(Photo: Tiia Naams)
Finland’s Independence Day, Finland’s national day, is celebrated in honor of Finland’s independence on 6th of December, 1917. Independence Day is a dignified celebration that involves remembering the war and the fallen. The day is associated with many annual traditions, such as the Independence Day reception of the President of the Republic since the time of the first President. Also parades and torchlight processions are held in many cities and communities, and a movie called the Unknown Soldier is shown on television as a tradition.
The 6th of December has been celebrated as Independence Day since 1919, when it became a public holiday. It became a paid holiday in 1929 and a public holiday in 1937. Independence Day is flag day.
Suomen itsenäisyyspäivä – Wikipedia
Many people watch the Independence Day reception of the President from TV and eat traditional Finnish dinner. It is a tradition to light two candles with blue and white color, to the window for the evening. There is also celebration receptions for the residents held in many cities and municipalities, and Lahti has one too.
In early childhood education we celebrate Independence Day on the day before that, Thursday 5th of December.
Some daycare centers have their own Independence Day receptions and a ballroom where everyone, children and personnel, dress up finely. They might even vote a president couple from among the children for the day. Having some kind of sing-along gatherings all together are also popular way of celebrating the Independence Day in Finnish daycare centres.
Often in we put on some decoration light strips and LED candles around the daycare centre and create nice and calm atmosphere. Many groups make hand crafts about the Independence Day, for example Finnish flags, maps of Finland or Independence Day candles, and decorate the walls.
Here in Lahti, we have also had Independence Day reception for Bee-Bot coding toys! They had a president couple from among the Barbie dolls, nice lightning, grafted Finland’s flags and got to wear beautiful children’s crafted gowns on them. Children put them to dance by giving commands to turn around again and again.
Here is a link to a song from Mimmit, which tells about Finland in Finnish and Swedish.
Norsamby 