6th December is the Independence Day (Itsenäisyyspäivä) of Finland and the 6.12.2017 is the centenary of Finland ! This particular day is the national day, institute to remember the country's accession to independence in 1917, after the first Russian revolution. The celebrations and institutional events took place throughout the day culminating in the traditional Independence Day held in the presidential palace in Helsinki.
It was on 6 December 1917 that Finland gained independence from the Russian Empire, which it had joined as an autonomous Grand Duchy in 1809. It had belonged to the Kingdom of Sweden since the Middle Ages. Independence caused a civil war where the reds backed by Soviet Russia were eventually defeated. But the country later suffered particularly during the Second World War with the annexation of the Isthmus of Karelia by Russia and then a confrontation with Germany. After the Second World War, Finland carefully avoided taking sides and becoming a neutral country in the game of diplomatic relations between East and West: a strategy defined as "Finlandization". Finland finally joined the European Union in 1995 and the Euro in 2002. Today, even if the country is not a mass tourist destination, it attracts more and more travellers seeking tranquility.
My Finnish friends told me that during this day everyone stays at home with them family and/or friends. Otherwise, it is quite "boring" because it is a lot of political speech and handshaking...
On the day of the celebration, most Finnish people have blue and white candles on the edge of their windows. Bakeries sell cakes in both national colors. Shop windows are similarly blue and white, and Finnish flags are beating everywhere. The television broadcasts patriotic music as well as often animated political debates or movies like Unknown Soldier, an adaptation of the events described in the eponymous novel and cult book of Väinö Linna on the Second World War (my Finnish roommate watched it when I wrote this article).
For the serious side of the day, there are patriotic speeches, visits to cemeteries, tributes to war memorials and religious services to mark independence. With their traditional white cap, the students of Helsinki carry out a torchlight procession between the Hietaniemi cemetery and Senate square, where it is customary to listen to speeches followed by a concert. For the occasion, the President of the Republic also decorates every year thousands of people for their actions deemed particularly meritorious.
I'm glad to celebrate this important Finnish day with my roommate. I hope this article was useful and help you to have a better understanding of this national day!
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