Father's Day

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Lesson Transcript

Hello, and welcome to the Culture Class- Holidays in Finland Series at FinnishPod101.com. In this series, we’re exploring the traditions behind Finnish holidays and observances. I’m Eric, and you're listening to Season 1, Lesson 8, Father’s Day. In Finnish, it’s called isänpäivä.

In Finland and other Nordic countries, unlike the rest of the world, Father's Day is celebrated in late autumn, on the first Sunday of November. In this lesson, we will discuss how Father's Day is celebrated in Finland.

Now, before we get into more detail, do you know the answer to this question-

Do you know why Father's Day is celebrated in Finland and other Nordic countries in the autumn?

If you don't already know, you’ll find out a bit later. Keep listening.

Father's Day is celebrated in Finland in order to honor and remember fathers. Father's Day spread to the Nordic countries from the United States in 1949, and the day was marked on the Finnish calendar for the first time in 1970.

Father's Day is celebrated in a similar way to Mother's Day, although not as festively, as it’s a relatively new day to the calendar. Fathers’ roles as childrens’ educators, or kasvattaja in Finnish, is more and more significant nowadays, allowing the importance of Father's Day to grow over the years. On Father's Day, dad and the kids will spend time bonding, for example, by playing together or visiting amusement parks, zoos, exhibitions, or movies. Also, grandfathers, or isoisät, usually can expect a visit or a phone call as well. If one’s father or grandfather has already passed away, many families choose to go to the cemetery and light a candle on their grave in remembrance.

In Finland, children will begin the day by waking up their dad by singing to him and giving him a homemade Father's Day card, or isänpäiväkortti. Dads will also receive gifts that are sometimes homemade and sometimes purchased from the store. Stores usually start their marketing for Father's Day as early as October, advertising for popular Father's Day gifts, or isänpäivälahja, like books, pajamas, socks, ties, aftershave lotions, and shaving supplies. Fathers might also be pampered with a delicious breakfast and favorite foods, and possibly even with a gateau.

In Finland, new fathers are also allowed to take paternity leave, or isyysvapaa, and receive a paternity allowance, or isyyspäiväraha, from the state. The law was revised in 2013 allowing fathers to take paid or unpaid paternity leave for fifty-four days before the child reaches the age of two.

Now it's time to answer our quiz question-

Do you know why Father's Day is celebrated in Finland and other Nordic countries in the autumn?

In 1949, Swedish traders suggested to the other Nordic countries that a Father's Day be established at the beginning of November to speed up the Christmas trading season that, at the time, started at the end of the month.