這一集，我要帶你看看芬蘭很特別的「小聖誕派對」，聽聽他們怎麼在又黑又冷的冬天，把生活變得很溫暖、很快樂。我也聊到自己以前在北歐遇到的雪國風景和麋鹿小故事。一起感受北歐冬天的魔法，看看為什麼大家說芬蘭真的超會過聖誕節。

In this episode, I take you into Finland’s fun “Little Christmas” parties and how people make their dark, freezing winter feel warm and joyful. I also share a bit about my own snowy trip to a Nordic country and some cozy moments there. Come enjoy a little Nordic winter magic and see why people say Finland really knows how to celebrate Christmas.

-----------------------------

Hey guys, I’m your English teacher, Miss Y! Welcome to the podcast made for intermediate English learners who want to listen to English, and learn about different topics in a fun and easy way.

Today I want to tell you something really fun about Finland. You know, the country with thousands of lakes, a lot of forests, and very cold winters. Finland 這個國家就是芬蘭. But even though winter is super dark and super cold, Finnish people know how to make the season feel warm and cheerful. And honestly… I think they might be the true Christmas masters. Let me tell you why.

So, a lot of tourists travel to Finland in December for a very simple reason:
They want to meet the real Santa Claus. There’s a place in northern Finland called Rovaniemi, and inside it is Santa Claus Village. Finland calls it the “home of the true Santa,” and yeah—it’s very cute and very Christmasy. You can see Santa, take photos, send Christmas postcards, all that good stuff. But here’s the thing that surprised me:
Most Finnish people don’t need Santa’s Village at all to feel Christmas.
For them, Christmas begins way earlier—like… at the start of November. And it begins with something called pikkujoulut, which means “little Christmas.”

什麼是Pikkujoulut? Okay, imagine this: You finish work or school, and instead of going home like usual, you go to a fun little party. There’s food. There’s music. People are laughing. Maybe there’s a silly game. Maybe someone is wearing a Santa hat. Maybe someone is too excited and already dancing.
That’s basically pikkujoulut. These parties happen everywhere—in offices, schools, restaurants, homes, bowling alleys… you name it. 你想得到的都有. And you don’t just go to one. You might go to five Or ten. Even twelve if you have a lot of groups of friends. It’s like Finland turns into one giant warm-up party before Christmas.

So, what do people eat at these “little Christmas” parties? Well, it depends. Sometimes the food is super simple—cheese, crackers, snacks. But sometimes it’s a full Christmas meal, even in November. Typical Finnish holiday foods include:
Christmas ham, vegetable casseroles, casserole 就是那種用鍋子燉煮的燉菜，就是像我們滷一鍋菜的那種料理. They also eat Beetroot salad, Beetroot像一種顏色很紅的蘿蔔, 外國人通常拌沙拉生吃, 我不知道為什麼我吃beetroot的時候覺得她有一種玉米罐頭的味道. If you try it, let me know how you think about it. And next, they sometimes have smoked or cured salmon, love. 這我很愛. The end of the meal they’ll have desserts with plums, puff pastries, 就是酥皮類的甜點, and Gingerbread cookies 薑餅餅乾.
And of course… the classic drink called glögi. It’s like hot wine with spices. 像那種香料熱紅酒, 英文會說mulled wine. And they put raisins and almonds in it. raisins 葡萄乾, almond就是杏仁。It’s warm, sweet, and perfect for cold weather. I love it during chilly Christmas time. For some people, the party stays very sweet and cozy. For others… let’s just say the party gets a little more exciting.

There are sooo many funny stories about pikkujoulut. For example, one musician remembers performing at a bowling alley Christmas party. bowling alley, 保齡球館, 保齡球館派對耶, sounds interesting. He said everybody was drinking a lot, the music was loud, people were dancing between bowling lanes… and then something crazy happened: Santa Claus got arrested. arrested 被逮補的 Yes. Santa Claus got arrested. The police came. And Santa—still in costume—was taken away in a police car. Can you imagine Santa spending the night in jail?
Only in Finland. Another woman remembers a very different style of pikkujoulut. When she was a kid, her parents took her to family-friendly parties with porridge, candy, and a Santa visit. But when she became a teenager, things changed. She and her friends had a high school pikkujoulut at a Finnish summer cottage. cottage 就是小木屋. They had the party in a cottage. They all did the very Finnish thing: Go to the sauna, sauna 三溫暖… after the sauna, they go roll around naked in the snow. naked 就是沒穿衣服，裸體在雪地上打滾. Wow. She said it wasn’t even a very “Christmas” party—they just ate chips and candy. But it was super fun and unforgettable. And that’s really the spirit of pikkujoulut: not about fancy traditions, just about enjoying the moment.

Actual Christmas in Finland is usually calm, quiet, and family-focused. People go to church, visit the cemetery with candles, and have a peaceful dinner at home.
But pikkujoulut? Completely the opposite. 完全相反 It’s the time when Finns let loose, laugh loudly, meet new people, and get creative. One Finnish principal said pikkujoulut is “the non-serious stuff”—the fun stuff you share with friends or coworkers, not your family. Because think about it: In December, Helsinki has only six hours of daylight. Helsinki is the capital of Finland. Helsinki has only six hours of daylight, so for a big part of the day, it’s cold, snowy, and dark. Of course people need a reason to celebrate… again and again and again.

Now here’s something I love about Finnish culture: If you do something silly at a party, people don’t judge you for the rest of your life. Unless you actually hurt someone or were really rude, most mistakes are just laughed off. laughed off 就是一笑了之。The next week at work, someone might quietly say, “Oh, Teppo did it again,” and then everyone continues with their normal life. No drama. No gossip. Just: “Yep. Things happen. Moving on.” I think that attitude makes pikkujoulut feel very safe and relaxed. You can have fun without worrying too much.

In summery, why do people say the Finns, the Finns 就是Finnish people, 芬蘭人, the Finns might be the best at celebrating Christmas? First, they celebrate early. Other countries start in December. Finns start in November. Also, they celebrate often. Not one party. Not two parties. Maybe ten parties! Furthermore, they mix tradition with fun. Old traditions like porridge with a secret almond… Mixed with modern fun like bowling or sauna parties. And they fight the dark winter with light and laughter. Six hours of daylight? No problem. Just have another party. Last but not least, they don’t pressure people to be perfect. You can be goofy. You can be silly. You can relax and be yourself. Honestly, that’s what makes Christmas feel special—being with people, sharing joy, and enjoying a little magic even in the coldest season.
Maybe pikkujoulut really is a state of mind. a state of mind, 一種心態. Their life philosophy. 他們的生活哲學.

You know, after learning all this about Finland’s Christmas traditions, I started thinking about my own experience traveling in the Nordic countries. Nordic country 就是北歐國家. I’ve never been to Finland, but I’ve been to Norway, 挪威, and some parts of it felt a little similar to what people describe about Finnish winter life. I still remember visiting a reindeer farm there. reindeer就是麋鹿. The ground was covered with thick, soft snow, and it was snowing lightly the whole time. It was freezing. But at the same time, everything looked so beautiful. Everything was completely white, quiet, and peaceful. And the reindeers were so gentle. When I touched their fur, fur 就是毛皮, their fur felt a little rough, but you could tell it was really warm and perfect for the cold weather. After walking around outside in the snow, we went into a small wooden cottage to rest. And wow… the moment the door closed, it felt so warm and cozy inside. We even drank hot reindeer stew, 他們有麋鹿燉湯, well, they only kill old reindeers, so I think the reindeers generally have a good life. The warm soup after the freezing cold… honestly, it felt like happiness in a bowl. So when I imagine Finnish people having all these little Christmas parties in that kind of winter—warm drinks, friends, laughter, cozy rooms—I kind of understand why it feels so special. It’s that warm feeling in the middle of a long, dark, freezing season.

How about you guys?
Would you like to visit Finland one day? Do you want to see the hometown of Santa Claus? Or maybe join a real pikkujoulut party? I think it would be pretty fun!

I’m Miss Y, and I hope you enjoyed learning English with me. If you liked this episode, come back next time for another fun 15 to 20 minutes of simple, clear English and a brand-new topic to explore. Stay curious, Learn the World in simple English with Miss Y, I’ll talk to you again soon.https://open.firstory.me/user/cmilgpemw00i201yvfrduavyf/comments