Finland offers an unparalleled experience with the celebrations it makes on New Years Eve. Apart from the enthusiasm, spirit, and splendid celebrations made by the natives, the pleasantly cold weather in Finland during the time of New Year adds an all together different aroma to the already spectacular celebrations.
Celebrations on New Years Eve in Finland
With an extremely cold weather, most of the people prefer to have celebrations within closed walls on New Years Eve. Therefore, there is nothing great to mention about the happenings on the streets, other than about a little action occurring slightly before the time of the arrival of New Year.
On the front of in-house parties, as cold it is out there, is as warm it is inside. In the parties and celebrations going in various clubs, pubs, and discotheques, as well as those organized in houses, special consideration is put to ensure that everyone gets treated with the best dishes and liquor on the day of the celebration of New Year.
Apart from the liquor served in the parties, people buy themselves finest qualities of champagne and wine, to be toasted at the stroke of midnight.
All the major cities in Finland, including the capital city of Helsinki, set off splendid shows of fireworks at the midnight. Finland skies get filled with colorful lights and ruckus created out of the constant rising fireworks. Theses fireworks go on for plentiful time, and are well grand in their execution, such that one can witness them from a sufficiently distant place. Many people gather at the famous Senate Square, located at the centre of the Helsinki. It is a popular spot to be in on New Years Eve. Many cultural shows are organized on during the time.
The most significant aspects associated with New Years Eve celebrations in Senate Square are the traditional speeches by the city mayor, the bishop, and the like; followed by the singing of the country’s national anthem. The event also boasts off a spectacular light show, number of live concerts, and most importantly the fireworks show at the moment of clock striking twelve. Other than those organized socially, people on their respective parts also set off firecrackers to mark their joy and cheer on the arrival of New Year. As soon as New Year arrives, people wish everyone present around with wishes and good lucks for the coming year. A loud roar goes on for the words of ‘Happy New Year’ and ‘Hyvää Uuttavuotta” (as New Year is called in Finland).
On the day of New Years Eve in Finland, people enthusiastically participate in a tradition based on making future predictions. Basically, the way it is executed is quite interesting. A molten tin is taken to be dip into a water stored ina container. Then, the expert present there predicts future for the people on the basis of the shape formed by the molten lead in the water. This tradition is usually performed after the fireworks show.
There is another New Years Eve tradition associated again with making predictions, which for the fact is observed more as a enjoyable game. As a part of it, certain small objects are placed under the upturned cups or plates. Then, the person who is a part of the game lifts a cup or plate to reveal the hidden object lying under. On the basis of the object being revealed and the certain significance hold by it, future predictions are made for that person. However, this is more of a serious stuff, as some of the things are traditionally believe to be a symbol of too perilous aspects, such as sorrow, death, loss, etc. In case, where small children participate in it, all such ill-fated aspects are removed.