• English
  • 中文
  • Deutsch
  • Español
  • Français
  • Português
  • Русский
  • العربية
  • 日本語
  • Sámi
  • Life & society
  • Business & innovation
  • Arts & culture
  • Newsroom
  • Facts, stats and info

Tags

Architecture Arctic Art Business Climate Cuisine Culture Design Economy Education Entrepreneurs Environment Equality Festivals Film Finland Finnishness Food Fun Health Helsinki History Innovation Language Lifestyle Literature Music Nature Performing arts Politics Research Sauna Slideshows Society Sports Sustainability Technology ThisisFINLAND Magazine Travel Video Visual arts Webpick Wellbeing Winter Work

Pages

  • FAQ
  • Contact
  • About us
  • Accessibility statement
  • Learn more about cookies on ThisisFINLAND.fi
Skip to content
This is Finland – Homepage
  • Life & society
  • Business & innovation
  • Arts & culture
  • Newsroom
  • Facts, stats and info
Search
Search
things you should and shouldn't know

Finnishness

Sisu, sauna, Sibelius and heavy metal, too
139146&GUID={4738C368-767C-409B-A46A-14D5273CD624}
Arts & cultureMusic

Sisu, sauna, Sibelius and heavy metal, too

Sibelius’s 150th birthday: Find out how the composer’s own piano sounds, and what he and heavy metal have in common.

Tagged in Classical musicFinnishnessHeavy metalMusicSibelius
Beginning a new year in Finland
Fireworks in front of Helsinki Cathedral.
Life & societySociety

Beginning a new year in Finland

In the week after Christmas, people in Finland take it easy, saving up their energy for the big New Year’s celebration.

Tagged in FinnishnessSociety
Films project Finnish view of Christmas
Finland, Finnish Christmas films, Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale, Santa Claus and the Magic Drum, Christmas Story, Niko, The Flight before Christmas
ChristmasModern Christmas

Films project Finnish view of Christmas

See our list of Finland’s top Christmas movies, all of which include Finnish Lapland’s most famous resident, Santa.

Tagged in FilmFinnishnessModern Christmas
Finns celebrate freedom every December
Two blue-and-white candles burning on a window sill.
Life & societySociety

Finns celebrate freedom every December

One of Finland’s most inspiring celebrations arrives every year on December 6: Independence Day. (Try pronouncing it in Finnish, Itsenäisyyspäivä; or in Swedish, Självständighetsdagen.)

Tagged in FinlandFinnishnessSociety
How to be Finnish in Swedish
A Finnish ice hockey player raises his arm in triumph Finland scores a goal, while the Swedish goalie and a defender look forlorn.
Life & societyLanguage

How to be Finnish in Swedish

We ask a Swedish-speaking Finnish journalist for an insider’s view of what Swedish (which is an official language in Finland) means to the country.

Tagged in FinnishnessLanguageMoominTove Jansson
Enjoying Midsummer the Finnish way
A bouquet of colorful wildflowers.
Life & societySociety

Enjoying Midsummer the Finnish way

An American recounts his many colourful memories of Midsummer in Finland, from heavy metal bands to seaside bonfires, and from barbecues to mosquito bites.

Tagged in FinnishnessFunSociety
How the heck do you learn Finnish? part 2
Learning Finnish as a second language, textbooks, non-Finns, immigrants, Finland, A Grammar Book of Finnish, Suomen kielen alkeisoppikirja, Finnish for foreigners, Finnisch für Deutschsprachige
Life & societyLanguage

How the heck do you learn Finnish? part 2

Read part two of our popular article asking people what tried-and-true tips and textbooks they’re using to master Finnish.

Tagged in FinnishnessLanguage
Wandering witches welcome Finnish Easter
Several children dressed in costumes are at the door of a house beside flower pots full of daffodils.
Life & societyTraditions

Wandering witches welcome Finnish Easter

Finnish Easter traditions mix religion and rites of spring. Beware: Miniature witches may ring your doorbell.

Tagged in EasterFinnishnessSocietyTraditions

Posts navigation

More articles
Newer posts

  • FAQ
  • Contact
  • About us
  • Accessibility statement
  • Learn more about cookies on ThisisFINLAND.fi

Follow us on

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

Published by the Finland Promotion Board Produced by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Department for Communications © 1995 - 2025