The Friendship Day
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Whilst most of the world gets ready to celebrate their one true love in the form of Valentine’s day my peeps in Finland celebrate friendship. Ystävänpäivä, literally translated ‘the day of friends/friendship’ is the Finnish (and in my biased opinion, better) form of Valentine’s day. Ystävänpäivä is all about giving your friends the extra love they deserve! National Galentine’s day for the win!
In the last few years, the western commercialised and romanticised Valentine’s celebrations have of course reached Finland as well. People will be all loved up and cute with their baes, but the great thing about Ystävänpäivä is that all us single ladies won’t feel left out. There is no pressure to go out on a fancy candle-lit dinner, with expensive gifts and forced romantic gestures. You can do that if you want to and no one will judge, but it’s also just as acceptable to have a brunch date with your besties.
In school we used to celebrate ystävänpäivä with cardboard hearts, that you got people to sign in exchange for a hug. So, maybe this year we should all craft nice little cards and fill them with words of appreciation for our friends. Ystävänpäivä is not about the gifts, and more often you make cards (or buy if you’re feeling lazy) to give out, but essentially it is reminding yourself of the great people you have in your life and just letting them know how much they mean to you!
My flatmate and I actually had the shared experience of receiving ystävänpäivä gifts from our moms, typically heart-shaped chocolate or something similarly cute! I think it shows nicely how ystävänpäivä goes beyond just your friends, but you can wish hyvää ystävänpäivää (happy friend’s day) to everyone you meet, whereas Valentine’s day can leave you feeling just a bit left out if you don’t have a cutie to smooch.
I’m wishing a very very very hyvää ystävänpäivää to all my lovely HC gals x