Image by Jussi Hellsten 2017, Helsinki Marketing
December 2021
God Jul
from everyone at the Swedish Finn Historical Society.
This time of year we are all thinking about happy times with
friends and family. And as we reminisce, we think of traditions in
our ancestral country, Finland. We invite you to enjoy and share your memories with others!
Northern Lights Image by Timo Newton-Syms, CC BY 4.0
Inside This Issue
1 Christmas Cross
3 I Was a War Child in Finland
7 Himmeli
9 Make Your Own Himmeli
13 A Night for Stars
17 Candlelight Christmas
18 A Sparrow on Christmas Morning
19 Movie Review: Rare Exports 21 Tomte
22 Book Review: Christmas Comes to Moominvalley Messages to Santa 23 2021 Winter Moomin Mug
24 2021 Gift Ideas 25 Rovaniemi
26 Julfrid
The Christmas Cross by Kaj Granlund
Visiting Ostrobothnia-especially the Lappfjärd region during Christmastime-you will notice a very special Christmas illumination. Outside in the yards there is a high pole at least 10-12 meters, with a large, carved wooden decoration. The height of the decoration, painted black, is between 1.7- 2.5 meters. The decoration in the Lappfjärd area is illuminated with at least 8-11 lamps in green and red, while in the north, it is decorated and illuminated in other ways. This tradition is said to be a reminiscent of the Roman Catholic time, which is true, but some roots go even further back into pagan times. This pagan thread had to do with fertility. A Swedish tradition, such poles have been raised along Finland’s coastline at certain occasions. They are of the same “family” of fertility symbols as the Åland midsummer pole and the wedding pole, created by cutting big trees, removing the branches and bark, except for the green top. These wedding poles are raised in the yard where the nuptials take place to assure that the young couple would be able to have a family with many children. During the cold and dark winters people wanted to be sure of a good harvest in the summer and raised these high poles with some green branches, however, in the Christian tradition, it was also referring to the new life that the birth of Christ brought to the earth. Previously, raising the “julkors” or Christmas cross was a part of the Swedish culture along the coasts of Finland, but only in the Lappfjärd region have the crosses continued through time. Other parishes in the south of Ostrobothnia have revived their own traditions and they can now be seen in at least Sideby, Lappfjärd, Tjöck, Närpes, Övermark, Pörtom and Korsnäs. Also, being a typical rural tradition you will find them in the city of Kristinestad as well. In the early days, the raising of the Christmas cross was a sign that Christmas had begun. Men went from house to house to help to raise the pole. In every house the men had to get some “strengthening” which meant they could be rather drunk as they reached the last house, sometimes so drunk they weren’t able to do anything at the last farm, a bad omen for the coming harvest. Nowadays, the raising is done by machines. The higher the pole, the better the seeds would grow the following summer. The recent tradition says the raising of the pole is to happen on December 24, but earlier, Christmas started already at St. Thomas Day (December 21) so one can also find the raising
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of the cross on St. Thomas day. The pole is to be illuminated until January 6, but is not to be taken down until the last day before Lent, called “fettisdag”. The cross is to face the church and not the main road as many have it today. Every parish or town could have its own unique cross design. The most common nowadays is the one called the Lappfjärd cross. Originally, there were a variety of designs that were used in Lappfjärd. The more skilled the men were, the more they decorated the cross. They are painted black, but north of Lappfjärd they are painted in brighter colors. With electricity the one or two candles were changed to lamps. The symbols The big quadrate in the middle (or sometimes, as in Sideby, a circle) represents the sun and the life that arises with the sun. The new life starts in Jesus who is the sun of the earth. The small things on each side of the quadrate, called “skedar” (spoons), are the sun beams. They are also said to symbolize the apostles that brought the light of Christ to the peoples of the earth. The arms form a cross in reference to the cross of Christ. At the end of the crossing arms there are green branches of juniper indicating the new growth coming in the summer, and also the new life that Christ brought us. The red lamps probably refer to the passion of Christ and the green lamps to life. Raising the Chris mas cross is akin to a prayer for blessing of the house and family during Christmas time and for the days to come. A new turn This tradition was about to die during the 1960s but then many began to make small Christmas crosses to be kept inside by the window. This tradition grew enormously and in almost every house today you will see these crosses. There has also been a revival of the old outdoor cross and now it appears this old tradition will remain. The small crosses are available in local electrical stores, and the large outdoor crosses can also be purchased, unless you make your own. There are courses for making Christmas crosses. Where do you come from? If I visit a city in Finland or Sweden during Christmastime and notice a small cross in a window, I understand that this person or family has roots like my own. Christmas crosses have become a sign of common roots. This article was first published in the The Quarterly, Volume 14 , Number 4.
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Children from Helsinki are being evacuated to Sweden. In the yard of the post office, children are placed in buses to be taken to the station. February 1944 Image by Aavikko, Images from Krigsmuseet CC BY 4.0
I Was a War Child in Sweden by Bodil Soderberg
The Winter War broke out in November of 1939 and at the time I was only seven months old. A lot has been written about this fierce conflict with Finland’s arch enemy, Russia. There are books and movies about the war, which lasted until March 1940. The conditions of the peace treaty were harsh—Finland lost 8% of her territory. Following the Winter War there was a brief period of peace and then the so-called Continuation War broke out in June 1941. This is the war I remember. Finland and Sweden have always had a good relationship and when the Winter War started Finland appealed to Sweden for help. Because of Sweden’s status as a neutral country, they could not contribute military help, which was what Finland needed desperately. Instead, they offered to have Finnish children transported to Sweden away from the dangers of war. There was a severe shortage of everything, not just food and in Sweden the children would be safe and well taken care of. A relief organization was formed and in conjunction with the Save the Children organization the transports were planned. At first many Finnish parents were reluctant to let their children leave, but about 10,000 3 | The Occasional Christmas Dispatch
children were sent to Sweden during the Winter War. During the Continuation War a total of about 60,000 Finnish children were transported to Sweden. When the Continuation War started it was believed that it would be over in a few months. By then Finland had appealed to other nations for help fighting the Soviet Union, but only one nation agreed to help—Germany. They had their own reason for fighting the Soviets. Finland’s main objective was to regain the Karelian province, lost in the Winter War. Unfortunately, the war lasted much longer and by June 1944 the situation was critical for Finland. I was born in Helsingfors (Helsinki) where my family lived right in the center of town in an old apartment building. My father was hard of hearing and did not qualify for military duty but was very active in the civil defense. My mother was at home. My brother was drafted right out of high school when he turned 19 in January 1944. My older sister was 16 and a high school stu-
dent. My home language was Swedish, my family being part of the Swedish speaking minority in Finland. In January 1944 my younger sister was born. There were frequent bombardments of the city, often at night. I remember many nights going to the bomb shelter (the cellar of our building). Somehow, I don’t remember ever being afraid—it seems the adults were able to downplay the danger in front of the children. It wasn’t safe to stay in the city—almost every block around ours was hit by bombs and most of our windows had broken from the pressure. I remember exactly how it felt to walk on the sidewalk after a bombardment—layers of glass made it very slippery. My mother, baby sister and I eventually moved out to the country. My older sister’s high school classes were also moved to the safety of the countryside. As the situation worsened in the spring of 1944, my parents started making plans for me and my baby sister to go to Sweden. Thanks to friends, who had contacts in Sweden, they found someone who was willing to take me in. it was harder to find a place for Carin, my baby sister. She would have to have her own “nurse” along. Inger, my older sister, at 16 was assigned to work on a farm as most men were at the front. She was not allowed to leave to be a caretaker of a baby. Finally, again through friends, a place was found for her at an orphanage in Uppsala. My brother was with the army at the Karelian front and in June 1944 he sent an urgent message home to “send the little ones”, to Sweden. My mother had kept us at home for as long as she possibly could, but now we had to prepare to leave. She made me a cardboard nametag to hang around my neck and I had one for my rag doll, too. My mother was coming with us since my sister was only six months old and I had just turned five.
Many of the children were sent in large groups with some accompanying adults as helpers on the trip. Many did not know where in Sweden they were going. Often, they travelled by train through Sweden and at the stations the children would get off the train. There they would line up and people who had offered to take care of a child came to “choose” a child. I have read some sad stories about children finding themselves the last child left. In some cases, the mother had asked an older child to make sure to stay with a younger sibling, but unfortunately some siblings were split up. Imagine the guilt and anxiety this caused the child who had promised to take care of the younger sibling! Another problem was the language. These young children knew only Finnish and most Swedes knew only Swedish and the two languages are very different from each other. We went by boat from Åbo (Turku) to Stockholm. The passenger ship was outfitted with bunks in the public spaces to accommodate the large numbers of children and the accompanying adults. The one thing I remember clearly is the sudden hush when the P.A. system announced that the news would be on the radio. The situation at the front was extremely critical and the Finnish army was in retreat. And this is where our brother was—I can in retrospect imagine my mother’s anxiety. But of course, I had no idea about how serious it was. From Stockholm we travelled by train to Uddevalla, the town on Sweden’s west coast where I was going. I have no recollection of arriving there, but we were met by the lady I was going to stay with. I was to call her “Tant Greta”. We then went by steamer to Grönnäs, the country home she and her sister owned. It was a beautiful place right on the coast. It was possibly on the next day that my mother and sister left to go to Uppsala. We went to the steamer to see them off and I have no clear recollection of how it went. I was very close to my mother, having been al-
Left: Grönnäs, the country home that Tant Greta owned. Right: Bodil as a young girl. Photos provided by author.
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most an “only child” before my sister was born. But I remember my mother standing at the deck railing and it looked to me like she was crying—and I wondered why - she had said she would come for me as soon as she could! That was when it really hit me and I remember going up to the attic to cry by myself. I was homesick in the beginning and the attic was a nice place to go. It just so happened that the neighbors had welcomed a Finnish boy and they asked me to help translate some words. His name was Matti and it was wonderful to have a playmate. I could speak some Finnish and we spent a lot of time playing on the beach. Unfortunately, I don’t know what became of Matti.
A few weeks later Tant Greta told me we were going to town. I knew she lived in town in the winter. I packed my suitcase, and we went by steamer to town. In the harbor we were met by a lady and a little girl about my age. Tant Greta told me: “Now you will go and live with this lady. And you’ll have a playmate, too.” I was totally unprepared for this—no one had mentioned my moving to another family! Apparently, I got hysterical and cried so loudly that Tant Greta said: “Well, you can stay with me if you’d rather”. I vaguely remember noticing the little girl looking at me strangely. I think Tant Greta may have been flattered, thinking I liked living with her so much! was just terrified—barely having adjusted to the situation to begin with. Anyway, we “celebrated” by buying an ice cream cone! And everyone at Grönnäs seemed happy to see us come back, especially Matti! In the fall we moved to Uddevalla, where Tant Greta lived in an apartment building in the center of town. I spent a lot of time with her wonderful young kitchen helper, Gladys. Tant Greta noticed early on that I loved cheese! She would take me along on errands and we would go to the delicatessen to buy cheese. The clerk, an older gentleman, would let me taste the different cheeses and decide which one to buy. That fall I got a cold, and the family doctor detected a heart murmur and recommended admitting me to the hospital for tests. I was in a large ward with several women—I was the only child there. I was only there for a couple of days, and I spent most of the time drawing pictures and stuffing them into the nightstand drawer. Soon the drawer was overflowing, and the nurse grumbled about all this paper all over, but I explained that they were pictures of my mother. Eventually they were all sent home with me—even back to Finland. Gladys introduced me to the St. Lucia tradition. I was her “attendant” when she was St. Lucia for Tant Greta. After the war my mother started the tradition in our family, getting the instructions from Gladys. Christmas was celebrated at Tant Greta’s sister’s home. Her children were home from college. I had been asked what I would like for a Christmas gift, and I really wanted a doll that could open and close her eyes. And I did indeed receive a beautiful doll.
Bodil and her baby sister. Photo provided by author.
Shortly after New Year 1945 the phone rang, and I heard Tant Greta speaking for a while. Then she called me to come –it was my mother on the phone! In those days it was very difficult to place a long-distance call, the connection was usually bad, and it took time to get connected. I got so emotional that I could not say a word. I was on the verge of crying and my mother kept saying “say something, say something”—she wanted to hear my voice. The reason for the phone call was that now my mother would finally be able to come and get me! I was really happy! Sometime later Tant Greta and I went by train to Stockholm where we met my mother. The next day she and I flew to Helsingfors. My first flight and it was extremely bumpy, and I was airsick. Later in the spring she would go pack to pick up my sister at the orphanage. My family thought it was so funny that I now spoke with a typical “Swedish” accent. My mother took me with her to the grocery store where she knew all the clerks and wanted me to show them
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how I spoke “riks svenska” (Finlandssvenska does sound different), but being shy I have never liked public speaking, so I don’t remember if she succeeded! Some children could not return home as soon as I did, for different reasons. Some stayed for years in Sweden and had forgotten their Finnish when they came back. Some had a very hard time adjusting at home. The shortages of food and almost everything else lasted for a long time after the war. In Uddevalla I used to have oatmeal with both butter and honey in it. I told my mother about that when she gave me the plain oatmeal. Also, the bread was sliced thin with lots of butter on it in Uddevalla. In Finland the slices were thick with a thin layer of butter. It became an expression in our family “Uddevalla-tunn” (Uddevalla –thin bread slices). My “war child” story had a happy ending. My brother survived the war, although he was injured during the retreat. No bomb had hit the apartment building where we lived. My older sister didn’t have to do farm labor as men returned from the front. My little sister came back from the orphanage, and we were all together back home again.
About the author Following graduation from Svenska Flicklyce’et in Helsingfors, I spent a year in Copenhagen at a “folkhögskola”. I then studied nursing in Helsingfors. My brother had gone to the USA on a scholarship in 1949 and decided to stay. He suggested I come to Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1961 for a year to work as an RN at the University Hospital. He was then an American citizen and could “sponsor” me. One year turned into four years and then I was asked to come back to my nursing school and teach Fundamentals of Nursing. I had met my future husband in Ann Arbor, where he was a medical student. He is 100% Swedish, born in the US. When he started his residency, following military service, we were married in Helsingfors right after Christmas 1966. We first lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and have lived in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, in Marquette, ever since. My husband still practices dermatology three days a week. We have three grown children, Christina, Elizabeth and John. Our youngest, Robert, died of leukemia shortly before his eighth birthday. We have six grandchildren, three of whom live in southern Michigan, the others in North Carolina. I have spoken Swedish to our children, so they are fluent and even our grandchildren have shown an interest in learning Swedish. They have all visited Finland and love our stuga in Tenala.—Bodil Nordman Soderberg
Parents waiting at the train station in Uleåborg on August 16, 1945 for their children returning from Sweden. Image from JOKA Journalism Collection, The National Board of Antiquities. CC BY 4.0
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Himmeli
The Finnish straw ornament, himmeli, takes its name Buillding himmeli is an exercise in geometry. Using from the Swedish word for sky or heaven—himmel. strong rye straw and string, a triangle is constructed, Traditionally they were hung above dining tables to then, adding more straw to form additional triangles, ensure a fruitful rye harvest. They were hung at Christ- and eventually a three-dimensional diamond shape. mas and stayed up until Midsummer. Today they are Complex mobiles are formed with these simple shapes. commonly used as Christmas ornaments but can also A well-constructed himmeli will last decades. serve as home decoration all year.
Image by Volker von Bonin, Images from History Collection, The National Board of Antiquities. CC BY 4.0
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Image by Markku Hyvönen, 1990, Ethnology Image Collection, The National Board of Antiquities. CC BY 4.0
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Make Your Own Himmeli SUPPLIES NEEDED: 6 straws into equal lengths (12 equal length pieces), scissors, string. It may be hard to find rye straw at you local craft store so we suggest using drinking straws.
1. Take a long piece of string and thread through three pieces of straw.
2. Shape the 3 pieces into a triangle and tie a knot. Make sure to leave about 2 inches worth of string at the end before tying it!
3. Take 2 more pieces of straw and thread them with the string in order to make another triangle.
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4. Tie the string to the bottom right corner of the first triangle.
5. Repeat steps 3 & 4 until you only have one straw left.
Continued on next page.
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6. Take the last straw and thread the string through it. Take the two ends of the string (a and b) and tie them together.
b
a
top view
side view
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7. Cut off the end of the longer string to create a short separate string. Take the short string and tie the opposite ends (c and d) together to create a diamond shape.
c
d
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A Night for
r Stars
Image by Jussi Hellsten 2014, Helsinki Marketing
Image by Volker von Bonin, 1962, Helsingfors stadsmuseum, CC BY 4.0 The first known Luciadagen celebrated in Sweden was in 1764 in Västergötland. In 1893, Luciadagen was celebrated for the first time at Skansen. The new Christmas custom spread to schools and associations around Sweden and also reached Finland’s Swedish countryside.There is evidence that Luciadagen was celebrated in Åbo as early as 1898. And in 1913 there was a Luciadagen celebration at Vörå Folkhögskola and in Högvalla the Lucia celebration has been observed since 1919. Finland’s Lucia Is a Mass Media Event In 1927 Stockholm’s Dagblad organized the first outdoor procession in Stockholm.Three short years later, in 1930, the first Lucia procession in Helsinki was organized by the Helsinki Swedish 15 | The Occasional Christmas Dispatch
Singers’ Association and the Brage Association with the newspaper Allas Krönika. The custom of outdoor procession began in 1936 by the Brage Association in Vasa. In 1949 the Folkhälsan organization revived the Lucia procession in the center of Helsingfors. In 1950 Huvudstadbladet became a partner. The event has steadily grown and added new elements. From the very beginning, the Lucia procession was a success.and has helped make Luciadagen a Finnish tradition. In more normal times, 30,000 people will pack the Senate Square and procession route to catch a glimpse of the new Lucia. An enormous screen is erected outside of Helsingfors Cathedral so
that the crowd outside can watch the proceedings inside. The coronation and procession are also shown on live television. When the newly crowned Lucia leaves the cathedral she is greeted by a sea of photographers. Lucia’s presence will be required at over 90 events during her tenure. Lucia not only brings light, she is a star. This year’s candidates were Denjah Leinson, Astrid Lindholm, Tilde Koroleff, Emelie Jungner, Cecilia Lasén, Sandi Bengts, Anna Hasselblatt, Anna-Matilda Rosendal, Tilde Polviander and Ronja Vinberg. Voting started in late October and continued until midnight on November 24th. Voting results are announced the very next day. Meet Tilde Polviander Finland’s Lucia 2021
Exactly one year ago, Tilde became Åland’s Lucia, and now she’s the whole of Finland’s Lucia. It’s big for her and Folkhälsan on Åland, but also for the whole of Åland’s society. My opinion after working close to Tilde last year is that “she is a genuinely loving person, who wants to see and pay attention to everyone, regardless of age; an incredibly fine trait in a Lucia”, describes Folkhälsan’s Alexandra Walk-Liljeroos. The Lucia organization raises money to help people who, for various reasons, live in pressured conditions. Anyone can be exposed, none of us have any guarantees in this life. It can be about illness, unemployment, or divorce. The corona has hit many hard and the safety nets have become smaller, as hobbies have been on pause for long periods and grandparents have not been able to help, says Britt-Helen Tuomela-Holti, expert in family work at Folkhälsan. Finland’s Public Health strategy focuses on children, young people and families. The Lucia events and organization concretely supports that work.
2021 Lucia Tilde Polviander Image: Folkhälsan/Henrik Schütt
Finland’s Lucia is the front public figure of the Lucia organization. Ten young women are nominated to serve on Lucia’s court as bridesmaids; with one being coronated as Finland’s Lucia. Lucia’s serve a one-year term beginning with a program and coronation on December 13th. Lucia communications director, Jessica Ålgars said, “All our candidates spread messages that breathe humanity, hope and warmth. The candidates help make the Lucia mission visible, thus enabling many families with children in vulnerable situations to receive needed support. Lucia stands for light, joy and compassion. Lucia and the Lucia Choir make almost 100 visits to hospitals, nursing homes and events in December and January. Due to the pandemic, they also created new, safe ways for Lucia and her bridesmaids to spread hope, warmth and light in hospitals, nursing homes and companies. When asked to describe her feelings upon coronation, Tilde Polviander said “I was completely in shock. I was very happy!”
Finland’s Lucia is managed by Folkhälsan in collaboration with Hufvudstadsbladet and Svenska Yle. If you would like to watch this year’s coronation you can do so here: 2021 Lucia Coronation. Due to the continuing pandemic, there were no crowds and the procession was cancelled.
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Hämeenlinna Image by Tuomo Lindfors, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Candlelit Christmas by Nancy Nygård
Cemeteries in Finland are well-cared for by surviving family members. They are seen more as scenic parks with grand old trees where people can enjoy leisurely strolls. Small flower gardens are planted and tended throughout the summer. And at Christmas time, candles are placed on gravestones and lit.
Nearly three-quarters of Finnish families visit a cemetery at Christmas time; with Christmas Eve Day being the busiest day. Hundreds of candles glow in the snow creating a tranquil atmosphere. Some people make picturesque natural lanterns around their candles using piles of snowballs or with icy covers made by freezing water in buckets. Visitors walk the cemetery in peaceful, silent reverence. The custom of setting candles by graves became widespread in Finland in the 1920s when candles became affordable. It is an annual tradition just like the huge Christmas meal and giving of gifts. Why not add this to your Christmas activities this year? Julkärve Feeding the birds at Christmas is a Swedish tradition with practical and symbolic origins. Swedes put aside the last sheaf of grain from the harvest, known as the Julkärve or the Christmas sheaf. A 17 | The Occasional Christmas Dispatch
bundle was hung out for the birds on Christmas Eve, hoping the birds would stay out of the barn—where their precious harvest was stored—if they had another food source. And if many birds come, the legend goes, a good crop the next year will follow. Some farmers place the sheaf high in an apple tree, petitioning the spirit of the harvest to be generous the following season. The very act of giving the Julkärve to the birds also has significance as a reminder that, no matter how lean the times, people must share. Oh, christmas tree! Did you know? • Wealthy people in towns had Christmas trees from the 1820s • Rural parsonages of south and central Ostrobothnia adopted the Christmas tree in the 1850s • Most of the population adopted Christmas trees in the 1870s • Christmas trees became widely known in the twentieth century due to Christmas festivities celebrated in schools • In 1894 there was a public outdoor Christmas tree in Tampere and one in Abo in 1900 • The custom of public Christmas trees in town centers began in the late 1940s
Jul i salen, Zacharias Topelius(front and center), 1897, SLSA 801 Familj Zacharias Topelius Arkiv, CC BY 4.0
The Sparrow on Christmas Morning by Zacharias Topelius, 1859, Translation by Ion Mittler Nu så föll den vita snö, föll på björk och lindar,
Sparven flög till flickans fot, flög på glada vingar:
White snow has fallen on birch trees in forests,
Bird flew at maiden’s feet, on the wings so merry,
frusen är den klara sjö, väntar vårens vindar.
—Gärna tar jag kornet mot, kornet som du bringar.
frozen is lake all along, spring winds it expects.
—Happily I’ll take your seed that you for me carry.
Liten sparv, fattig sparv, ätit upp sitt sommararv.
Gud skall än löna den, som är här de armas vän.
Small sparrow, poor sparrow, eaten all its summer store.
God will yet reward you, who to poor a friend was true.
Frusen är den klara sjö, väntar vårens vindar.
Gärna tar jag kornet mot, kornet som du bringar.
Frozen is lake all along, spring winds it expects.
Happily I’ll take your seed that you for me carry.
Vid den gröna stugans dörr stod en liten flicka:
—Jag är icke den du tror, ty ditt öga tåras.
At a green small house’s door was a girl now standing:
—I am not who you assume, as your eyes are in tears.
—Sparvelilla, kom som förr, kom ett korn att picka!
Jag är ju din lilla bror, som dog bort i våras.
—Sparrow small, come as before, seeds from me pecking!
I am your young brother, whom you in spring lost last year.
Nu är jul i vart skjul, sparvelilla, grå och ful.
När du bjöd glad ditt bröd åt den fattige i nöd,
Christmas is in our home, and you bird so grey alone.
When you gave crumbs of bread to the poor and well him fed,
Sparvelilla, kom som förr, kom ett korn att picka!
bjöd du åt din lilla bror, som dog bort i våras.
Sparrow small, come as before, seeds from me pecking!
you gave it your brother, whom you in spring lost last year. The Occasional Christmas Dispatch | 18
Movie Review: Rare Exports By Iona Hillman
Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010) is a tongue-incheek Finnish horror-comedy film about a young boy and his discovery of the secret behind Santa Claus. The film is based on a short film titled Rare Exports Inc. (2003) and its sequel Rare Exports: The Official Safety Instructions (2005).
ingenious twist on your classic holiday film that presents itself as the antichrist to hallmark movies. Take a 10-year-old hero combined with outlandish stunts, epic explosions, and a little bit of Christmas magic, all thrown into the deep wilderness of Finland, and you have yourself the most Finnish movie ever made.
The movie starts during the week before Christmas when a young boy by the name of Pietari and his friend Juuso stumble across suspicious drilling activity taking place on top of a nearby mountain. Pietari soon becomes convinced that within the mountain lies Santa Claus, but not the jolly red-cheeked image on Coca-Cola bottles or from your childhood stories. As children start disappearing from their beds and reindeer being slaughtered in herds, Pietari confirms that the mountain is the home of Joulupukki, a version of Santa Claus in Finnish folklore often depicted in scenes punishing and eating children. After trapping one of his elves with the help of his father, Pietari embarks on a mission to save the missing children and defeat Joulupukki.
Although I am tempted to recommend this movie a strong 20/10, I believe that it is also important to recognize that Rare Exports may not be for everyone. Some elements of the movie that could be somewhat potentially upsetting include: kids stuffed in sacks, dead reindeers, a greedy businessman who looks like the Bowler Hat Guy minus the handlebar mustache, a literal child attempting to sacrifice himself and shouting, “Tell my father what I did!”, and finally, old naked men running through the snow in the dead of night while attempting to attack said child.
After getting over the initial shock of how absolutely bizarre the entire concept of this film is, it is safe to say that I have found a new Christmas tradition. It is important to know that this movie is not something to try to understand but to experience. Rare Exports is an 19 | The Occasional Christmas Dispatch
If you’re still interested even after reading this review, you can find the movie on various platforms such as Tubi, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, etc. Now while it goes without saying that Rare Exports is probably not a “family movie,” I can confidently say that there is no other movie like it. Do you have the sisu to watch it? Watch on TubiTv—free with commercials Watch on Amazon—$1.00 rental
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Tomte
This story is reprinted with permission of SKANDIUM, where it is posted on their website: https://www.skandium.com/ Tomte (Swedish) or Tonttu (Finnish, also called Nisse in Norway) are solitary, mischievous domestic spirits, responsible for the protection and welfare of a farmstead and its buildings. Tomte are folklore creatures originally believed to stem from the soul of the first farm owner, then becoming a spirit figure, ensuring the farm’s continuous care. Tomte have a love for tradition, they don’t like change. They are ancestral figures who demand respect. Farms were often isolated, and inhabitants lived through long, dark winters; the tomte figures sprang from their imaginations and became companions to keep solitude at bay. Tomte literally means ‘homestead man’ and is derived from the word ‘tomt’ which means homestead or building. Nisse, as he is called in Norway is derived from the name Nils, which is the Scandinavian form of St. Nicholas. A tomte is described as a little old man, three feet high, with a long white beard, wearing grey, brown, or navy clothes with traditional boots and sporting a bright red cap on his head. There are different dress codes for the different types of tomtes. The ones living in the stable with the animals wear mostly grey clothes while the ones in the main house are dressed more neatly, combining some colour with grey, such as blue or dark green. There are tomte residing in the pantry and the barn, watching over the household and farm. They are responsible for the care of the house and farm animals, especially the much-valued horses. The tomte have an enormous capacity for work but will not tolerate anyone’s interference. A sure way to offend a tomte is rudeness. Maids or farm workers swearing, dirty outhouses and stable, or not treating creatures well are all things that would incur his disapproval. If anyone spills anything on the floor of the house, it is advised to shout a warning to the tomte so that he doesn’t fall into the puddle. If he is ever offended in any way, he could play all kinds of pranks such as binding all cows’ tails together, turning objects upside down or breaking things. It is believed that a clean and orderly home or farm is an indication that a domestic tomte spirit resides there. When people moved from the countryside into the cities, they brought their tomte with them. He sleeps under the floorboards during spring and summer and starts waking up when the days get long and cold around the winter solstice. Then he starts preparing the home for Christmas, cleaning, washing, ironing, preparing all Christmas food, baking and sweet making. His presence is very much cherished by city dwellers and country folks alike, as it is 21 | The Occasional Christmas Dispatch
fortunate to have an able tomte in one’s home. Tomtare require very little from humans they work for. They demand only the respect and trust of the homeowner and a bowl of julgröt (Christmas porridge) with butter for Christmas Eve. These spirits though will not remain in a home where respect is lacking and thus the farm or home will not thrive and the inhabitants will be reduced to poverty. A tomte considers porridge his due and loves butter. In the old days, butter was a luxury, consumed only on special occasions. The tale of the Tomte who got no butter on his Christmas porridge illustrates the consequence of tampering with his favourite meal. Legend has it that one Christmas Eve, a servant girl decided to play a trick on the tomte. She hid the butter for his porridge at the bottom of the bowl. When tomte saw there was no butter on his Christmas porridge, he went to the shed and killed the best cow. He wanted to show that he did not appreciate being begrudged a little bit of butter. He returned to the barn to eat the porridge anyway. When he discovered the butter at the bottom of the bowl, he felt so bad that he walked to the neighbour’s farm, took their best cow, and led her back to the stable of the cow he had killed. According to folktales, domestic spirits often steal for a neighbour to increase the prosperity of the farm where they make their home. This is demonstrated in the story ‘The tomte who stole fodder.’ The spirit of the tomte is still very much alive today both in towns and in the countryside. He is a welcome invisible companion when the days get darker and longer and one has to start all the many preparations for Christmas. From the tomte figure, the Scandinavians adopted the St. Nicholas figure or the popular Father Christmas (as introduced by Coca Cola in their early advertising). Here our tomte is portrayed as an older, good natured, adult-sized man (surprisingly the size of an uncle or father) with a long white beard and a red hat and suit. He carries a sack of toys on his back, visits children in their homes on Christmas Eve and always asks, “Are there any good children here?” Many believe he lives at the North Pole, where he has his workshop. Tomte is so dear to Scandinavian hearts that the romantic Swedish novelist Victor Rydberg has written a poem in his honor, published in 1881. Here the tomte is alone and awake on Christmas night, pondering the mysteries of life and death. This poem was illustrated by Jenny Nyström (around 1885), who with her romantic creations, triggered the fantasies of young and old. We will always cherish the tomte as it keeps our spirits up during the dark winter nights leading up to Christmas.’
Book Review: Christmas Comes to Moomin Valley
The re-telling of Tove Jansson classic story, The Fir Tree by Alex Hardi, Cecilia Davidsson and Flippa Widlund by Nancy Nygård
Those cuddly, naive Moomins! They sleep during winter, all the way to spring. That is until this year when their neighbor, Hemulen purposefully wakes them with a start, frantically telling them that Christmas is coming, and they need to get ready. Never having heard of Christmas, they imagine Christmas as a beast; some sort of monster that will harm them. So, the whole family prepares for Christmas following Hemulen’s advice. A fir tree is cut down and they dress it with their most beautiful things, shells, beads, and crystals. Another neighbor, Mrs Fillyjonk, tells them they must have food for Christmas. So, Mominmamma goes to the kitchen and makes several of the family’s favorite foods. Just as dinner was served Hemulen stops by to announce they must have gifts for Christmas. So, the Moomins search their house for their most valuable possessions, wrap them and set them around the tree. They retreat to a spot in the snow, waiting for disaster to happen. What happens? It’s up to you to find out by reading Christmas Comes to Moomin Valley. I give this book five stars!
I’ve Been Good All Year! Messages to Santa by Nancy Nygård
As in North America, Finnish children are told to be good all year long, because Santa (or his elves) are watching them. If they are good, they will receive gifts from him at Christmas. To let Santa know what they would like, children visit Santa before Christmas to tell him personally, or they are encouraged to write him a letter addressed to the North Pole. Both are effective methods. In Finland, another option is available. Write Santa a letter, and instead of mailing it, roll it up and put it in a jar set on your front porch. Santa’s elves collect the letters during the night. If the jar is empty in the morning, you are guaranteed your letter was delivered to Santa!
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Moomin Winter Mug 2021 Arabia’s 2021 seasonal winter dishes feature Moomintroll and his friends watching the Snowhorse disappear over the horizon. The Snow moonlight seasonal series continues Tove Jansson’s story Moominland Midwinter (1957), describing the wonderful winter that Moomintroll experiences for the first time in his life. The set includes a mug, bowl, mini mugs and coffee spoons.
Tove Jansson’s Moominland Midwinter has already provided inspiration for 16 seasonal mugs, designed by Arabia since 2006. Arabia’s illustrator Tove Slotte has made a new combination of illustrations from Tove Jansson’s book for the story-based seasonal series. The 2021 winter set shows the wonderful yet sometimes harsh side of winter. The characters featured in the story, including the Snowhorse and the Lady of the Cold, give meaning to the winter events. Moonlight wakes up Moomintroll Tove Jansson was a master in creating delicate illustrations of the weather and the seasons with only a few fine lines. In the illustration on the Snow moonlight dishes, lines are used skilfully to bring alive the story’s atmosphere. The blue colour scheme on the mug is a perfect match for the enchanting story. The story-based Snow moonlight dish set takes viewers to the beginning of Tove Jansson’s book Moominland Midwinter, 23 | The Occasional Christmas Dispatch
where the moonlight awakened Moomintroll. The moon peeked in through the window and shone directly into Moomintroll’s face. Moomintroll woke up and was unable to get back to sleep. Because the Moomins usually sleep through the winter, Moomintroll will see and experience new things, hitherto unknown to him, when he stays awake all winter. The mug features the first illustration in the book Moominland Midwinter, the moonlit night.
The other side of the mug shows Moomintroll wrapped in his bathrobe. He has met an old friend, Little My, and a new friend, Too-ticky, and he spends the winter with them. He has also found his bathrobe in the bath house closet, and wears it until his winter fur grows a little thicker and more protective. Moomintroll, Little My and Too-ticky stand by the seashore, watching the Snowhorse, which came to life, gallop away. The Snow moonlight set includes a mug, a bowl, mini mugs and spoons. The seasonal set is available for a limited period from October 2021 until February 28, 2022. Get a closer look at these products at Moomin.com. © Moomin Characters Arabia ia a registered trademark of the Fiskars Group.
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Gift Ideas for 2021 r
Pink Ribbon 2021 Pendant Silver KalevalaShop.com 160 euros “Frail silver buds, strong together. The Pink Ribbon 2021 pendant is adorned with a Finnish glass bead, handmade in Helsinki by glass artist Niina Halonen...” Half Finn Better Than None Mug Amazon $16.99
Finnish Coffee Mug Etsy.com $15.25 Searching for the perfect gift for your Finnish friends and family? Look no further than this mug that sums up Finns entirely with a cheeky yet classic line: “I’m not perfect but I am Finnish and that’s kind of the same thing.” Moomin Themed Ornaments Touchoffinland.com $11.99-$15.99 Find an assorted collection of glass ball Moomin ornaments on Touch of Finland’s website! Not only do they add to the cozy feeling of Christmas, but the festive images of Moomin is something everyone can enjoy this season! Hafi Preserves 3 x 14 ounce jars lingonberry, cloudberry, and gooseberry Amazon.com $39
Never too Lake Saimaa Mandala Earrings Finnpeaks.com $41.65 These Saimaa Mandala earrings were inspired by Finland’s Lake Saimaa and its breathtaking forestry and wildlife. They are made of birch plywood, printed and laser-cut in Helsinki.
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Image by Visit Rovaniemi,/Visit Finland
Rovaniemi by Iona Hillman
Located in northern Finland, just outside of the Arctic Circle, there lies a town by the name of Rovaniemi where you can find fairytale landscapes covered in crystalline snow and breathtaking stretches of the northern lights. However, the enchanting arctic nature isn’t the only sight you can see in this frozen city. For right outside the immense woodland, in the heart of the urban city, is the home of Father Christmas: Santa Claus’s Village. In 1985, Santa Claus established the Santa Claus Main Post Office in Rovaniemi, not far from his home which lies in a mysterious location somewhere within the Korvatunturi (“Ear Fell”). In Santa Claus’ hometown, there are countless sights and attractions that everyone can enjoy. For kids, in addition to visiting Santa Claus himself, other activities include playing with Santa Claus’ reindeer at Elf ’s Farmyard, visiting the red Christmas Cottage of Mrs. Santa Claus, and taking classes in Elf School to earn a magical diploma! For those of legal drinking age (especially with kids), a local bar or nightclub might be the perfect place to relax and unwind. Visit
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Uitto Pub or Restaurant Valdemari to enjoy a glass or 4 of their high-quality specialty beers, knowing that your children will be safe with Santa’s elves (though not like the ones from Rare Exports unfortunately). And in the morning, hit up one of the many cafes for a hearty breakfast or brunch! If you also consider yourself to be an outdoor person, look no further than the year-round tours and trips available in the arctic woodlands. Ranging from snowshoeing hikes to arctic survival workshops, you’ll be able to experience once in a lifetime opportunities and see striking, picturesque scenes in the wilderness of Lapland. Rovaniemi is a city overflowing with Lappish traditions and culture, exhilarating sights and activities in nature, and magical experiences for every visitor. This arctic capital is the ultimate destination for Christmas lovers, outdoors adventurers, and avid travelers alike. In addition to its Christmas magic, Rovaniemi will give you an experience in a winter wonderland that you’ll never forget.
1965 Julfrid Image by V. K. Hietanen, JOKA Journalism Collection, The National Board of Antiquities, CC BY 4.0
Julfrid
At noon on Christmas Eve, peace is declared from the balcony of the Brinkkala building in Åbo. The Declaration of Christmas Peace has continued nearly uninterrupted since the 1300s. The traditions of reading the declaration from the balcony began in 1886.Today, this event is largely watched on TV. The declaration began radio broadcast in 1935 and the television broadcast began in 1983. In 1986 it began broadcast in Sweden. Now everyone can watch it via the internet.
The only times the declaration has been cancelled: • Russian invasion and occupation of Finland in 1712–1721—a period also known as the Greater Wrath • 1917 when the militia was on strike, • 1939 because of a fear of air raids.
The 2020 Julfrid during the pandemic. Image by Karl Vainio/Åbo Media Bank
Watch the 2020 Julfrid
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God Jul & Gott Nytt År
Gift memberships for the holidays! By far, the most important way our members can support SFHS is to add to our membership. Please consider giving a gift membership to family or friends. The membership will arrive at the new member’s home with a holiday card from you and a copy of a special issue of The Quarterly. Along with these bonuses they will also receive all of the benefits that come with membership—a subscription to The Quarterly, free genealogy help from dedicated volunteers, and access to member-only content in our online member portal. The best benefit of all is that you will be ensuring the legacy of our Swedish Finn ancestors. Purchase the gift membership online at : swedishfinnhistoricalsociety.org/new-membership/ Thank you for your continued support!
