Here we are with the second round-up of my advent calendar on Finland. This series is originally released as daily videos on my IGTV channel. Videos are in Italian language with English subs. If you want to watch the videos head there and make sure to follow my account too.

Day 7: meet the Moomins

One of the most popular Finnish products abroad is Moomins. Moomins are the brainchild of Tove Jansson, a Swedish-speaking Finnish author who lived last century. The Moomins are cute white creatures, similar to hyppos. Originally the illustrated books published by Jansson had dark and melancholic themes. They mentioned suicide and abandonment. The Moomins are children characters nowadays and are found in children’s books, animated series, and even in a theme park near Turku. They enjoy international recognition and the books are available in several languages.

Day 8. The yule goat

Have you ever noticed a straw goat among Christmas decorations? Its name is yule goat. Yule goats are a Christmas decor typical of nordic countries. They are made of straw and kept together by red ribbon. Their tradition is over 1000 years old and the reason behind their shape is lost in time. There are several theories linking it to different deities. What is known is that straw was used to make them since the last harvest was thought to have magical properties.

Even if it’s not about Finland, it is inevitable to mention the Swedish town of Gävle when talking about the yule goat. Every year the good people of Gävle build a massive yule goat and a sort of secret society succeeds at burning it, sometime in spectacular ways.

Day 9. A peculiar parenting approach

There’s a parenting habit that shocks foreigners and to which our own parents struggle to get used to. In Finland parents place babies outdoors for a nap, especially in the cold winter. In general, people in Finland raise children to play outdoors in any weather. They are well equipped and they learn to appreciate any weather condition: rain, snow, cold. When they are babies, it is common to wrap them in blankets and leave them to rest in the stroller outdoors.

If you are walking around Helsinki, you will likely spot lines of prams parked outside cafes or restaurants, with babies inside. It is also proof of the high sense of safety people experience in Finland.

Official guidelines say babies can rest outdoors up to -10C. There is not scientific evidence of the benefits, except for a research by University of Oulu proving that children napping at -5C sleep longer. If you are curious about other Finnish parenting hacks, read this post.

Day 10. Land of a thousand lakes

Finland is called “the land of a thousand lakes”. This is unfair, since there are around 188 000 lakes in Finland. For comparison, Italy has more or less the same surface, yet counts 1500 lakes. Lakes are a unique feature of the Finnish landscape. When driving around, especially in the summer, you can experience breathtaking views, with blue lakes against green forests.

Lakes have an important role in Finns’ lives and they are associated to leisure time. Several Finnish people own a summer cottage called mökki. They are simple places, some don’t have electricity or running water, many have an outdoor toilet. The summer cottage is the place where Finns relax, reconnect with nature, and break the routine. There is an estimated 1.8 million cottages in Finland.

During wintertime, when lakes freeze, people walk or ski on them. A frozen lake can work a shortcut to reach the office. For an extreme Finnish experience, you can visit a lake in the winter, cut a hole in the ice, and dive in after a warm sauna.

Day 11. A Finnish savoury delicacy

If you visit Finland, you cannot miss to taste this fantastic savoury delicacy. The Karelian pasty (karjalanpiirakka) is a oven-baked snack typical of the region of Karelia, near the Russian border. The Karelian pasty has a crust made of water and rye flour, and a filling made of potatoes and rice or barley (there are many versions). For the best tasting experience eat it warm and topped with munavoi, a mix of fried eggs and butter. The Karelian pasty is a tasty alternative for breakfast or a snack, you cannot miss to taste it once in your life.

Day 12. Welcome, Christmas elves

The elf door (tonttuovi) is a lovely Christmas decor. Families pick a home wall and build (or paint) a small door. The door works as a magical portal for Christmas elves to reach homes. When build over a baseboard, it’s recommended to add a small ladder to allow elves to reach the floor. You can decorate the door with mistletoe, Christmas decorations, lights, and so on. People add details like tiny slippers, a small chair or mailbox, some leave cookies for the visiting elves.

The idea of building an elf door is popular in Finland, but it’s a recent tradition. It is probably inspired by fairy doors, a 20 year old phenomenon started in US. Nevertheless, it’s a lovely and magical way to prepare the home for Christmas time.

Come back next week for part 3 or follow my Instagram channel to watch the daily videos of this advent calendar. If you like this post, please help me reach more readers by sharing it on social media.

Featured Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash.