Finnish Winter Tradition: Laavu – A Union of Snow, Fire and Sausages. One of the Best Finnish Winter activities
Finnish Laavu
One of the very many cultures of the Finns during the winter (also other seasons) is the very peculiar feasting in small warm houses built either in the snow or deep in the forest. They are called ‘Laavu’ in Finnish. My first visit to the Laavu left me wondering what…
As a Foreigner living in Finland now for 3 years, I would view Finland as a land full of snow. At least that was my very first thinking after a couple of months here. I can still remember very clearly the first day i arrived in Lapland. As the northern part of Finland, it is extremely cold and white, but when Midsummer comes, the beauty of it all makes you forget about the winter cold days. Don’t even get me started on the Northern Lights. That is a miracle. All in all, I find Lapland to be very intriguing in its entirety.
Over the years, i have experienced some of the Finnish ways of life and trust me, I could write a whole book about that. With each experience comes knowledge, and with each knowledge gained comes intrigue and more curiosity. I recently uploaded a video on YouTube where i talked about some of the cultural differences between my country Nigeria and Finland. Watch it below:
Life In Finland: Things I Used To Do and Things I Miss
One of the very many cultures of the Finns during the winter (also other seasons) is the very peculiar feasting in small warm houses built either in the snow or deep in the forest. They are called ‘Laavu’ in Finnish. My first visit to the Laavu left me wondering what the essence of the whole Laavu visiting was. Over time, I got to understand and appreciate those visits. I call it a union of Snow, Fire and Sausages.
Each of these add its own flavor to the activity of the day, be it Skiing, Snowmobiling, ice fishing, or a walk in the forest. Of what use would some fun in the snow be without a Fireplace to take a break and warm yourself up? And most importantly, of what use would a fireplace be without some roasted sausages and a warm drink? To me, in all of these, the best part about Laavu is staring at the beautiful landscape and walking on the frozen lake with a stomach full of warm sausages. That is one thing I would do over and over again.
**Just The Thoughts of A Foreigner Living In Finland and Sharing her experiences.**
Have you every been to the Laavu? What are your thoughts on it? Let me know below!
Love,
Olivia.
Written by Olivia Kumpula
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