If you visit Finland on December 6th on any given and go out for a walk in the evening after around 8pm, you will notice that the streets will be rather empty. Admittedly, Finnish streets are quite empty on most days but there is a special reason why most people spend their Independence Day evenings at home: television.
What Are Finns Watching on TV on Independence Day?
Independence Day parades, candles in windows, Finnish flags and the national hymn are all a vital part of the Finnish Independence Day, but the real highlight for many a Finn comes in the evening. That’s when over 2,00,000 Finns gather by their TVs to sit and watch the live broadcast of the Presidential Independence Day reception on YLE (the Finnish Broadcasting Company) where the President of Finland together with his/her spouse welcomes around 2,000 invited guests at the Presidential Palace.
Watching people greet the Presidential couple and analyzing handshakes, dresses, color choices and various quirks of the guests is something that Finns have come to do ever since the live broadcasts from the reception became a regular thing in the 1980s. To foreigners who find this tradition a bit strange: it’s not weird, it’s quirky đ
The Build-Up To the Independence Day Reception at the Presidential Palace Starts Weeks Earlier
Finnish media covers the Presidential Independence Day reception extensively on December 6th, but Finns read about celebrities who have been invited and their plans already weeks before the actual day. Typically, these news stories center around what people intend to wear: Finnish designers and seamstresses are always VERY busy around Christmas and not one Independence Day goes by without a thrilling story about how last minute changes were made to a dress or a suit. In 2023, a popular story just days before Independence Day centered around the fact that Finnish Member of Parliament Mika Poutala actually sews his wife’s dress. You can see the video of him doing it in the X (previously Twitter) post below.
Another typical topic covered by the Finnish media during this time focuses on the invitees: who was – and who wasn’t – invited to the reception. Pitting people and their accomplishments against each other makes is not exactly fair, but who doesn’t like a little drama?
Who Is Invited to Presidential Independence Day Reception?
The invitees could be organized in two categories: those invited due to their status (Members of Parliament, diplomats, bishops, Finnish university rectors etc.), and those invited for their achievements.
Invitations are annually extended to various distinguished individuals, including members of the Council of State, Members of Parliament, diplomats, and Finnish representatives in the European Parliament. High-ranking ecclesiastical figures like bishops, along with chancellors and rectors of Finnish universities, are also on the guest list. Additionally, top military officials and senior members of the judiciary are invited. Regular invitees also encompass former presidents, prime ministers, and past speakers of the parliament.
The ones who are invited for their achievements, however, are not told why they were invited but in a majority of cases these people have accomplished something special in the last year. For instance, in sports World champions and European champions often have a good chance of being invited. In arts, winners of prestigious awards or authors of highly popular and highly-regarded books typically feature among the invitees. Successful entrepreneurs, business leaders, media representatives, young achievers and sometimes even ordinary citizens who have achieved something remarkable are also invited.
What is the Live Broadcast Like?
In a nutshell, most of the live broadcast centers around the Presidential couple shaking hands with guests. In 2022, a highlight for many watchers was seeing two Finnish adjutants regularly apply hand sanitizer to the President of Finland and his wife.
@helsinginsanomat "Välikäsidesi" ei unohtunut Linnan juhlien kättelyssä. #helsinginsanomat #linnanjuhlat #itsenäisyyspäivä ⏠original sound – Helsingin Sanomat HS
Since most people wouldn’t recognize even half of the invitees, well-prepared commentators are needed. Thanks to YLE’s expert commentators, people watching the live broadcast at home learn who is shaking hands with whom and why they probably have been invited (cultural figure, sports personality, business person, winner of an award etc.)
In the Spotlight: Fancy Dresses (and Suits)
As you can imagine, the Independence Day Reception has a fairly strict dress code. Women should wear so-called evening dresses and men a tailcoat or a dark suit (tuxedos are NOT allowed). Every year, a part of the allure is to watch who pushes the envelope the most. The Independence Day Reception has seen some quite imaginative dresses in recent years and you can be sure that these are discussed around coffee tables everywhere in Finland on the following day.
In media, articles with pictures of the most beautiful dresses (and/or women) always top the most-read lists and people are given the chance to vote on their favorite dresses of the evening.
Also men can be given extra attention in the media if they wear something less orthodox.
@iltalehti Balettitanssija Atte Kilpinen ja kansanedustaja Jaana Pelkonen edustivat Linnan juhlissa pinkeissä puvuissa. đ Puvut ovat Teemu Muurimäen suunnittelemia. #iltalehti #linnanjuhlat #attekilpinen #juhlapuku #jaanapelkone #teemumuurimäki #itsenäisyyspäivä ⏠alkuperäinen ääni – Iltalehti
Finally, here’s what Sanna Marin looked like at the Independence Day Reception in 2022.
@linnanjuhlissa Sanna Marin, 2022 #linnanjuhlat #fry ⏠yes to heaven – đĽ đ¨ đŻ đ đ˛ đ¨ đŽ
Why Are Finns Watching the Independence Day Reception In Such Big Numbers?
In 2018, almost half of the population of Finland watched the Independence Day Reception. Clearly, this means that Finns find it meaningful and interesting. Why exactly people like it is perhaps a mystery, but it might be related to the fact that ordinary (uninvited) people get a rare shot at being the fly on the wall, watching the “crème de la crème” of Finland from the comfort of their homes. Also, as interesting as it may be to watch the stars and the beautiful dresses, many people actually take more pleasure in seeing famous people inadvertently break etiquette rules and, say, step on someone’s dress or just act clumsily or inappropriately one way or another. After all, toisen epäonni on toisen onni (“One person’s misfortune is another person’s luck”)
What do you think about this Finnish Independence Day tradition? Does it feel intriguing or weird? Leave us a comment.