#swedish christmas hymn

[nonenglishsongs]

Non-English Songs Celebrates Christmas #24 | Agnetha & Linda - Nu tändas tusen juleljus (Swedish)

[niuniente]

Finnish Christmas online radio is here again, available for 3 months all around the world! Choose from 8 totally different Christmas playlists:

Jouluradio plays all sorts of Christmas songs, from classics to jazz. It gets more versatile the closer to Christmas we get. Songs in Finnish, Swedish, English and Estonian. A good place to listen to famous Christmas songs in Finnish :3

Julradion plays Swedish Christmas songs only. Great if you're studying Swedish!

Kauneimmat joululaulut plays the most beloved Christmas songs, both in Finland and over the world. This is the classic Christmas online radio for everyone.

Lasten jouluradio plays Christmas songs for kids.

Popjoulu brings you all the beloved pop and dance Christmas songs. Plays mainly songs in English, as pop Christmas songs aren't a big thing in Finland.

Rouhea joulu plays only heavy metal Christmas songs - probably as the only channel in the world! Heavy metal Christmas songs are very loved in Finland. If you've fed up with the joyous Christmas songs, then this channel is worth of checking!

Klassinen joulu plays very melancholic, slow and occasionally depressing Christmas songs - exactly what we Finns love and call as the classic, traditional Christmas. Plays also lots of hymns and instrumental songs. This is a channel for those who hate happy-go-lucky Christmas songs.

Happy Holidays plays all sort of happy Christmas songs, also old classics from the golden decades.

LISTEN JOULURADIO AT JOULURADIO.FI

[grapehyasynth]

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[ghouletteanon]

Reasons I find Ghost funny, part 3:

Deus Culpa is a Swedish Christmas hymn played backwards. Very evil for a Satanic band.

[doitinanotherlanguage]

Langblr Advent Calendar  | 27 November 2022 | Suhe Live - Nyt syttyy valot tuhannet

Happy First Sunday of Advent and the start of my Langblr Advent Calendar!

I decided to start the calendar off with the Finnish Christmas song “Nyt syttyy valot tuhannet” ("Now thousands of lights are lit”), because I feel that it’s very thematically fitting.

Although the song is religious, I am however not particularly. While I observe some traditions for the Advent (lighting candles, etc.) I don’t really attach religious significance to that, nor do I celebrate Christmas as a celebration of the birth of Christ. (This disattachment comes quite easily for the secularised in Finland, since for us Christmas has always been joulu, i.e. Yule.) 

In any case, “Nyt syttyy valot tuhannet” is originally a Swedish song (”Nu tändas tusen juleljus”), written in 1898, and it remains a popular hymn in Sweden and Finland. The song is about light (particularly, the star of Bethlehem) and the message of peace.

You can also give a listen to the English version called “A Thousand Lights” by Evie. And, for non-religious and activist folk, there is Ebba Grön’s wonderful Swedish 1980s punk version “Nu släckas tusen människoliv” (”Now a thousand human lives are extinguished”), which is about homelessness during Christmastime.

[traumacatholic]

Gregorian/Christmas chant: Puer natus in Bethlehem

This Christmas hymn was especially popular during the ancient period. Its author is unknown. The oldest Latin text found so far is contained in a Benedictine book dating from the beginning of the fourteenth century. The Latin text, which is found in many different redactions ranging from six to twelve stanzas, has, very likely, been composed by several authors. Consequently, it has undergone many changes due to omissions, revisions, and additions. “Puer natus” was translated into German in 1439 by Heinrich von Laufenberg. Later on a number of German versions appeared. In the old German, Danish, and Swedish hymnals a translation in the vernacular was inserted immediately after each Latin stanza. It has been surmised that the choir sang the Latin and the congregation sang translations of the same. The German rendering most extensively used was that found in Valentin Babst’s Geystliche Lieder, 1545: “Ein Kind geboren zu Bethlehem.” This contains ten stanzas with the German translation inserted after each stanza except the second. The English version included in The Lutheran Hymnary was made by Philip Schaff and was printed in his Christ in Song, 1869.

Turn on Closed Captions (CC) for translations in different languages

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Today in Christian History

Today is Saturday, September 4th, the 247th day of 2021. There are 118 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:

1646: Johann Companius dedicates the first Lutheran church in America in the Swedish colonial settlement Christina, near present-day Wilmington, Delaware, on Tinicum Island.

1666: The Great Fire of London destroys old St. Paul’s Cathedral.

1741: Thomas Gillespie becomes the minister of Carnock in Fife. He becomes a strong advocate of allowing Presbyterian congregations to choose their own ministers, rather than having one appointed by the general assembly.

1771: Francis Asbury boards ship for America, where he will so organize and extend the Methodist church that by his death it will have grown from being one of America’s smallest denominations to being its largest.

1817: The Dutch announce plans to reorganize the Protestant churches in the Dutch Indies (Indonesia).

1844: Death of Oliver Holden, composer and American Puritan clergyman, in Boston, Massachusetts. He had written CORONATION, the tune to which we sing the hymn “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.”

1846: Death of David Abeel. A pioneer missionary to Batavia, he had also been instrumental in organizing the Society for Promoting Female Education in the East.

1911: Sergius Petrovich Ilmensky, an Orthodox priest, becomes editor of “The Saratov Theological Herald.” His increasing prominence will cause him to be made bishop of Solikamsk six years later (taking the name Theophanes) but the Communists will drown him on Christmas Eve 1918 while he is administering the diocese of Perm by their command.

1977: Trans World Radio begins broadcasting from its newest station, a 100,000-watt shortwave transmitter in Guam.

[pyrovilian]

hi so i’m always looking for song recs and i’d love to know your top 5 or so songs if you wouldn’t mind!! thank you!! :D

Ok I’ve written like five responses to this but tumblr hates me and keeps deleting them SO here we go AGAIN (hmmnnksksk hellsite)

FIRST Kyrie/Sjung, syster sjung! by Sara Parkman. U know a song is gonna be good when it has proper punctuation in the title. This is a whole ass experience, everytime I listen I feel like I’m flying?? It’s in Swedish but i don’t think that matters, I can get you a translation tho if u want no problems. It has sorta of a hymn vibe, my choir singing ass loves it.

On my way by Chika! This song always makes my little gay heart flutter! The amount of love??? Ahhhhh this desperately makes me wanna be in a relationship, future gf I love u!!!

Judas by Esperanza Spalding. This is such a good song, found this by a recommendation from my godfather, apparently she plays the bass herself to all her songs??? It so cool and her song are amazing, I recommend listening to her so much!!

Dancing in the moonlight by King Harvest! I had previously only listened to the toploader version of this song before but this one is soooooo much better it’s the ultimate dancing in your kitchen song 10/10 would recommend.

Moment of clarity by Beatrice Eli. Maybe my favourite Beatrice Eli song ever? I love her I think everyone should listen to her this song is so good!

EXTRA I’m pretty sure ur into musicals SO if u haven’t u should listen to Kristina! It’s the English version of Kristina från Duvemåla which is the greatest Swedish musical of all time (there are only like three Swedish musicals so it isn’t worth a lot but still it’s really fkn good). It’s written by Björn and Benny of ABBA, the main character is played by Helen Sjöholm who I would sell my soul to she’s first of all so hot (mmmmm milf) and she’s sooooooo good a literal angel 10/10. ( if u listen to it plz lmk if u wanna chat about it it’s really good) (no pressure tho but it’s a really good show)

ANOTHER EXTRA since it’s almost Christmas (almost) I’m giving u a Christmas song as well cause I’m just that kind :)))))

O Helga Natt by Kraja. A wonderful arrangement of the Christmas classic O Helga Natt (o holy night in English) (I think). It’s really cool and honestly the ultimate Christmas song it really gets the mood down just right.

There u go!!! More music than u probably expected!! I love recommending music I’m so sorry! But I hope u like it!! Thank u for sending me my first asks since like 2016 it’s really very sweet of u <33!!

[collecting-stories]

christmas edition 🎄

favorite tradition? favorite holiday movie? favorite Christmas song?  favorite holiday food? favorite childhood gift? ✨

My favorite tradition at Christmas is unfortunately one we can't do this year because of COVID😭 but every year...for like 20 years arguably, we’ve been going to a Swedish church in the city to celebrate St. Lucia. They have a Swedish market and they do a ‘processional’ telling the story of the first Swedes to come to America and celebrate St. Lucia and they sing traditional songs and it’s just really cute and I love it. 

My favorite holiday movie is probably Year Without a Santa...I know its a children’s movie but honestly, all those old claymations are my absolute favorites! (If you’ve never seen it there is an easter one called Here Comes Peter Cottontail that is...an absolute mess but so ridiculous).

Favorite Christmas song...I have a specific album that is my favorite. It’s called Behold the Lamb of God by Andrew Peterson. I’m not much for Christian music or Christianity but I think around this season I love to listen to old hymns (Sara Groves Christmas albums are also excellent) and Behold the Lamb of God goes through the whole ‘story of christ’ from old testament to new and it’s kind of magical in a way?? 

Favorite holiday food - does bagels with lox count? My best friend turned me on to bagels with cream cheese and lox (smoked salmon if you don’t know) a while ago and we’ve been doing that for christmas morning ever since and its my favorite honestly (and my stepdad’s cause it gives him an excuse to whip out his smoker). 

Favorite childhood gift - Is it super crazy that I don’t remember like...one specific gift? Like I feel like everyone has that one gift and I don’t really remember like one specific thing that was the best for me. It sounds so ridiculous here but I love buying other people presents like...its so exciting to start thinking about what they want and finding that perfect thing for them. I remember other people’s presents😂😂

[cecplaysthepiano]

Crab Canon: Nu tändas tusen juleljus

"A crab canon is an arrangement of two musical lines that are complementary and backward, similar to a palindrome. " 

 A short canon inspired by the Swedish Christmas hymn "Nu tändas tusen juleljus", written by Emmy Köhler. One single melody, played from start to finish and reversed at the same time.

[pippa-writes]

The Magical Christmas - Cherik Phiclet #4

He'd overdone it with the tinsel, he just knew it.

Erik stood back to study his normally tidy, organised living room. How he'd managed to convince Gerard to help lug that miniature fir tree in that corner over there all the way from the market to the fifth cellar, and then across the lake no less, he had no idea. But there it was, standing in a puddle of its own needles, barely visible with the amount of tinsel he'd wrapped around its branches.

Underneath it, the little boxes, which he'd spent that long, terrifying evening wrapping, sat precariously arranged as in the little display he'd oggled in the shop window this very morning.

He checked his pocket watch for the hundredth time that afternoon and tapped his foot - he'd need to change out of his tap shoes, wouldn't he? Put these ones in the conservatory before Christine realised he was still very much attached to the clickety-clacks they made against the stone. He had a proper pair somewhere, didn't he?

"It looks fairly good," Gerard commented from the armchair. Erik glowered at the tree as it began to bend from the weight of his decorations, and dared it to topple at its peril. "If the trunk holds up."

"Do you think it's strong enough?" The baubles alone were quite heavy, and glass at that.

"It certainly felt strong enough when you made me haul it down here at four in the morning, Erik," Gerard said, his voice low in his throat. Erik shot him a look from the corner of his eye. Gerard cleared his throat. "It will hold."

The tree groaned and leaned further to the side. Erik bounded over before it could take him up on his bet and hauled it upright.

"On second thoughts, I hope you didn't put absolutely everything on it, did you?"

"The silver was rather becoming with the gold!" Erik protested, his masked face pressed into the needles and pile of tinsel. He wrapped his arms around the tree further and cradled the top with one hand.

"Take some off."

"Never!"

"Erik, it's going to fall when you let go, and you know that."

A silence.

Erik blinked.

"You must let go at some point. Won't you?"

Erik said nothing. The tree groaned and sagged against him. He nudged a box away and stood upright, bringing the tree with him.

"What will Christine think when she sees you?" Gerard ambled over and lay a hand on Erik's shoulder, as if that could tempt him away from saving his handiwork from a loud and messy demise. "Her respectable, kindly Maestro, in some sort of amorous embrace with a little fir tree!"

"I'll tell her I simply like trees."

"Enough not to let go of one for an entire holiday?"

Erik rolled his eyes. "Of course not!"

It was a silly tradition anyhow. German, he believed, although it seemed to be the British to show him the extravagant ways of dressing a tree. A tree, he'd spluttered last year! How would one go about dressing a tree, hmm? Give it a tailored waistcoat and hat? Perhaps a cane to wave in greeting when it saw other trees? Dressing a tree, indeed!

Yet here he was, with more tinsel and baubles, fitted snugly on the sharp branches, than actual tree, in the corner of his little living room. And for what? His own embarrassment before the lady he'd insisted he didn't need to impress?

Denying he loved her, however he looked at it, was futile by now.

"Erik." Gerard tugged lightly at his shoulder. "I have the tree. Come away and we'll simply take a few things off."

He stayed a few seconds more, debating that point. The tree leaned away from him slightly. Begrudgingly, he unravelled his arms from the branches and stepped gingerly aside.

"Take this off for starters," Gerard said, pulling a length of tinsel-free. Erik grumbled about his wasted afternoon of colour coordination and endless designs but complied and removed a few more, along with some baubles and several tiny nativity scenes, carefully laying them back in their boxes.

He hadn't realised just how much he'd piled onto the tree until it came off. By the time they had a boxful of decorations again, it was starting to resemble something more tree-like.

"Stop!" he ordered, stepping back with hands spread to examine their work. Gerard paced back alongside him. "That's it. I do believe we've made it significantly better!"

The tree groaned and sighed into its pot.

Gerard inhaled sharply.

Erik folded his arms and nodded, once and curt. "It's perfect."

Gerard shuffled back to his armchair and sank into the creaky cushions, rubbing the bridge of his nose - the sort of nose Erik might have inherited, he'd often thought begrudgingly - and pinching the skin there.

"Erik," he said with a sigh, "you're mad."

Erik rolled his eyes. "And a Happy New Year."#

"Right this way, my dear," he said, smiling his best as he appeared at her side and took up her hand gently.

To say he felt rude for sweeping her away from the Christmas Eve masked ball upstairs would be a complete inaccuracy. She carried a beautiful mask in her hand, shimmering silver in his dark tunnels, and, if he had been young and naive still, he would have imagined her his mother's ghost, draped in all of heaven's finery. Besides, all there was up there was drunken drivel and that cacophony they called music. He was really doing her a favour.

Christine Daae, radiant in her new gown and recently curled hair, seemed to have grown used to trekking five stories below her usual, Parisian ground.

"I'm only here on the promise of that Christmas turkey," she teased, following him through the tunnels - at least, he hoped she was teasing. Even now, even after forty years of needing to be able to tell exactly what people were thinking and when, he still found himself unsure of Miss Daae's feelings; did she like his little jokes? Did she find him courteous or just downright strange? Was she be disgusted with his reasons for hiding away - he would be, if he were in her shoes.

And yet she took his arm every time and let him wander through the Jardin de Luxembourg with her or take her out in a borrowed carriage through the Bois de Boulogne, each time under the cover of inky darkness, which she'd been wary of at first but soon come to associate with her Maestro's bashful and introverted nature.

He'd learned rather quickly that she was never convinced of his borrowing that carriage, but he couldn't very well tell her that the former manager of the opera house she worked in, his father no less - come now, he wasn't blind. Hideous, maybe, but blind? - wouldn't really mind if they returned the horses and carriage in tiptop condition.

"And a turkey you will have," he promised, unlocking the dining room door, the same door he'd led her through a month ago - only a month? It felt like a lifetime. She grinned, sweet and girlish and like Christine, and he let her in first. "Cloak?"

She undid it and handed it back to him.

For a moment, a moment he barely thought he'd survive, his fingers brushed over hers. Even through his gloves, which he'd spent twenty minutes - each - fiddling with and perfecting over and over again, he felt the warmth of her hand.

It sent a shock through him, enough to snatch the cloak and murmur a shaky 'thank you' as he hung it on a cloak rack. She didn't seem to notice; was she used to this sort of behaviour? He bit his lip. Even after six months, even the slightest contact made him freeze or jolt or turn into jelly. That would need some work, he knew.

He swallowed and adjusted his cravat.

How to be a Man Infront of a Lady: Lesson One began this evening.

He seated her at the table and filled her glass to a polite amount, training his stare on it and not on the honey-sweet smile she'd taken to giving him this month, the one that usually sent him to his bed clutching a pillow and lying there in a fuzzy, dazed panic for an hour after she left. The towel came away from the turkey, leaving it shimmering in the gold aura of the candelabra beside it.

"Miss Daae," he said, seating himself across from her at the little table, smaller now with two people sitting at it; it had only been designed for one diner, but he preferred the cosy setting.

"You cooked all of this?" she asked, marvelling at the dinner he'd convinced Gerard to spend his afternoon cooking.

"Give or take," he chuckled, carving into the turkey. "And for afterwards, I've prepared a pleasant evening and an even nicer collection of Verdi and Mozart."

"And Gounod?" she pressed, forcing a whole potato into her mouth to silence her rumbling stomach.

He smiled. "And Gounod."

He stayed true to his promise and, when they had finished eating and taking turns to sing - and indeed learn, in Erik's case, when Christine sang in Swedish - some carols as they washed the crockery and cutlery, he escorted her to the music room.

She sat like a picture on the love seat, grinning across at him while he played through Silent Night, O Little Town of Bethlehem and Away in a Manger, the simplest little tunes made an angel's hymn when Christine lifted her voice and accompanied his flute.

He could have played for years if only to hear her sing those carols. But, alas, her voice soon displayed its tire after her practise and performance earlier, and Erik was no stranger to the little dips and cracks that signalled the need for rest.

He, however, after asking her to stop, played on.

That must have been how he came to realise half an hour later that Christine Daae had fallen asleep on the love seat she'd plonked herself in.

He put the flute down, hesitating. He should put her in a suitable sleeping place, surely. But to touch her, especially while she was asleep? To lift and carry her to his spare room? Promiscuous! Obscene! Ungentlemanly!

He stared at her for a moment longer, the various combinations to the puzzle ticking through his mind. Each and every one required moving her somehow; she'd form such a crick in her neck, and that wasn't fair of him.

He weighed the cost of being a good friend against the unspoken laws of society, of courtship - but wait, was he even courting her? Didn't that make this evening all the more indecent? Each and every time, he came to the same conclusion.

Surely she wouldn't mind?

In the end, he arose from his seat and pulled off his tailcoat. She was easy to move so she lay across the seat; he folded her hands to make her comfortable, but that looked rather macabre and he didn't wish to alarm her upon waking to find herself stationed like a corpse. But what else could he do without awakening her?

Gently, he set his coat over her, taking care to remove the little dagger he kept in an inner pocket. His fingers twitched to push the few strands of hair away from her nose, but he didn't allow it. He wouldn't touch her any more than he had to to make her comfortable. Then he wouldn't have to overstep any very serious boundaries and also be a good person.

He was a genius.

Christmas, he thought, shutting the door behind him quietly and tiptoeing away to find a proper blanket, had never really been celebrated in his world, especially not down here, not after his poor, beloved mother passed on. Of course, Erik had seen, and indeed, in his younger, more rebellious years, joined - although he was always scolded for it afterwards - the Christmas Bal Masques Gerard had organised, but as far as Christmas went, that was about it.

Even then, it had always been Up There, out of his reach and dangled like a carrot in front of a beach donkey. Over the years, he must have seen the holiday as more of an annoying séance of poorly sung carols and drunkenness, opportunity enough to play silly little tricks - usually with mirrors and lights or whatever his fancy was at the time - and get away with them for the most part.

But this year, he decided as he found his best blanket and hurried back to the music room, was different. Decidedly different.

That was because, when he looked inside, Christine Daae was awake and smiling at him.

Suddenly, those simple Christmas carols, even the beautiful Swedish ones he often times couldn't wrap his soft-speaking, French tongue around, became the heights of musical perfection, and their authors masters of their craft.

[romancedawg]

follow me on spotify!

individual playlists: current buns - my mostly updated playlist with my current favourites retro rave - bops from the past (70s, 80s) background ballads - music to talk over and talk about  gym bangers - workout playlist (mostly rap and hip hop) morning symphonies - music to boost my positivity for the day sandbox sonnets - my childhood in over 48 hours  mojito anthems - a swedish college party soundtrack the shower show - well, i sing in the shower. this is the setlist motivational majors - when i need a motivational boost, i turn to this playlist broadway baritones - my favourite broadway pieces  movie melodies - my favourite movie soundtrack pieces  my audiography - wanna get to know me? this is it boyband bops - from backstreet boys to one direction road rhapsodies - give me the aux femme falsettos - god is a woman, and she can fucking sing humanist hymns - the most important playlist in the world guilty pleasures - well, the title is self-explanatory  summer serenades - swedish summers nights rule winter walz - christmas playlist basically hufflepuff harmonies - my hogwarts house, enough said archive arpeggios - i never delete a song, if i am tired of it or don’t know where to put it, it goes in the “recycling bin” for future listens.  stockholm sonnets - songs in swedish paris pitch - songs in french tokyo tunes - songs in japanese  rome ranges - songs in italian reykjavik rythms - songs in icelandic london live - british songs torrevieja tracks - songs in spanish 

[mariaslozak]

In Finland, Saint Lucia's Day has been celebrated for around two hundred years, mainly in Swedish-speaking areas. In the early days it was treated as a more general feast of light and frequently associated with end-of-school-semester festivities. The first record of the inclusion of an actual Lucia maiden appears to come from an all-girls’ school in Turku in 1898 – incidentally, the same one my grandmother later attended!

While a national Lucia has been elected by the public since 1949, Lucia is a beloved tradition that is celebrated in nearly every level of society: in homes, kindergartens, schools, nursing homes, various organisations, parishes, and provinces. Thus, countless children, teenagers, and young (and occasionally old) women have at some point worn a candle crown, real or battery-powered, or a simple wreath tied from glitter garland. In the pitch dark of a Nordic winter morning, this bringer of light and joy carries a lit candle in her hand as she spreads a message of hope through the Sankta Lucia-song (in which, by the way, she is called a “priestess” and “the bride of Christmas”) and perhaps a Christmas hymn or two, either to drowsily smiling family members or, later in the day, to appreciative wider audiences. The effect in a darkened hall as Lucia and her attendants solemnly glide in, softly singing, can be surprisingly emotional... as teary eyes, sniffles, and furtively-applied handkerchiefs testify when the lights are switched on again. Breakfast or coffee and cake follows, with special, saffron-flavoured, ornately-twisted buns called lussebullar or lussekatter taking pride of place on the table.

Being a national event more or less religious in nature, Finland’s official Lucia is crowned in Helsinki’s Lutheran Cathedral in the evening on the 13th of December. At the conclusion of the hour-long ceremony, she and her attendants file down the lantern-lit cathedral steps – very cautiously, because while the long staircase has been scrubbed free of ice, it’s quite steep – to the Senate Square below. Here a torch-lit procession awaits, including a horse-drawn carriage for Lucia and a pair of attendants. Escorted by the capital’s Mounted Police and accompanied by representatives of the Red Cross, the Scouts, and many other institutions and groups, the parade then proceeds through the brightly-lit, Christmas-decorated city centre.

The national Lucia is a charity-focussed position and thus she commits to a winter of about a hundred official visits to the most vulnerable in society, notably the very young, the elderly, and the ill. The intent is to bring compassionate attention to various social welfare and healthcare issues. Each year during December and January the official Lucia campaign collects donations for a specific cause: currently, struggling young families with children. Last year, donations reached a record-high volume. It was also the year that saw a Finnish Lucia of Colombian heritage front the campaign.

I thought I’d post this bit about Saint Lucia’s Day traditions in Finland since the meaningfulness of this heritage and its message of social responsibility, of caring and kindness, sometimes seems to get lost in the notion that the whole Lucia-the-Lightbringer thing is merely a quaint solstice-related eccentricity from Sweden. Yet the Feast of Lucia (Lucy) is, of course, a festival that is celebrated to different degrees and with varying traditions in several different countries.

Image: Finland’s Lucia 2018, Elin Qvist, and her attendants in Helsinki Cathedral by Jessica Lillkull, Instagram.

[frighthouseofalighthouse]

All weird asks!! They're so good!

Sorry this is a bit late, babe! I wanted to wait til I had the opportunity to answer all these uninterrupted!

1. coffee mugs, teacups, wine glasses, water bottles, or soda cans?

Coffee mugs! tbh I drink tea out of coffee mugs because who actually uses teacups? I mean my grandma has tons and I would use them, but the handles are so tiny and I am v clumsy so it scares me.

2. chocolate bars or lollipops?

Chocolate bars!!! I’m too impatient for lollipops and plus they always get coated in saliva which just...drips down my chin since my mouth is already full.

3. bubblegum or cotton candy?

Bubblegum! I love cotton candy but I can only handle a bit at a time tbh. Also I haven’t had bubblegum in almost two years bc of braces and I miss it so much I can’t wait to have it again.

4. how did your elementary school teachers describe you?

Okay, so even though I’ve always been homeschooled, when I was in elementary school we did this program with a ton of other homeschoolers where you could take actual classes and stuff. My teachers always said I was quiet and focused and studious, and you could always count on me to be lecturing everyone else on the instructions if they hadn’t been paying attention. (does any of that surprise anyone?)

5. do you prefer to drink soda from soda cans, soda bottles, plastic cups or glass cups? GLASS SODA BOTTLES. nothing beats soda that’s been bottled in glass rather than plastic. You ever had orange cream soda from a glass bottle????? SLAPS ASS MY DUDE.

6. pastel, boho, tomboy, preppy, goth, grunge, formal or sportswear?

Pastel/boho/preppy/goth, my dude. I have so many sides to my fashion and aesthetic.

7. earbuds or headphones?

EARBUDS BC HEADPHONES NEVER FIT OVER MY EARS RIGHT. BUT EARBUDS WITH SOFT TIPS BECAUSE MY EARS ARE TOO SMALL FOR THE PLASTIC ONES.

8. movies or tv shows?

Tv shows tbh because even though I can binge 4 eps of 45 minutes each per night, they’ll hold my attention a lot more than a movie. It’s weird.

9. favorite smell in the summer?

Thunderstorms/petrichor, also natural bogs. PEAT BOG SMELL FUCKING SLAPS.

10. game you were best at in p.e.?

None. I liked trampoline time back when we took gymnastics, if that counts. I also liked jump roping and Irish step dancing.

11. what you have for breakfast on an average day?

Nothing lmao. I sleep til like noon and then I microwave something for lunch.

12. name of your favorite playlist?

My catchall playlist, Things I Love, my summer playlist, Summer Songs, my Gryffindor playlist, My Queen And Country playlist for writing, and my playlist for The Raven Cycle. (after I post this I’ll edit it and link them)

13. lanyard or key ring?

Keyring, a lanyard would like constantly detract from my outfit if that makes sense???

14. favorite non-chocolate candy?

Sour Patch Kids or Swedish Fish.

15. favorite book you read as a school assignment?

Between The Grapes Of Wrath, The Great Gatsby, The Handmaid’s Tale, and To Kill A Mockingbird!

16. most comfortable position to sit in?

Just fucking sprawled every which way.

17. most frequently worn pair of shoes?

My grey converse if it’s comfortable out, my silver flip flops if it’s hot, and my fur-lined black combat boots if it’s cold.

18. ideal weather?

65-70 degrees, partly sunny, breezy, not humid.

19. sleeping position?

I need to sprawl to fall asleep, but once I’m asleep I curl up into a little ball.

20. preferred place to write (i.e., in a note book, on your laptop, sketchpad, post-it notes, etc.)?

Laptop and notebook ONLY IF I’m sure of myself, which isn’t often. But I do write dense, scribbled paragraphs on sermon note pages if something comes to me during church lmao.

21. obsession from childhood?

The American Revolution, weather, astronomy, and mysteries/ghost stories.

22. role model?

Idk tbh? Lately I’m just trying to define and live up to my own standards?

23. strange habits?

Pulling the collar of my shirt up to my mouth and sucking on it. Also being a perfectionist in my writing. I don’t do messy drafts. It’s all perfect by the time I write it, and I edit/spellcheck as I go.

24. favorite crystal?

Amethyst (my birthstone), bismuth, opal, and blue goldstone.

25. first song you remember hearing?

Other than nursery rhymes/kid’s songs, it was Light Up The Sky by The Afters, or California Dreamin’ by The Mamas And The Papas.

26. favorite activity to do in warm weather?

Find shade/a cool spot and read with a cold drink.

27. favorite activity to do in cold weather?

ALSO READ. And snuggle with thick socks and a cup of tea and play DS games all day.

28. five songs to describe you?

My five faves atm -

I Am Here // Pink

The Pines // Roses and Revolutions

Soldier, Poet, King // The Oh Hellos

Traveler’s Song // Aviators

Hymn // Kesha

29. best way to bond with you?

Share my interests about politics, history, books, true crime, paranormal, tv shows, and also be kind and understanding when I don’t text for long periods bc I don’t feel up to talking.

30. places that you find sacred?

The woods on the hill behind my house. Dense, deeply green, secluded woods. Hedge mazes. Old and crumbling castles. Anywhere beneath a clear sky and a full moon. Your heart when you’ve come to terms with your fears and made peace with yourself. Anyplace with historical significance. Bookstores on an autumn/winter day. Libraries.

31. what outfit do you wear to kick ass and take names?

A kickass plaid, bruh. Also my leather jacket - once I lose enough shoulder weight to fit in it again.

32. top five favorite vines?

Fre shavoc ado, the one where the dog eats the butterfly, the Lin-Manuel Miranda one where he’s brainstorming, “what the FUCK kind of weather is this, and the dad and son with the saxophone and the oven door.

33. most used phrase in your phone?

“oh mood”

34. advertisements you have stuck in your head?

“WOW! It’s NatureStone!”

35. average time you fall asleep?

Right now it’s 4-5 am because I suck.

36. what is the first meme you remember ever seeing?

I Can Haz Cheezburger, My mom used to look at the website with me when I was like 10.

37. suitcase or duffel bag?

They both have pros and cons. :/ Duffel bags are easier to carry but suitcases keep stuff from getting broken better.

38. lemonade or tea?

TEAAAAAAAAAAAA

39. lemon cake or lemon meringue pie?

Lemon meringue pie!!! my stepdad made a really good one the other week.

40. weirdest thing to ever happen at your school?

Nothing, since I was homeschooled. Same weird shit that always happens at home. Our safe word for when I got overwhelmed in math was “quokka” and we’d stop and look at cute quokka pictures.

41. last person you texted?

My gf :)

42. jacket pockets or pants pockets?

Jacket pockets because things are not only hard to fit in girls’ pants pockets, but if you put a chapstick/lipstick in there it starts to melt :(

43. hoodie, leather jacket, cardigan, jean jacket or bomber jacket?

BETWEEN HOODIE AND CARDIGAN. SO VERSATILE. SO COMFY.

44. favorite scent for soap?

Irish Spring soap or the blue Dial bars smells better and cleaner than anything to me.

45. which genre: sci-fi, fantasy or superhero?

Fantasy. It can take me a bit to get into it, but once I do, I love it. I only do sci-fi if it has rebellion and isn’t heavy on the sci. And superhero movies are great but a lot of the tropes are meh. Fantasy has a lot more versatility if you ask me.

46. most comfortable outfit to sleep in?

Sweatpants/leggings and a soft, well worn tee.

47. favorite type of cheese?

Parmesan, white cheddar, or Muenster.

48. if you were a fruit, what kind would you be?

Raspberry!

49. what saying or quote do you live by?

“do no harm but take no shit.”

50. what made you laugh the hardest you ever have?

A really poorly edited political ad on tv a couple years ago. There was weird jazz playing, flames in the background of an image of the Capitol Building, and then the top of the dome opened and this guy’s face was inside. It is the single funniest ad I have ever seen and I laughed for 10 minutes so hard I was like an inch away from passing out.

51. current stresses?

Passing my driving test next month, getting a job, figuring out if my math skills are okay enough to take the SAT or an equivalent test.

52. favorite font?

Baskerville or Georgia!

53. what is the current state of your hands?

My fingernails are short bc I picked them while reading earlier, my cuticles suck bc I pick at those two, and my pinky is obliterated and scabbed because of when I accidentally sliced through the nail with a razor while shaving the other day. So, not great, but I’m living.

54. what did you learn from your first job?

That kids can be really annoying but also really cute and hilarious if you can get them to calm down. And also that baby fingernails are surprisingly sharp.

55. favorite fairy tale?

The OG Princess and the Frog where it’s implied the prince and “faithful Henry,’ his carriage driver, fall in love and ride off together at the end. JACOB AND WILHELM GRIMM SAID GAY RIGHTS.

56. favorite tradition?

Every December, my mom and I drive around after dark at night and I play Pokemon and we rate everyone’s Christmas decorations based on tackiness.

57. the three biggest struggles you’ve overcome?

So isolated I was as a preteen/early teenager, my self harm, and the internalized anger over my abusive relationship and PTSD.

58. four talents you’re proud of having?

Writing, puzzle solving, singing, and calligraphy.

59. if you were a video game character, what would your catchphrase be?

“Benvoli-no.” (I recently remembered I used to say that a lot and I need to bring it back)

60. if you were a character in an anime, what kind of anime would you want it to be?

Dark, fairy tale anime with a lot of secrets to uncover and some dark woods.

61. favorite line you heard from a book/movie/tv show/etc.?

TV show - “I am the Bad Wolf. I create myself.” - Doctor Who

Movie - “It’s not about deserve. It’s about what you believe. And I believe in love.” - Wonder Woman

Book - “If you never saw the stars, candles were enough.” - The Dream Thieves, by Maggie Stiefvater

62. seven characters you relate to?

Dean Winchester - Supernatural

Sam Winchester - Supernatural

Jack Kline Winchester - Supernatural

Charlie Bradbury - Supernatural

Gansey - The Raven Cycle

Blue Sargent - The Raven Cycle

Hermione Granger - Harry Potter

63. five songs that would play in your club?

Final Song // MO

Call Home // Heathers

I Am Here // Pink

Babylon // 5 Seconds of Summer

Shake It Off // Taylor Swift

64. favorite website from your childhood?

WEBKINZ AND THE OLD AMERICAN GIRL WEBSITE

65. any permanent scars?

Yes, I have several that remain from self harm, scars all over my left knee from being a clumsy child, and most of all a major scar down the center of my chest from heart surgery when I was a baby.

66. favorite flower(s)?

Rose, lavender, lilac, and dahlia.

67. good luck charms?

Not really???

68. worst flavor of any food or drink you’ve ever tried?

Olives, mushrooms, radishes, cottage cheese, and ranch dressing are all foul.

69. a fun fact that you don’t know how you learned?

Martin Luther didn’t actually nail his 95 theses to the church door, he just kind of passed them around, which is a lot less dramatic tbh. Also light-up signs were first used in New York City in 1884.

70. left or right handed?

I’m left-handed!

71. least favorite pattern?

I think zebra stripes, leopard print, and houndstooth are super ugly.

72. worst subject?

Math for sure. Even science would be easier if it didn’t involve so much math.

73. favorite weird flavor combo?

Wendy’s fries and chocolate frosty!!!

74. at what pain level out of ten (1 through 10) do you have to be at before you take an advil or ibuprofen?

I think a 7, usually. My pain tolerance is pretty high because of a) years of self harm, and b) due to my PTSD my muscles are constantly tense and in pain anyway.

75. when did you lose your first tooth?

I was 4, and it had been loose but it fell out when I was trying to blow up an inflatable ball.

76. what’s your favorite potato food (i.e. tater tots, baked potatoes, fries, chips, etc.)?

Fries or roasted potatoes that are charred and crunchy on the bottom. Chips are a close third.

77. best plant to grow on a windowsill?

Idk, my grandma’s the one with the green thumb mania lmao. But She keeps a lot of violets and arrowhead plants in the windowsills!

78. coffee from a gas station or sushi from a grocery store?

NEITHER I HATE BOTH COFFEE AND SUSHI IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES.

79. which looks better, your school id photo or your driver’s license photo?

Never had a school ID, but my temporary license photo is actually pretty good right now!

80. earth tones or jewel tones?

I really like earth tones for myself.

81. fireflies or lightning bugs?

THEY ARE THE SAME MF THING. Also I call them both, it just depends on what comes out of my mouth haha.

82. pc or console?

PC, I guess, though I don’t really game. I just watch my stepdad game.

83. writing or drawing?

WRITING. I cannot draw to save my life.

84. podcasts or talk radio?

Podcasts, talk radio is so annoying.

84. barbie or polly pocket?

Barbie, although I loved both.

85. fairy tales or mythology?

Mythology I guess??? Although again, I love both.

86. cookies or cupcakes?

COOKIESSSSS

87. your greatest fear?

Rejection, losing people I love, people secretly hating me. Also drowning, spiders, clowns, and guns.

88. your greatest wish?

To be a semi-successful author and work in a library/museum.

89. who would you put before everyone else?

My mom and my gf.

90. luckiest mistake?

Almost dropping a knife blade first on my foot but it landed between my toes.

91. boxes or bags?

um boxes I guess? I’m really good at fitting things in tetris style.

92. lamps, overhead lights, sunlight or fairy lights?

FAIRY LIGHTS AND DIM YELLOW LAMPS.

93. nicknames?

Ell, Alexander, Ellie, Little Lion, and Nerd.

94. favorite season?

FALL FALL FALL FALL

95. favorite app on your phone?

Tumblr or Spotify. Two apps I couldn’t live without.

96. desktop background?

97. how many phone numbers do you have memorized?

About a half dozen. Mine, my mom’s, my stepdad’s, my grandparents’ home number, my grandpa’s, and my grandma’s.

98. favorite historical era?

Both the American Revolutionary period and the Victorian Era (esp in Britain)

THANK YOU LOVE THIS WAS SUPER FUN

[bearmountains]

Today I buried my father.

After a long time of severe sickness, his body had nothing more to give. He passed away september 27th.

When I first got the call from his wife, I somewhat knew. I cried, as you do, for hours, days and weeks. But still I didn’t understand it. Or more like I didn’t believe in it.

I was so afraid of this day. Afraid of losing control over myself. Afraid of suddenly realize everything. But nothing. I cried, it all burst when they played the song I requested. An old swedish tune he used to sing for me as kid. A very sweet and fond memory of mine.

When walking to the casket to lay my flowers on it, I whispered something like ”what a damn mess”, meaning life in general, and ”farewell for now”. Than we sat down again, people sang their hymns, I stared into thin air.

When the funeral was over and people were leaving for some food afterwards, I stood in front of him for a short while, while my mother and sisters (it’s not their dad though) stood behind me holding my back, and I squeeked out a tiny, final ”sleep tight, pops”. And so we left to meet up with the others again.

I really feel like the funeral went so beautifully. I’m very happy with it. But I still don’t understand a god damn thing about all this.

He won’t call me on my 30th birthday this year. I won’t call him on his 70th the next. We won’t see each other this christmas. We won’t see each other in this life ever again. Because my old man is no longer here with us.

I’m tearing up as I’m writing. I guess that’s what I do to deal with things, I write. So here we are. And I do hope he see’s me trying, fighting and that I’m not giving up all though it may seem like it from time to time.

I’m grateful, I’m hurt, I’m furious, I’m glad, I’m empty and filled with love. Everything at once. And I guess that’s alright. I actually just wish I could understand this. It’s all so unfair.

I beg for you to help me through this shit called life. I hope you’re riding all the motorbikes you’ve ever dreamed of wherever you are. And I know, you never have to feel pain ever again.

Sleep tight, pops.

I love you.

Your son

Tobias

[drev-the-ambassador]

EDIT: I don’t know if it’s just me, but the pictures in this post didn’t seem to be working properly on the mobile app at first. If the pictures are all over the place and don’t seem to be getting back to normal, you might have better luck trying the web page version!

So, in case no one noticed, I haven’t made a post in a looong time. That is due to a combination of a crappy computer, lack of time and also a bit of laziness. Originally I wanted to make this post the first post on the blog, but that didn’t end up happening. While trying to answer one sports-related ask I, seeing as the post was taking forever since I had to do a lot of research and on top of that, I had to write in proper sentences, I decided it would probably be for the best to make a quick post, a list perhaps, of some basic things about Finland. So I did. It’s this post. The reason it has taken me so long to get this done is that originally I also had a history portion, but it ended up making the post too long. I then decided it would be better to make that into its own post, so I settled on making a condensed version on this one. 

Turns out, condensing 800 years of history into one post and keeping it at a reasonable length is not such an easy task. Huh, who would’ve thought? That means that you’ll be getting THREE separate posts about general Finnish history! Awesome right?

Anyway, this is not that post. This is just some basic stuff, and pictures. So, without further ado:

Some basic things about Finland

Name of the country: Suomen tasavalta (the Republic of Finland)

Location: Fennoscandia (not Scandinavia!!), Northern Europe

Edit made by me (as you can see from the top notch quality), but the map is from here Neighboring countries: Norway to the north, Sweden to the west, Estonia to the south on the other side of the Gulf of Finland, Russia to the east.

Official languages: Finnish and Swedish (technically Finland Swedish) Minority languages (mentioned in the law): Karelian, Northern Sami, Skolt Sami, Inari Sami, Finnish Romani, Finnish Sign Language and Finland Swedish Sign Language.

Languages with the most speakers: 1st: Finnish (4 865 628 people/88,7% of total population[as of 2015]) 2nd: Swedish (290 161/5,3%[2015]) 3rd: Russian (~75 000[as of March of 2017, same with the ones below]) 4th: Estonian (~49 500) 5th: Arabic (~21 700) 6th: Somali (~19 000) 7th: English (~18 500)

President: Sauli Niinistö, 12th president of Finland. in 2018 there’ll be a new presidential election, but he’s running for president again, and there’s quite a good chance he’ll get elected again.

Here’s our current president with his wife Jenni Haukio and their dog, Lennu, the first dog of Finland.

Currency: Euro since 2002. From 1860 until 2002 Finland had it’s own currency, markka. 1 euro is approximately 6 markkas.

Population: 5 503 297 as of 2016

Population density: 16/km2

Size: Area: 338 424 km2 Length: ~ 1 200 km Width: ~ 550 km

Number of lakes: 187 888

Number of islands: 179 584

Religion: 72,0 % Evangelical Lutheran 1,1 % Orthodox Christian 1,6 % other 25,3 % none

Important holidays: Vappu 1.5. Juhannus 20.6.-26.6. on a Saturday Itsenäisyyspäivä (Independence day) 6.12. Joulu (Christmas) 24.12. is celebrated more than 25.12. Uudenvuodenaatto (New Year’s eve) 31.12.

Other holidays: Laskiainen (Shrove Tuesday) Seven weeks before Easter. Pyhäinmiestenpäivä (All Saints’ Day) 31.10.-6.11. on a Saturday, NOT Halloween, we don’t celebrate it here. Pääsiäinen (Easter) The same time it’s celebrated elsewhere. Ruotsalaisuuden päivä (Finnish Swedish Heritage Day) 6.11. Äitienpäivä (Mother’s day) Celebrated on the second Sunday of May. Isänpäivä (Father’s day) Celebrated on the second Sunday of November, exactly half a year after Mother’s day.

Can you drink the tap water: Yes.

Number of saunas: 2 million - 3,2 million

Number of dogs: around 500 000 pure breeds, mixed breeds not included

Finland’s national

...anthem: Maamme, Vårt land in Swedish, Our Land in English. Composed by Fredrik Pacius, words written (first in Swedish) by J. L. Runeberg. It was performed for the first time in 1846. The Finnish translation is what made it become the national anthem, even though for a long time Finnish wasn’t even an official language in Finland. 

...flag: A blue Nordic cross on a white background, the State flag also has the Coat of Arms of Finland in the middle. 

...Coat of Arms: A golden crowned lion on a red background, standing on it’s hind legs, with it’s other armored front leg holding a sword, trampling a saber, with nine silver roses just kinda floating around. See for yourself.

...day: 6th of December, our Independence day.

...epic: Kalevala, published in 1835, made by Elias Lönnrot, who collected old poems and songs from Karjala (Karelia) and compiled them into one book. Kalevala has inspired many artists in Finland and abroad, one example being J.R.R. Tolkien. Kalevala has been translated into 61 languages, so you can probably give it a read if you’d like. (source)

...instrument: Kantele. (source)

...personification: Suomi-neito, the Finnish Maiden. Yes, we have an official personification as well.

...animal: A bear. It was a holy animal in Finnish paganism, so much so that it was forbidden to say its name out loud. To this day, we don’t know what the real, original word for bear in Finnish was. It had a lot of names that were used instead. The word we use today, karhu, comes from the word “karhea”, which means like, rough? It’s because of the texture of the bear’s fur. (source)

...fish: Ahven, European perch. Beautiful, isn’t it? (source)

....bird: Laulujoutsen, which is by the way a much prettier name than whooper swan (sorry English). Laulujoutsen literally means “song swan”. (source)

...bug: Leppäkerttu, a ladybug. Funny thing, you know how it’s called like a God’s cow in some languages? Well, the Finnish name, leppäkerttu OR the more specific species seitsenpistepirkko, are literally translated as “alder-Kerttu” and “seven-dotted- Pirkko”, Kerttu and Pirkko being Finnish names for women. What a weird name. ALSO, one of the gods pagan Finns worshipped was called Ukko, and it is commonly believed that he was the highest of all the Finnish gods. A ladybug, back then, was called ukonlehmä. You know what that means? Ukko’s cow. (source)

...horse: Suomenhevonen, Finnhorse, literally “horse of Finland”. It was, for a long time, the only horse breed in Finland. It’s apparently considered one of the fastest and most versatile coldblood breeds in the world. During WWII, the Finnish army did not have many cars, so suomenhevoset were very important back then. 7 200 horses died or went missing during the Winter War, and the horses that did survive had their minds as broken as the men they’d stayed beside. There are quite a few memorials for the horses, after all, they helped to carry the wounded when no other vehicle could. We owe them a lot. 

This is one of those memorials. It’s called Suomenhevonen - Sotahevonen, which means basically “the Finnhorse - a war horse”. (no relation to the movie)

....dog: Suomenpystykorva, the Finnish Spitz, yes, we did need our national dog, who doesn’t??? Written mentions of a barking hunting dogs with red fur have survived from the end of the 19th century, but dogs very closely resembling the breed have been used for hunting in Finland for hundreds of years. (source)

...tree: Rauduskoivu, silver birch. (picture by me)

...flower: Kielo, Lily of the valley. (source)

...stone: Graniitti, granite. It’s the most common type of stone in Finland, and it’s been mined here even to be exported. For example, the pillars of Saint Isaac’s Cathedral in St. Petersburg were made of Finnish granite. And, of course, so was Finland’s Parliament House in Helsinki. There’s even a type of granite that has a Finnish name, rapakivi granite.

...poet: Johan Ludwig Runeberg (1804-1877). The words of our national anthem were made by him, and he wrote a collection of poems, called Vänrikki Stoolin tarinat, The Tales of Ensign Stål, an epic poem about the Finnish War of 1808-1809, a work of literature second to only Kalevala. He was already considered a great man (suurmies) before his death, and Runebergin päivä, Runeberg day, is celebrated on February 5th. 

...composer: Jean Sibelius (1865-1957). Composed such little pieces as Finlandia (which was once suggested as the anthem for the whole world), the Karelia Suite, his seven symphonies, Valse triste, and many more. Finlandia is perhaps the best known out of all of them, especially the Finlandia Hymn. It is very beautiful, I agree. Here’s a link, go have a listen if you have time.

...author: Aleksis Kivi. He was the first professional Finnish author. He is the best known for his novel Seitsemän veljestä, Seven Brothers. He also wrote plays and poetry. Oh, yes, I should probably mention that this first professional Finnish author lived in 1834-1872. No, we haven’t been writing books here for very long. There are no photos of him, but there’s this drawing by Albert Edelfelt.

...saint: Piispa Henrik, or Henry, Bishop of Finland. He was murdered here in 1156. Maybe. He might’ve not existed, no one knows for sure.

...satu: See, the word “satu” technically means a fairytale, but some stories that are called a satu in Finnish don’t actually have that much magic stuff, you know? For example this one, that I swear I saw being called Finland’s national “fairytale”, but if it’s not, that’s fine, because it’s still a very well known tale in Finland. It’s called Koivu ja tähti, which means the Birch and the Star. It’s about two children, who were taken from their parents and from their home to Russia during the Russian occupation of Finland called “Isoviha”, or the Great Hatred. A lot of people died, okay, I’ll talk about it later in the history post. Anyway, the siblings, a boy and a girl, who want to return back home to Finland. However, the only thing they remember of their home is the big birch tree growing outside, and how a star always shone through the branches in the evening. They start making their way home, with only two birds leading their way, and after a year find their home and their parents, still alive. However, their two sisters had died while they were away, so the children realize that the two birds were actually the souls of their siblings leading them back home. This was based on the story of the author’s, Sakari Topelius’, great-grandfather Kristoffer Toppelius’ life, as he was taken to Russia as a slave, but after escaping and following the sunset he eventually found his way to Southern Finland. 

But yeah, that’s about it. In our brand new series (that I came up with while making this post), “Some basic stuff about Finland”, the next part will be about the years Finland was a part of Sweden! Material for tons of fanfics y’all

I hope you enjoyed the read! Sorry that it took so long!