Holidays around the globe: July Fourth to Finnish Midsummer
The holidays are a time for us to practice traditions, appreciate our culture, and show our national pride no matter what or where you are celebrating. Finnish Midsummer is a national holiday and tradition that celebrates the longest day of the year, and has been practiced for generations. It is an important time to see your family, friends, and spend quality time with the ones that you love the most.
My name is Alex and I am a Creative Digital Marketing Intern here at MoiPanda. I am studying and working in Finland, but was born and raised in the United States of America. My family are first generation immigrants, my mother is from Finland and my father is from Ireland, so I have had my fair share of experiences within Finnish, Irish, and American culture.
Despite vacationing in Finland and Ireland as a child frequently, I did not understand the culture and customs as much as I thought I did back then. I always imagined Midsummer as a sort of Finnish 4th of July, and it wasn’t until I moved to Finland that I began to truly be exposed to the true customs and practices that make the holiday so special to so many Finns. It was then that I gained a new appreciation for the holiday and broadened my perspective on Finnish culture as a whole. I now spend my Midsummers at my extended family's lake house and have gotten to see how many traditional Finnish families spend their time during Midsummer.
We spend the days playing mölkky, swimming in the lake, going to sauna, and grilling. One of our family's personal favorite traditions is to take the boat out in the morning and early afternoon to go fishing, and then go out to eat lunch, which is one of the things that makes our Midsummer so special. Families can make their own traditions and spend the holiday doing the things that they personally love the most. There is no correct way to spend your MidSummer, it’s always up to you, your family, and loved ones! I have friends who love to play darts with their family, some who spend most of their time out on the water, and some who like to take a nice long hike. What is truly the most important thing about Midsummer is that you spend it with your family.
My family always makes sure to spend quality time with each other and reserve the whole day for eating, socializing, playing games, and enjoying our longest summer day in the most important way, together. I have always felt that is the true meaning of any holiday, which is family. I have already made many cherished memories from my Midsummers that I have spent here in Finland, and I know that I have yet to make many more that I will carry with me.
Alex Endersen, Creative Digital Marketing Intern at Moi Panda
