Finnish Independence Day
Next: December 6, 2026
Blue and white candles in every window.
The story
Where it comes from
Finland became independent on 6 December 1917. Before that it had been an autonomous Grand Duchy within the Russian empire for 108 years, and before that part of the Swedish kingdom. Independence Day, Itsenäisyyspäivä in Finnish and Självständighetsdagen in Swedish, is a day that mixes the solemn and the joyful: speeches, church services and visits to cemeteries, but also festive meals with family and friends and a general good mood across the country.
How it's celebrated
In the evening, homes across Finland set blue and white candles on their windowsills, and bakeries sell blue and white pastries. In Helsinki, students in white caps carry torches from Hietaniemi Cemetery to Senate Square. Much of the country then watches the President's Independence Day Reception on television, commenting on the outfits as some 2,000 guests shake hands with the President.
Did you know
- Helsinki's mayor invites the city's fourth-graders to their own Independence Day gala at Finlandia Hall, designed by Alvar Aalto.
- On Independence Day the President awards medals and decorations to several thousand people for outstanding achievements.
- Ahead of the day, the Prime Minister traditionally holds a version of the reception for schoolchildren in fourth grade.
Coming up next
- International Civil Aviation Day · December 7, 2026
- Georges Méliès's Birthday · December 8, 2026
- International Anti-Corruption Day · December 9, 2026
- Human Rights Day · December 10, 2026
- Nobel Prize Day · December 10, 2026
- International Mountain Day · December 11, 2026