Sauna is a big deal here in Finland. Everyone uses the sauna. Some Finnish people crave the sauna when they go too long without *cough* Miriam* *cough*. Sauna is thought to be a tool to release bodily toxins and treat sickness and pain. Sauna is introduced to kids from age one and parents always teach their kids how to prepare, wash and maintain a nice sauna. It is both a family and social experience. Often times, families will eat dinner, go to the sauna, and then watch the news together every evening. It is very rude to call a house in Finland between the hours of 6-10pm because that is SAUNA TIME.
Suffice it to say, I had to try the sauna. Verdict: the sauna is awesome. You get super clean, then sit in the wonderful hot box and put water over rocks that are heated by a wood burning stove while sipping a beer. It smells like campfire and is so warm which is nice in a place where it is winter most of the time. Then you get out, rinse, put on a robe and go outside to cool down. Some people even jump into the lake. Then you get back into the sauna and do it all over again!
You come out of the sauna SO relaxed. A whole body massage doesn’t even compare. So, you get now that sauna is a big deal here in Finland. Obviously, sauna would be incorporated into big events here in Finland including holidays and WEDDINGS! These traditions are very old and a bit out-dated, but people have adopted some of the traditions in modern ways for their own wedding days.
Brides in Finland are supposed to use the sauna on the eve before their wedding as a way to banish evil spirits and ghosts of former boyfriends. (HA! I think a few of us could benefit from this!) You decorate the sauna with white towels and candles to represent purity. The bride sits in the middle while her friends whip her with birch branches. You heard me right, whip her with birch branches.
It is very common to create a tool from birch branches to (gently) beat yourself with while in the sauna. It serves as a tactile stimulus that the Finns are big on (remember the whole hot to cold to hot idea?). Also, it releases oils onto your skins that are cleansing.
The bride’s friends then wash her with salt, honey and milk to purify the bride and make her innocent again. Miriam told me that sometimes they even crack and egg over her head! It has something to do with fertility... Next, beer is passed around to take a sip from to honor the bride.
The bride’s friends then sing and chant to cast away those evil boyfriend spirits. A bride at this time is supposed to sit on a throne of juniper (while in the sauna) to remind her that marriage isn’t always easy and can be painful at times.
To finish it all up, the bride tosses the bundle of birch branches over her shoulder and makes a wish.
BAM! The bride can then consider herself cleansed and pure.
Not sure that I will do this, but it would be nice to spend some quality time with the wonderful women in my life before the wedding. Got any ideas? Anyone up for a bachelorette party?
I like the egg-over-the-head idea. Just sayin...
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