Written and © by Jarno Tarkoma

Joulupukki

The name of Father Christmas in Finland. Literally: Yule Buck. Old pagan traditions lived on in Finland and never faded but got gradually a Christian flavor (elsewhere in Europe, too). The shortest days of the year are in December and pagan peoples used to have big festivities to ward of evil spirits. In Finland these spirits of darkness wore goat skins and horns. In the beginning this creature didn't give presents but demanded them, not to cause havoc. The Christmas Goat used to frighten the kids and was in every way very loathsome.

It is unclear how exactly this personality was transformed into the benevolent Father Christmas but nowadays the remaining feature is the name only. The process was probably a continuous amalgamation of many old folk customs and beliefs from varied sources. One can speak of a Christmas pageant tradition consisting of many personages with roles partly Christian, partly pagan: A white-bearded saint, the Devil, demons, house gnomes, whatnot. Nowadays the Joulupukki of Finland resembles the American Santa Claus.

The popular radio programs from the year 1927 onwards probably had great influence in formatting the concept with Santa-like costume, reindeers and Korvatunturi (Mount Ear, near Polar Circle) as its dwelling place. Because there really are reindeers in Finland (sadly, part of our agricultural husbandry) and we are living up North, the popular American cult took root in Finland very fast. Maybe the Joulupukki is a little bit more fearsome than Santa Claus, though. Finland is one of the few countries where kids customarily do see Father Christmas in the act of delivering the presents (a hired Santa or Grandpa) and probably the only one where the Saint asks the kids if they did behave during the year.


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