Valentine’s day in Finland is all about friendship
No gifts, chocolates or flowers for your partner on St. Valentine’s day if you live in Finland. Almost.
It works like this in the Nordic (not Scandinavian) country: on Valentine’s day you’ll be looked at suspiciously if you make a great love gesture to your significant other. In Finland, the 14th of February has very little to do with crushes, couples or people in love. But nonetheless it has a special meaning.
Table of Contents
Caring gestures in Finland
The Finnish culture, unlike for instance Southern Europe’s, isn’t a touchy one. A kiss on the cheek when you meet somebody – something very common in many European countries – will make Finnish faces turn red and, suddenly, everyone will feel very uncomfortable. In the same way, hugs are reserved for people that already know each other and share a certain degree of intimacy.
This only happens in Finland among very good friends. Source (CC: by-nd).
This is not something bad, and it is something that you have to understand when you travel to Finland. Simply, they don’t do it that way and they never thought someone else would like to do it differently. It is a cultural characteristic of the Finns. A firm handshake will be the most common greeting amongst friends and during introductions.
It might be difficult in the beginning, but it will be internalised quickly. I always try to adapt my manners while traveling. Sometimes I am in doubt when I change countries and hesitate between hugs, kisses or handshakes. But the proper greeting is something that you get used to very quickly.
St. Valentine’s Day is Ystävänpäivä: Friendship day
All this takes us to the meaning of St Valentine’s day in Finland. This day, traditionally romantic in the rest of the world, is something different in this country. The notion of the 14th of February as a “special day” arrived quite late to Finland, compared to the rest of the world: it was listed as a “special” day for the first time in 1987.
This is NOT a popular present for Valentine’s day in Finland. Source (CC: by-nc-sa).
Ystävänpäivä is the Finnish name for St. Valentine’s day. It means “Friendship Day” in the Finnish Language, or “Day of the friends”.
What you do on this day in Finland is to give cards and small gifts to your friends, and to receive them as well. No heart-shaped things, but instead small things for everyone you care about, no matter up to which extent. It is not uncommon, nonetheless, that being presented with a gift will result in a blushed face. I mean, a public declaration of friendship? It might be too much for some shy Finns.
But if you’re in love don’t worry: thanks to the Hollywood influence, Valentine’s day is also a popular date to declare your love or to get married.
Or to go and hike with friends.
Have you celebrated Valentine’s day in Finland? What do you think about the way they do it, the Ystävänpäivä?
Topics: Events in Finland, Finnish traditions, Interesting facts |
4 comments
| 
Print This Post
I am also a Finnofile and am grateful for my time spent living in Finland. My experience with the Finnish people was wonderful, even given their traditionally reserve nature. I did find that the younger generation a bit more open about things, which is likely true in any culture. I have to also point out that I don’t speak what the world calls the Finnish language; but I lived there and found it wasn’t necessary because everyone spoke English.
As amazing as the people were in Finland, and they were wonderful, the landscape is beyond words. That is both in winter and summer. It was almost mystical in its beauty. And, where else in the U.S. will I ever be able to claim that I was able to ski on the ocean (Baltic Sea/Gulf of Finland) as I did in Finland. And, you can’t visit Finland and have a full understanding of the place without being there for May Day (Vappu).
If someone wants to go to Europe and is looking for recommendations, I suggest Helsinki in the summer …. good memories.
Thank you, friend of Finland. Good point, today we appreciate true friendship, dear and near ones.
I love filand and its people
They are very warm people and friendly living in a cold country ” but when the people are warm the cold does not matter
#ilovefiland
Being touchy in Finland can be an East-West issue, male-female issue and a linguistic group issue. Kissing on the cheek is not uncommon among Swedish speakers. Some also say it’s a drunk vs. sober issue. Among the Swedish speakers there’s a debate on whether to call Valentine’s day Alla hjärtans dag (all hearts’ day like in Sweden) or Vändagen (friends’ day like in the Finnish language) – both are used and what the meaning of the holiday is depends partly on the term being used. Btw. in Norway there are three different names for Valentine’s Day, even if it’s not something Norwegians traditionally celebrate. Like in Norway, I’m sure in Finland the US-style celebrating of couples is becoming more common among the young. Some people have no other friends but they have a lover and others have lots of friends but do not live in a relationship, so my guess would be that in Finland people celebrate also in different ways depending on who they are.