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things you should and shouldn't know

Finnishness

ThisisFINLAND Christmas quiz
An illustration of a robin with a shopping cart full of vegetables and a bunch of grain.
ChristmasChristmas fun

ThisisFINLAND Christmas quiz

Try our Christmas quiz to see how much you know about Finnish Christmas traditions and foods – and to learn their names in Finnish.

Tagged in Christmas funFinlandFinnishness
Sisu movie sequel: Finnish sisu never goes out of fashion
A bearded man, Jorma Tommila as the character Aatami Korpi, is covered in dirt and sweat while driving a vehicle that has several bullet holes in the windshield.
Arts & cultureFilm

Sisu movie sequel: Finnish sisu never goes out of fashion

Sisu is a Finnish word that refers to a combination of resilience and perseverance. Cited as a Finnish source of strength and wellbeing, it’s also the title of a violent action film whose new sequel is enjoying runaway success.

Tagged in CultureFilmFinnishnessSisuSociety
Find Finnish gifts for everyone on your list this holiday season
Three photos side by side show gift items: a bathrobe; a table with plates, glasses and food containers; and two people in jackets.
ChristmasModern Christmas

Find Finnish gifts for everyone on your list this holiday season

Our Christmas gift guide highlights meaningful pieces by Finnish brands: thoughtful, well-made and designed for everyday happiness.

Tagged in DesignFashionFinnishnessLifestyleModern Christmas
Finnish Christmas spirit brightens Helsinki streets for holiday season
People in winter clothing stroll through a Christmas market with wooden stalls, a carousel and a sparkling tree at night, in front of a brightly lit white church.
ChristmasChristmas traditions

Finnish Christmas spirit brightens Helsinki streets for holiday season

As the winter days grow shorter in Helsinki, the city bursts into light, and the Christmas season brings warmth, music and thousands of twinkling bulbs.

Tagged in Christmas traditionsCultureFinnishnessHelsinkiModern ChristmasWinter
The key to Finnish happiness may be people helping each other
A man is sitting in a chair beside a rack of medical equipment while a woman rolls up his sleeve in preparation for him to donate blood.
Life & societySociety

The key to Finnish happiness may be people helping each other

At a blood donation centre, we find an example of Finnish talkoohenki, the community spirit of helping each other. As our video conveys, it could be a contributing factor to Finnish happiness.

Tagged in FinnishnessHappinessHealthSocietyWellbeing
What one person’s path to speaking Finnish reveals about life and language
A woman standing outdoors, smiling in sunlight, with trees and green foliage in the background.
Life & societyLanguage

What one person’s path to speaking Finnish reveals about life and language

For polyglot Irina Pravet, learning a language isn’t just about grammar. She sees knowing Finnish as a way to belong – and that’s something you don’t find in textbooks.

Tagged in EntrepreneursFinlandFinnishnessLanguageSociety
Libraries the Finnish way: welcoming, wild and wonderful
A person holds a small stack of books with soft yarn balls on top – grey, pink and lilac.
Life & societyEducation

Libraries the Finnish way: welcoming, wild and wonderful

From reading dogs to 3D printers, Finnish libraries are reinventing what it means to be the home of learning and information. Here are some activities you can do in many Finnish libraries.

Tagged in EducationEqualityFinnishnessLifestyleTechnologyTravel
Why are saunas so dear to people in Finland?
Two photos side by side, one showing someone in a sauna with a bucket of water, and the other showing a sauna building on a forested lakeshore.
Life & societySauna

Why are saunas so dear to people in Finland?

Almost every building in Finland has a sauna. Two sauna enthusiasts tell what makes their favourite sauna so special.

Tagged in FinnishnessNatureSaunaWellbeing
Heads up for Helsinki’s urban overstory: Lions and gargoyles and bears, oh my!
A fancy building with a turret and a balcony also has a statue of a bear perched on the edge of the roof.
Life & societyArchitecture

Heads up for Helsinki’s urban overstory: Lions and gargoyles and bears, oh my!

If you elevate your gaze, Helsinki’s architecture contains surprising details. Mythical creatures, solemn figures and watchful animals perch high above street level.

Tagged in ArchitectureArtCultureFinnishnessHistorySlideshowsSocietyTravel

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