Independence Day

We have celebrated Finland's 99th birthday today. People placed two blue and white candles in their windows, the national TV broadcasted The Unknown Soldier (a classic movie from 1955), like it does every year, we have eaten a festive meal with family and watched live broadcasted Independence Day Reception from TV. And soon we'll celebrate Finland's 100th anniversary!

Today we celebrated also 80th birthday of my mother-in-law's sister, Hilkka. The photo is from her birthday party. What a festive date to have birthday!


Prior to independence, Finland formed an autonomous Grand Duchy in the Russian empire for 108 years, and before that it belonged to the Swedish kingdom. In December 1917, in the middle of the Great War and Bolshevik revolutions in Russia, Finland saw an opportunity to finally claim its independence. And so it did, when its Parliament proclaimed independence on December 6th, 1917. But the young country would be tested soon afterwards, in a brutal Civil War in 1918-1919, and later in World War 2, when Finns fought the Soviets in two separate wars; the Winter War, and the Continuation War.  


It is traditional for Finnish families to light two candles in window of their home in the evening. This custom dates to the 1920s; but even earlier, candles had been placed in Finnish windows on poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg's birthday as a silent protest against Russian oppression. A popular legend has it that two candles were used as a sign to inform young Finnish men on their way to Sweden and Germany to become jägers that the house was ready to offer shelter and keep them hidden from the Russians. 



In the extra's our two candles in the window.




-12°C, sunny