In the old days,
finnish folks started their new year when
(a finnish harvest celebration)
was feasted at the end of October/early days of
November.
So, it is perfectly natural that several of those old
Kekri traditions
have been transformed
to our Yuletide and modern day
New Year´s Eve.
There was another reason also.
Well christian church did not tolerate
Kekri as it´s form of a
pagan celebration.
But as it is known, old traditions
lived very strongly in
the heart of a finn.
So folks kept their old habits
but under the veil
of Christmas,
so it was apparently
fine for
church point of view
since those habits are alive and
kicking on this very day.
Now I wanted to introduce
some of those traditions.
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Nuuttipukki:
This grim creature sometimes
perceived as an anti-Santa Claus.
It was this goat-like manly character who
wandered from house to house, came in,
and typically demanded food from
the household
and especially leftover alcoholic beverages.
Children were often scared by the thought:
"If you are not behaving well after Yule, Nuutti
will take your presents away
(and spanks you on the butt)".
Actually Nuuttipukki is identical to Kekripukki,
just
visiting on winter time,
Saint Knut´s Day
13th of January to be precise.
( before year 1708 it was
on 7th of January).
No wonder that our Knut has an affinity to
Santa.
He´s named after one.
Nuuttipukki is
older character in Nordic
folklore than Santa himself.
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Photo from our family album. This "Santa Knut" visited my family in the late 70´s ( I think it is grandpa) |
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Nuuttipukki from Pinterest |
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Straw ornaments & bells:
Material and the form of a goat
indicates to their
descending from Kekri.
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Time of Kekri, bells were used to
let the spirits know that
Kekri celebration is going on
when
Kekripukit and
Kekrittäret
walked on village roads
.
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Honouring the dead:
Oh when ever we have the chance.
Very important to most finns.
Yet foreigners do not understand this always.
Like my partly russian
acquaintance said
"You finns just do not know how to party.
Wheeping and mourning when ever possible.
Even christmas carrols are mostly sad" :D
Actually mourning and honouring
is two whole different things you see ;)
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From our family album. Finnish Funeral in late 40´s or early 50´s |
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Feasting with ancestors:
Keeping food on the table for past relatives
and spirits over the Yule night was a habit in my
childhood home and I will try to keep up that tradition also.
Feasting with ancestors and the actual
menu of traditional Yule dinner
descents from Kekri.
Or how about carrot or rutabaga casserole,
or a ham?
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Me, Yule 1992 |
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New Year´s Tin:
Melting tin on a fire place, dipping it to cold water
and Voila!
You can read your future.
Predicting future was one the old
Kekri traditions and
tin melting was one of those
referencing to
"Vainajainpalvelus muinaisilla suomalaisilla"
(pages 171-172)
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Kuva:Suomenkuvalehti |
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Last but not least,
Sauna:
Always been a
sacred place for avarage finn.
In the old days
Sauna was the place to gave
birth, as well as washing
the bodies of deceased.
On Kekri and Yule it was and is a habit
to clean yourself on sauna, both
mentally and physically.
It gives perfect chance to
spirits go and enjoy
Kekri/Yule dinner while
hosting family is at Sauna and
vice versa :D
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Soon it will be
New Year´s Eve
and our modern day
Wheel of the year is turning
once again.
I have never felt New Year´s Eve
magic since it is purely
man made celebration.
There for I was a volunteer for morning
work shifts :D
Probably some tin melting will happen here,
but that is about it.
Peikkotyttö and Taivaantakoja
are waiting for fireworks
and I think that they will go to watch some
light show.
Since Knut does not like those loud sounds that fireworks make,
I will have some company at home too
♥
Aallotar
( Winter photo of little me and our
beloved Karelian bear Dog Jesse sometime in late 80´s.
She was not named after Jesus but Jesse James :)
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