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 The Magic of Light Nights
by Tiina Alanko
Associate Editor
It is the white nights of the Finnish summer that change the people of Finland.
For Finns, the summer means long days, light
nights, outdoor parties, and weekends spent at summer cottages.
Suddenly, the Finnish population stereotyped as serious,
taciturn, and introverted become open minded, voluble, and
semi-liberated. However, this is only a temporary condition
for Finns, which strikes upon summer's arrival and lasts until end of season.
 Finland is known as a country where the differences
between the dark and light seasons are quite dramatic. During
the interminable winter months, Finns tend to spend a lot
of time indoors and quietly wait for the warm and light season
to arrive. In contrast, during the summer months, they spend
time outdoors and find a reason to celebrate summer in many
ways.
Finnish Midsummer (Finns call it Juhannus) marks one of the main festivities of the year. It is coinciding
when the northern side of the planet leans closest towards
the sun and when night is the shortest of the year in the
northern hemisphere. Especially, in the north of Finland
the sun remains above the horizon all night. It attracts
many foreign tourists to experience the real midnight sun.
Midsummer, at the summer solstice (typically
falls between June 22-26) - is traditionally celebrated at summer cottages in rural settings, leaving towns and cities deserted. Finns are drawn to nature and for them the summer cottages are the most ideal place to escape from work and the busy way of life.
Days before the midsummer holiday Finns begin
the preparations. On the home front, green-leafed birch tree
branches are being tied in bunches to adorn their doorways
and porches of the house. Finns used to believe that these
adornments would bring them good luck.
The rural Juhannus is an entertaining mixture of children's plays, dancing, drinking, midsummer feast, sauna and superstitious beliefs. The high point of the midsummer evening is building and lighting of a gigantic Kokko, a bonfire. As the burning flames rise up to sky, Finns gather around it to celebrate and have a toast for summer.
This ritual is based an old belief that evil
spirits are on the move at midsummer and the bonfire is supposed
to keep them away. Ancient Finns thought that they could
foretell the future from the way their fire was burning.
Most of the midsummer spells usually had something
to do with weather, wealth, and future partners in life.
Traditionally, most summer weddings take place at midsummer
and it is known as a very favorable time to find a future
partner.
Typically, women who believed in superstitions
would pick nine different flowers and place them underneath
their pillow - they would see their future partners' faces in dreams. Also, farmers would have their own spells. They predict the weather by trying to find signs of the forthcoming harvest and to be prepared for haymaking and harvest.
Midsummer feast is typically a summer barbeque,
which includes a variety of meat, herring, new potatoes and
sausages. Also, it is rumored that a glass or two of alcohol
is consumed this night.
Midsummer is not a night for sleeping
(especially for tourists who can't sleep with so much light). It is the day when Finns are allowed to get a little crazy, stay up far into early morning hours, and experience the joys of summer and light.
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710
Remington Road 
Volume
14 Issue 1 -
July 2004