Christmas Peace (Scandinavia)
A Christmas peace is officially proclaimed every year on Christmas Eve in some Scandinavian countries as well as in Finland and Estonia .
Finland
Best known is the “ Turku Christmas Peace ” in Finland , a tradition that has been known to have existed since 1320. In the 21st century, every year on Christmas Eve at 12 noon from the balcony of the City Hall, the director of the Turku City Council speaks the words:
- “Tomorrow, God grant, is our Lord and Liberator's gracious birth festival. And so we hereby proclaim the general Christmas peace, encouraging everyone to celebrate this festival with the appropriate piety and to behave quietly and calmly for the rest, because he who breaks this peace and disturbs the Christmas peace through illegal or inappropriate behavior is under guilty of aggravating circumstances for the penalty which the law and ordinances set out separately for each crime and misdemeanor. Finally, we wish all residents of the city a happy Christmas peace. "
The Christmas peace lasts for three days. Many Finns followed the proclamation live on television or on the radio. The Finnish national anthem and the Porimarsch will then be played.
Up until the 19th century it was the custom to sentence peace breakers, especially rioters, to double the usual sentences at the time of the Christmas peace.
Norway
In Norway the Christmas season is heralded and with it the Christmas peace. The bells are ringing for several minutes on the afternoon of December 24, and they are ringing extremely quickly. According to many Norwegians, the Christmas truce only begins when the bells have finished playing.
Individual evidence
- ↑ European Commission: Christmas with the Children of Europe
- ↑ Embassy of Finland: Santa Claus and Finnish Christmas Traditions . December 20, 2010
- ↑ News Studio 24: Turku Announces Christmas Peace
- ↑ FinnContact: Turku - City of the Finnish Christmas Peace