After a long winter, the rays of sunshine begin to draw the Finns out of their caves. Winter has made it! Vappu, the culmination of spring, heralds the start of summer. Celebrations begin on May Day Eve, April 30th, and continue until May 1st.
History
The Catholic saint Walpurgis, whose feast day falls on May 1st, is the source of the Finnish name for May Day, “Vappu.” The first May Day celebrations in Finland took place among upper-class households in the 1700s. They celebrated by going horseback riding to enjoy the spring greens, as well as throwing parties at home with friends and family to drink mead, also known as sima in Finland.
Vappu has transformed into a worker festival, becoming synonymous with Labor Day. In the 1970s, when left-wing political parties were popular in Finland, thousands marched in red-flag parades in major cities. Today, the political scene has changed, and students are among the most visible Vappu celebrants. Vappu commemorates the conclusion of the school year and graduation, but most importantly, it is a huge party. During Vappu, you’ll see groups of boisterous and enthusiastic students on the streets, wearing colorful overalls with patches, holding beverages, and wearing white student caps.
Traditions
Celebrations for Vappu begin on May Day Eve. The “Havis Amanda” statue outside Helsinki Market Square traditionally receives a white student cap at six o’clock in the morning, signaling the start of the day. However, the restoration of the statue will halt this over-100-year-old ritual in 2024. We will include more information about Vappu 2024 at the end of this piece.
Havis Amanda
In 1908, the revelation of Havis Amanda in Helsinki’s Market Square sparked outrage due to her nude appearance. However, it has since become one of Helsinki’s most beloved monuments, as well as a symbol of the city’s marine heritage.
Havis Amanda takes center stage every May Day Eve at the Manta Student Cap Ceremony, where she receives a graduation cap. This practice began informally in 1909, with a spontaneous capping. In the 1920s, the method gained popularity, and Ville Vallgren, the statue’s sculptor, celebrated it. The police legalized the event in 1951, leading to the celebration of Havis Amanda every May Day Eve at 6 p.m. In cities across Finland, similar capping ceremonies take place for other sculptures.
Vappu Delicacies
So, what precisely is SIMA? The Finnish word “sima” originally meant honey, but it now refers to a somewhat alcoholic, sweet, sparkling beverage. Traditionally, people create a sort of mead by combining honey or sugar with water and lemon. Since the 18th century, Sima has been a popular drink in upper-class residences, and in the late nineteenth century, it became a May Day delicacy.
May Day also marks the consumption of certain pastries. Tippaleipä, often known as funnel cake, is a classic delicacy. Its name, “drip bread,” refers to the method of producing it, which involves dripping cake batter into heated oil through a funnel and then dusting it with powdered sugar. Funnel cakes, like sima, have been festive desserts in Finnish upper-class houses since the 18th century, before becoming an official May Day feast in the nineteenth century.
Sugary doughnuts, or munchkins in Finnish, are another typical May Day dish. Doughnuts’ origins are unclear; however, they are thought to have been served at Finnish feasts as early as the Middle Ages.
