National traditions of Finland. Habits, mentality and the way of living

Severe weather conditions as seen in Finland for more than a century have tempered with the national character of the Finns, making them persistent, thorough, calm and easygoing. Old-fashionedness of the Finns was expressed in their habit of talking slowly, carefully weighing every word. In earlier times, loud speech and laughter were considered a sign of belonging to low castes, and a Finnish nobleman was always supposed to remain silent and sedate. Today, to raise your voice is considered in Finland as a manifestation of extreme rudeness. Scrupulous attitude towards words became part of the national character. Finns always listen to their speaker, even if the subject of the conversation is unfamiliar to him. This is so because in the Finnish culture, it is not accepted to interrupt one other.

One of the interesting aspects of the traditional life in Finland is hospitality. Residents of this country have a special attitude towards the reception of guests. In accordance with the Finnish tradition, this event (reception of guests) calls for extensive preparation which can drag on for a couple of weeks. At this time, the owners of the home carefully think through the menu of the table, the evening program and presents for the guests. As a pleasant surprise, Finns prefer to give locally produced items, and this manifests another of their national characteristics – Finnish patriotism. Presenting foreign products, although expensive, will be perceived as cool.

Finns are fond of the traditional aspect of their lives. None of them will ever display hostility to their own culture or try to break away from it. The mentality of the Finns did not escape the impact of the European integration: today, individualism which was previously not peculiar to the Finnish culture is not strange to them. In gender relations, equality and partnership prevail. In the country it is accepted both men and women to pay for themselves. Finnish men respect women’s independence. The offer to pay for dinner or to kiss a woman’s hands is considered a sign of gallantry, but the gallant Finn is quite rare. As for kissing, please note that it is not accepted to kiss and demonstrate feelings openly in Finland – the Finns hate to make anyone feel uncomfortable. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

At a meeting, Finns greet by shaking hands – both men and women. Local customs do not allow various approaching gestures such as clapping on the shoulders or back, hugs, kisses. This is due to the unwillingness to transgress the boundaries of an individual’s personal space. In communication, the conversers never come closer than a meter from each other, as they respect the freedom of everyone. Signs of friendship or sympathy are allowed only in an intimate setting. Recently, informal and sometimes formal communication shows a tendency to be on a “first-name basis” – even during a conversation between a subordinate and a boss. When addressing someone, a name is used without any prefixes, titles and posts, including when meeting somebody for the first time.

In Finland there is a proverb that says “Build first a sauna and then a house”. For quite a long time this rule was observed in the villages: they washed, rested after work, slept, smoked sausages, and even gave birth to children, in the sauna. This place has not lost its significance for the Finns up until now. They were able to save and increase their bathing traditions, exporting them to different countries of the world. Today in Finland there are almost two million saunas. Private saunas are usually constructed from wood, while public saunas are made from stone and are called baths. Another famous Finnish tradition is fishing. There is an attentive and careful attitude towards nature in the local customs of catching fish: the Finns will never catch more than what is required. Fishing for the inhabitants of Finland is a kind of contest. Every year in the country there are competitions to catch the biggest fish. The resulting catch is always divided into the catch obtained in an active and the one received in a passive way.

Finns love for hunting is reflected in their love of dogs – longtime hunter’s helpers. Today, about a quarter of the country’s population have dogs. In Finland, there is a strong dog-breeding culture: one can find dog breeders clubs with a hundred-year history, shops with things for dogs, specially designated areas for walking them, rights protection organizations. In Finland, it is customary to engage in sports all the time. Skiing is the most favorite sport of residents. There are more than 100 ski centers in the country. The commitment of Finns to sports and healthy lifestyles is manifested in their desire to take care of their health and that of others. In Finland, it is not only forbidden to smoke in public places, but guests should also ask the host for permission to smoke on the balcony or in the courtyard.