In which country is Santa called joulupukki. What is the name of Finnish Santa Claus?

The tradition of celebrating the New Year on a grand scale exists in every country, because this holiday brings with it not only hope for a bright future, but also unites all peoples, creating a certain force that generates sincere joy and happiness in the hearts.

It is also worth noting that in almost all countries the symbol of this holiday is a special character in human form. Outwardly, they all look the same, but their names are completely different. For example, in Russia this symbol is called Father Frost, in the USA - Santa Claus, in Belarus - Dzed Maroz, in Belgium and Poland - St. Nicholas, in France - Père Noel, in Great Britain - Father of the Nativity, in the Czech Republic - Mikulas, in Slovakia – Jerzyšek, etc.

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Surely many have heard about the name of the Finnish Santa Claus, because his name is the funniest and most memorable. And it sounds like this - Joulupukki. As you know, translated from Finnish, this word means “Christmas goat.” Santa Claus received this name quite a long time ago, when the villagers of this country put on goat skins on a festive night and went from house to house, handing out gifts and tasty treats.

After people learn about the name of the Finnish Santa Claus, they immediately become interested in what exactly this fairy-tale character looks like. It is worth noting that it is practically no different from the Russian symbol of the New Year.

Read Decorating a children's room for the New Year

Joulupukki lives in a wooden house in the forest, where everything is decorated with colorful lights, tinsel and toys. He is kind and wise, likes to wear a red short fur coat and hat, he has a bushy white beard and a huge red bag in which he places all the toys and sweets for the children.

However, it is worth noting that, unlike the Russian Father Frost, Joulupukki moves not with the help of three beautiful horses, but with the help of stately and strong reindeer. They are the ones who carry him on Christmas night from one house to another. Finnish Santa Claus also has many friendly gnomes as his assistants, who work with him and collect thousands of gifts for obedient children every day.

28.12.2016

Christmas in Finland is the most important holiday, which begins to be celebrated four weeks before December 25, with various entertainment events, fairs, concerts, religious ceremonies, etc. This holiday existed in the country even before the adoption of Christianity, and subsequently changed to include more church traditions. Pagan rituals, for example, mummers going from house to house, have also been preserved. Even the Finnish Santa Claus Joulupukki is an ancient character who only in the 19th century acquired a modern human appearance, but the name remained the same and means “Christmas goat.”

The history of Joulupukki

The holiday of winter (winter solstice) Yule was celebrated in all countries of Northern Europe, which was inhabited by ancient Germanic tribes until about the 7th century. The Finns had a tradition of putting on fur coats and straw masks with horns, depicting goats (“pukki”), and walking around the farms: first, singing songs and collecting treats, then with gifts for children.

This is how the Finnish “Father Frost” appeared - the “Christmas goat” Joulupukki. Until the 19th century, he still wore a fur coat and horns turned inside out, and then he changed clothes according to the European standard - in a red caftan with a belt, a cap and boots, grew a long beard and put on fashionable glasses.

Joulupukki Residence in Lapland

Santa Claus has his own residence in Finland. It is located in Lapland, near the border with Russia. There, on Mount Korvatunturi, the top of which resembles a hare's ears, stands the house of the main winter wizard. Joulupukki lives there with his wife Muori and a team of gnome helpers. They not only help answer children’s letters and wrap gifts, but also monitor how they behave throughout the year. To do this, the gnomes make their way through underground labyrinths into the mysterious “caves of echoes” and listen intensively from there.

Joulupukki does not invite guests to this house, but he will gladly meet them in his office - the fairytale village of Joulukka near the city of Rovaniemi. Another accessible place to visit is the magical Santa Park, organized by the elves in the Arctic Circle, where the Finnish Father Frost also often visits. Muori's wife often accompanies her husband on trips. She does housework, bakes delicious gingerbread cookies, prepares porridge and wine with spices, and has her own “Gingerbread Kitchen” in Santa Park.

Rudolf the Reindeer - Joulupukki's assistant

Rudolph the Reindeer is Joulupukki's main assistant in delivering gifts around the world. But in the harness there are 7 more deer flying with him, which he, as the eldest, managed to teach his skills. Father Frost's Christmas route from Finland begins in the city of Turku, where at noon on December 24, he proclaims the beginning of the holiday near the town hall. And then he has a whole 31 hours (not 24, due to the time zone difference) to fly around all the kids on the planet.

The Finnish “Father Frost” Joulupukki does not hide from children and does not climb into the chimney at night. He simply knocks on doors and distributes gifts personally - as was the custom in ancient times.

Celebrating the New Year itself in Finland is celebrated much more modestly than Christmas. Although, the night of January 1 is the only time when everyone is allowed to set off fireworks.

Joulupukki
Joulupukki
Joulupukki on the street of Helsinki
Creator	folk art
Information
Nickname	"Christmas Goat"
View	Christmas grandfather
Floor
Citizenship	Finland Finland
Occupation	gives gifts for Christmas
Relatives	Muori(wife)

The second part of the word is pukki(goat) - comes from the old Finnish, still pagan tradition of mummers nuuttipukki and kekripukki. As Nuuttipukki, there were often young people dressed in a fur coat turned inside out, and a mask made of birch bark, depicting a horned creature according to the shamanic model. Sometimes there were two of them - one person was the head of the monster, the second represented the back part. They went around houses, giving gifts to obedient children and scaring naughty ones. From 1131 to 1708 this day was January 7, after 1708 (and now) January 13 is the name day of the male name Nutti.

Walking with a goat represents a remnant of a belief that has left numerous traces in both Western and Eastern Europe. According to the interpretation of the German mythologist Wilhelm Mannhardt (Wilhelm Mannhardt, 1831–1880), it was that the soul of the cornfield (hay harvest and plants in general) is a goat- or goat-like creature (like Faun, Silvanus), pursued by the reapers and hiding in the last uncompressed sheaf .

Place of residence

Christmas traditions in Finland

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Excerpt describing Joulupukki

Anatole turned to the Englishman and, taking him by the button of his tailcoat and looking down at him (the Englishman was short), began repeating to him the terms of the bet in English.
- Wait! - Dolokhov shouted, banging the bottle on the window to attract attention. - Wait, Kuragin; listen. If anyone does the same, then I pay one hundred imperials. Do you understand?
The Englishman nodded his head, not giving any indication as to whether he intended to accept this new bet or not. Anatole did not let go of the Englishman and, despite the fact that he nodded, letting him know that he understood everything, Anatole translated Dolokhov’s words to him in English. A young thin boy, a life hussar, who had lost that evening, climbed onto the window, leaned out and looked down.
“Uh!... uh!... uh!...” he said, looking out the window at the stone sidewalk.
- Attention! - Dolokhov shouted and pulled the officer from the window, who, entangled in his spurs, awkwardly jumped into the room.
Having placed the bottle on the windowsill so that it would be convenient to get it, Dolokhov carefully and quietly climbed out the window. Dropping his legs and leaning both hands on the edges of the window, he measured himself, sat down, lowered his hands, moved to the right, to the left and took out a bottle. Anatole brought two candles and put them on the windowsill, although it was already quite light. Dolokhov's back in a white shirt and his curly head were illuminated from both sides. Everyone crowded around the window. The Englishman stood in front. Pierre smiled and said nothing. One of those present, older than the others, with a frightened and angry face, suddenly moved forward and wanted to grab Dolokhov by the shirt.
- Gentlemen, this is nonsense; he will be killed to death,” said this more prudent man.
Anatole stopped him:
- Don’t touch him, you’ll scare him, he’ll kill himself. Eh?... What then?... Eh?...
Dolokhov turned around, straightening himself and again spreading his arms.
“If anyone else bothers me,” he said, rarely letting words slip through his clenched and thin lips, “I’ll bring him down here now.” Well!…
Having said “well”!, he turned again, let go of his hands, took the bottle and brought it to his mouth, threw his head back and threw his free hand up for leverage. One of the footmen, who began to pick up the glass, stopped in a bent position, not taking his eyes off the window and Dolokhov’s back. Anatole stood straight, eyes open. The Englishman, his lips thrust forward, looked from the side. The one who stopped him ran to the corner of the room and lay down on the sofa facing the wall. Pierre covered his face, and a weak smile, forgotten, remained on his face, although it now expressed horror and fear. Everyone was silent. Pierre took his hands away from his eyes: Dolokhov was still sitting in the same position, only his head was bent back, so that the curly hair of the back of his head touched the collar of his shirt, and the hand with the bottle rose higher and higher, shuddering and making an effort. The bottle was apparently emptied and at the same time rose, bending its head. “What’s taking so long?” thought Pierre. It seemed to him that more than half an hour had passed. Suddenly Dolokhov made a backward movement with his back, and his hand trembled nervously; this shudder was enough to move the entire body sitting on the sloping slope. He shifted all over, and his hand and head trembled even more, making an effort. One hand rose to grab the window sill, but dropped again. Pierre closed his eyes again and told himself that he would never open them. Suddenly he felt that everything around him was moving. He looked: Dolokhov was standing on the windowsill, his face was pale and cheerful.
- Empty!
He threw the bottle to the Englishman, who deftly caught it. Dolokhov jumped from the window. He smelled strongly of rum.
- Great! Well done! So bet! Damn you completely! - they shouted from different sides.
The Englishman took out his wallet and counted out the money. Dolokhov frowned and was silent. Pierre jumped onto the window.
Gentlemen! Who wants to bet with me? “I’ll do the same,” he suddenly shouted. “And there’s no need for a bet, that’s what.” They told me to give him a bottle. I'll do it... tell me to give it.
- Let it go, let it go! – said Dolokhov, smiling.
- What you? crazy? Who will let you in? “Your head is spinning even on the stairs,” they spoke from different sides.
– I’ll drink it, give me a bottle of rum! - Pierre shouted, hitting the table with a decisive and drunken gesture, and climbed out the window.
They grabbed him by the arms; but he was so strong that he pushed the one who approached him far away.
“No, you can’t persuade him like that,” said Anatole, “wait, I’ll deceive him.” Look, I bet you, but tomorrow, and now we're all going to hell.
“We’re going,” Pierre shouted, “we’re going!... And we’re taking Mishka with us...
And he grabbed the bear, and, hugging and lifting it, began to spin around the room with it.

Prince Vasily fulfilled the promise made at the evening at Anna Pavlovna's to Princess Drubetskaya, who asked him about her only son Boris. He was reported to the sovereign, and, unlike others, he was transferred to the Semenovsky Guard Regiment as an ensign. But Boris was never appointed as an adjutant or under Kutuzov, despite all the efforts and machinations of Anna Mikhailovna. Soon after Anna Pavlovna's evening, Anna Mikhailovna returned to Moscow, straight to her rich relatives Rostov, with whom she stayed in Moscow and with whom her beloved Borenka, who had just been promoted to the army and was immediately transferred to guards ensigns, had been raised and lived for years since childhood. The Guard had already left St. Petersburg on August 10, and the son, who remained in Moscow for uniforms, was supposed to catch up with her on the road to Radzivilov.

Many have probably wondered: Who is Joulupukki? Well, we'll try to answer!

As you know, almost every nation and every country has one. Yes, our Morozko has many colleagues and incarnations. Finland, a winter, very snowy country, naturally, was no exception.

Joulupukki is the Finnish Father Christmas.

Joulupukki is another New Year and Christmas giver. Outwardly, he is very similar to modern Santa Claus. However, this was not always the case.

Translated from Finnish, Joulupukki literally means “Christmas goat.” And before he was depicted like that, in the form of a straw goat. Finnish Morozko used to be depicted as a gray-haired and gray-bearded old man in a goatskin. Very often he was also depicted with goat horns.

Over time, under the influence of Western culture, the image of Joulupukki became almost copied from Santa Claus, but some elements of local color remained.

Joulupukki has a wife. She represents the personification of winter and cold, her name is Muori.

Among the assistants of the Finnish Santa Claus are numerous gnomes who work tirelessly making gifts for children.

Joulupukki lives with his wife and numerous retinue in Lapland (a geographical area beyond the Arctic Circle), on a mountain called. In Russian the name of the mountain is “Mountain-Ears”. This is due to its shape; the mountain looks like a hare's ears. It is believed that it is because of this form that Joulupukki hears all the children who ask him for gifts.

Santa Claus Village in Finland is located near the small city of Rovaniemi. A small village called Joulupukki invites you to visit Finnish Santa Claus all year round. Fabulous Lapland is not only a place where you can see the northern lights, but also the permanent habitat of the real Santa Claus.

People no longer want to celebrate the New Year in tropical countries, but rather head to the snowy region to Santa’s homeland. Even teenagers who have not believed in Santa Claus for a long time will believe in the fairy tale again when they find themselves in Lapland. They'll want to write a letter to Finnish Santa Claus and enjoy the kaleidoscope of entertainment this magical place has to offer.

Even if the New Year's celebration is planned at one of the ski resorts in Finland, visiting Santa Claus is very simple and does not take much time. From any city you can buy a plane ticket and fly to Rovaniemi, and there any public transport will take you to the fairy-tale village in just 10 minutes.

How to get there

The address of Santa Claus in Lapland is the village of Joulupukki, which is located 8 kilometers from the Finnish town of Rovaniemi. It is located 1000 kilometers from the Russian border. From St. Petersburg, with a visa, you can get there by train, plane or bus in just a few hours. First you need to get to the capital of Finland, then to Rovaniemi, and from there there are buses every hour.

Rovaniemi has an airport and a railway station, so residents of St. Petersburg have the opportunity to buy tickets to Santa Claus Village directly. From the railway station in Rovaniemi you need to take bus number 8. If tourists decide to travel to Finland in their own vehicle, then enter the name of the village of Joulupukki into the navigator device and you will arrive exactly at Santa’s house.

Story

Everyone knows that the real birthplace of Santa Claus is Lapland. They say that it was this magical symbol of the New Year that created the famous Northern Lights. The first tourist to visit this place was Eleanor Roosevelt. In her honor, the Finns built a hut, which can still be seen today.

It is better to visit the village of Santa Claus in winter, but Santa Park and the elves work there in the summer. After all, there are many children on earth and everyone writes letters that need to be processed and delivered to their destination. Santa reads every letter without exception, even if it was sent by email.

Santa Claus's summer house is located in the same village as the winter office; it began operating in 1950. There, on the shelves, volumes of books are crowded, containing the scoundrels of the whole country and obedient children who receive gifts from Santa every year. Finnish Santa Claus is helped by fairy-tale elves. To get to this magical house, you will have to go through a clock mechanism.

On a note! In the village you can always go with a group, where the guide will talk about the history of this place, and buy memorable souvenirs. Be sure to write a letter from Lapland and send it to your family, the envelope will have the seal of the Arctic Circle.

Opening hours, ticket prices

Finnish Santa Claus receives guests all year round, but there are also days when it is not possible to enter the village. To plan a train, it is better to know the exact schedule of reception days:

• From September to the end of November: from 10 am to 5 pm.
• From January 7 to the end of May - from 10 am to 5 pm.
• From June to the end of August - from 9 am to 6 pm.
• From December 1 to January 6 – enhanced schedule from 9 am to 7 pm.

Children under three years old can see Finnish Santa Claus for free, adults will pay about $40, and children from three to 18 years old will pay $35. This price includes not only a meeting with Santa Claus, but also a visit to Santa Park.

Letter to Santa Claus

In the village of Joulupukki, not far from Santa's house, there is a post office, which is crowded at any time of the year. Here you can write and send a letter to anywhere in the world with an imprint of the Arctic Circle, and also leave a message to Santa Claus. Be sure to purchase unique cards with the wonderful landscapes of Lapland and the Northern Lights.

Santa Claus' assistants, fairy-tale elves, work at the post office; they will help you compose an interesting text. If the child is small and does not yet know how to write, the elves will write a letter for him in any language in the world. Each visitor will have the opportunity to have a photo session with all the village residents, warm up by the fireplace and watch the elves deliver mail bags to Santa.

The residence of Father Frost in Finland has an official website, where every inhabitant of the earth also has the opportunity to send a letter to Santa Claus electronically.

Write down the addresses of the resources and be sure to send the treasured message:

• santaclausvillage.info;
• santaclausholidayvillage.fi.

On a note! Sending one letter costs about $15. Remember, no matter what time of year the letter was written, if you put it in the red box, Santa Claus will read it on Christmas Eve.

Winter fun

Santa Park Rovaniemi is designed like a fairyland. It will be interesting for people of any age. There you can go on rides, visit an elf school, and take part in games and competitions. Each child can attend calligraphy writing classes and Mrs. Claus's bakery, which bakes fragrant Easter cakes. You can not only try delicious gingerbread cookies, but also take part in the process of their preparation.

There are many ski resorts near and on Rovaniemi. You can organize your holiday there and visit Santa Claus on one of the days of your stay on Finnish territory. If you forget your equipment at home while on vacation, it’s no problem, you can buy it in any Finnish store.

Despite the fact that the village is open all year round, experienced tourists advise coming there in winter. Snow-covered paths and New Year's lights perfectly highlight the eve of the New Year. Walking along snow-covered paths, you involuntarily begin to believe in magic. You can make snowmen and play hockey with your whole group.

The village of Joulupukki offers entertainment for all ages:

• You can go ice skating on the frozen lake.
• Ride on snowmobiles, reindeer or dog sleds.
• Visit the ice houses and even have a tea party there.
• Try Finnish traditional dishes.
• Go ice fishing or take a steam bath in a Finnish sauna.

On a note! Every visitor to this fabulous place should meet Santa Claus's reindeer. They live not far from the magical grandfather's house.

Shops and restaurants

Dress warmly if you visit Finland in winter and after seeing the local attractions, go shopping. In each you can buy New Year's souvenirs at competitive prices.

If children visited the elf workshop, they will be able to take all the handicrafts they made with them. Be sure to buy Christmas decorations, slide paintings of the Northern Lights and Finnish delicacies.