecessary physical contacts. When talking, you should not touch your interlocutor’s shoulder or pat him on the back; this is regarded as familiarity.

Finland values equality between the sexes. Therefore, concessions to women can be understood as an insult to their independence. So, in a restaurant it is customary for everyone to pay their own bill, although you can offer the lady to pay for hers, this is a sign of courtesy.

When talking with a Finn, you should not use gestures too vigorously, raise your tone of voice, or interrupt your interlocutor. This is considered rudeness. According to Finnish customs, only commoners are allowed to speak loudly or laugh uncontrollably. A truly educated person is calm and moderately silent.

Special rules apply to guests. You can't run in along the way without warning. They spend a long time preparing for a home reception, planning food, entertainment and gifts. It is better to give locally produced goods; Finns are very patriotic in this matter.

Finns address each other as “you” or by name. There are no middle names.

Eating on the go is not accepted in Finland.

Finnish national holidays

January 1 - New Year.
January 6 - Epiphany.
February 5 is Runeberg Day.
April 2-5 - Easter.
May 1 - Spring Festival "Vapunpäivä".
May 9 - Mother's Day.
May 17 is the Day of Remembrance of the Victims.
May 13 - Ascension.
May 23 - Trinity.
June 20 - Midsummer's Day.
October 10 is Alexi Kiwi Day.
October 31 - All Saints' Day. November 6th - Swedish Culture Day.
November 8 is Father's Day.
December 6 - Independence Day.
December 25-26 - Christmas.

I suggest you learn more about the main national characteristics of the Finnish population. And, in order to avoid minor misunderstandings, while vacationing in Finland, I advise you to familiarize yourself with Finnish traditions and customs.

Finns are considered conservative, and even old-fashioned. In every Finn there lives an aristocrat - calm and sedate, speaking slowly and judiciously.

Finns are very respectful of traditions and customs passed down from generation to generation. And, if possible, they try to strictly follow them. In addition, they are wary of an interlocutor who speaks too loudly or quickly; this can be regarded as a sign of rudeness. Interrupting your interlocutor without allowing him to finish his thought, or talking with your hands in your pockets is a sign of impoliteness. Looking away or looking around during a conversation is regarded by Finns as a clear sign of your cunning.

Finns prefer to resolve disputes peacefully - “at the negotiating table.”

When communicating with Finns, you should be careful about your words and remember the proverb: “The laughter of a smart person is not heard, but seen.”

The Finns are very hospitable; even in cases of extreme poverty, a guest who visited their home was offered the best food.

Traditionally, Finns spend a long time preparing for visiting and receiving guests. Everything is carefully thought out - the menu and entertainment program. It is customary to give symbolic gifts to the hospitable owners of the house. Speaking of gifts, Finns prefer to receive gifts made by domestic manufacturers, probably in this way expressing support for the latter.

Finns respect the traditions and customs left by their ancestors. You will never see local residents demonstrating hostility or detachment from national Finnish traditions and customs; on the contrary, they only evoke respect and patriotism.

The national feature of the Finns is reindeer breeding, a kind of business. In addition, in Finland it is not customary to ask the question: “How many reindeer do you have?” It is tactless, and no one can answer this question for you. Here you can often find reindeer breeding farms and excursions in which tourists are offered a ride in a reindeer sleigh. By the way, this is one of the most popular types of entertainment in Finland.

Traditionally, Finns are quite punctual, so when you make an appointment, try not to be late, otherwise it may be regarded as a sign of frivolity and lack of respect.

According to Finnish customs, relations between the sexes are built on the principle of equality and partnership. For example, when paying a bill in a restaurant, it is customary for everyone to pay for themselves. However, offering to pay the bill yourself is a completely acceptable option, but it is not a fact that your opponent will agree to this.

The Finnish greeting is expressed in a handshake, and women greet in this way both among themselves and with men. In rare cases, a handshake is accompanied by a modest kiss on the cheek; this applies exclusively to mutual greetings between women.

Finnish women value politeness in men and their attitude towards female independence. In turn, kissing the hand of a Finnish woman is regarded as a manifestation of gallantry, but it is almost impossible to meet such a gallant Finnish gentleman.

Finnish traditions do not allow showing your feelings in public. Because of the conservatism of the Finns, making friends with them is quite difficult, but still possible. And if you manage to make friends with a Finn, consider that you have found a faithful and good friend, whose friendship will last for many years.

Another national feature of the Finnish population is their love for saunas and steam baths. Saunas are a kind of canonical object of worship; there are countless of them here.

Finns begin building a house after they build a sauna. Probably, the Finns’ love for the steam room is due to the harsh climate, lack of heat and sun, and as an option for a pleasant pastime on cold winter evenings.

Finns' favorite leisure activities are fishing, going to the sauna, family gatherings by the fireplace, skiing and snowboarding.

A traditional Finnish dinner is reindeer soup. By the way, Finns do not watch TV while eating. As a rule, instead of a TV there is a fireplace.

The above-mentioned traditions and customs, as well as the national characteristics of the Finnish population, are not all, but only the most basic. In addition, I advise you to familiarize yourself with other useful facts that tourists should take note about Finland.