New Year and Christmas are the favorite holidays of children and adults all over the world. No matter how different their traditions may be in each country, the belief in miracles is still common. Her personification is certainly a kind winter wizard, who mysteriously brings gifts to children every year … What is the name of the Finnish Santa Claus? Who is he and where does he live? Why don't we take a peek into an old Lapland fairy tale?..
What is the name of Finnish Santa Claus?
Far, far away, in the harsh cold Lapland region, in the very north of Finland, lives … Santa Claus. In Finnish, "Joulupukki" - and that is the name of the fabulous Grandfather in this country - means, oddly enough, "Christmas goat." According to legend, in the Middle Ages, this character was traditionally dressed in a goat skin. According to another belief, sitting on a goat, he delivered gifts.
This tradition has long sunk into oblivion - now Joulupukki is more like Santa Claus, known throughout the world. However, his funny name has remained so - however, he seems to have nothing against …
The Tale of Joulupukki
In the twenties of the last century, Finnish children heard on the radio a fabulous story about a kind Christmas old man. It was told to them by Uncle Marcus, the host of the popular program "Children's Hour". Once, carrying a heavy bag of gifts on his shoulder, grandfather went around the whole world, and finally reached Lapland. On the way, he was very tired. He sat down on a stone to rest and was sad: the path is still far, the bag is heavy … No, he will not have time to distribute all the gifts on time.
It is not known what would have happened if Joulupukki had not been heard by the dwarves and elves. They got out of their hiding places and promised to help the old man deliver all the gifts in time. But they only set one condition - that grandfather would stay in Lapland forever.
It has been like this ever since. Finnish Santa Claus, Joulupukki, settled in Lapland, on Mount Korvatunturi. The shape of this mountain is similar to rabbit ears, and for a reason: after all, it manages to hear the requests of children from all over the world … Moreover, the magic mountain has another tricky feature - in some incomprehensible way, it can find out whether the children behaved well or badly all over the world. year. She gives this information to Grandfather, and he decides who to congratulate on the holidays, and who, perhaps, did not deserve it …
What does a Finnish Santa Claus look like?
Today, Joulupukki wears a red fur coat witha white fur trim just below the knee and red trousers, which he tucks into high boots. He girdles his fur coat, as a rule, with an elegant red sash, decorated with white and green bells. Joulupukki usually wears a red cap with a white trim and a pom-pom that hangs almost to the waist.
Youlupukki doesn't see very well, so he wears round glasses. But he doesn't have a staff.
In addition, the Finnish Grandfather can often be seen in public without outerwear. Indoors, he wears a white shirt and a red vest.
Joulupukki Residence in Rovaniemi
What is the name of the Finnish Santa Claus is no longer a secret for us. But does everyone know that he lives on Mount Korvatunturi mainly in summer, because in winter he receives guests in his own residence? It is located in Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland, and is a real Christmas town.
Communicates with visitors to Joulupukki usually in winter and a couple of months in summer. He is helped by his wife, whose name is Muori (she personifies winter), as well as fabulous gnomes and elves. In addition to the workshop where Christmas Grandfather and his assistants prepare gifts for children all year round, next to the estate there is also an ice sculpture museum, a bakery that sells Muori gingerbread cookies, and an "elf school". There is also a post office in the residence, from which you can send a postcard to anywhere in the world. The Chief Postal Gnome keeps a close eye on the correspondence that constantly arrives byaddress of Joulupukki, and keeps a record on a special board of how many letters have been received.
Joulupukki's residence in Rovaniemi is famous all over the world today. Guests from different countries who want to see the fairy tale with their own eyes know perfectly well the name of the Finnish Santa Claus, and with bated breath they expect the question: "Are you good children?" his workshop…
