Sukulaissitsit

We had a very special day today, we took part to a student sittning (sitsit, also called akateeminen pöytäjuhla = academic table fest) with relatives. Emma invited me, our goddaughter Minttu invited hubby and Lotta invited her mother Minna - so we had quite a clan there! Hubby was asked to give a speech on behalf of relatives. Lotta, Minttu and Minna exceled in singing. Before the occasion started in the university's reastaurant Reaktori, our dear students gave us a tour to their guild rooms. How interesting was that!! We also saw Leevi, who took part to another sitning in Bommari.

A student sittning is an academic happening. This tradition takes part at least in Sweden and Finland. It's a dinner, where people sit at long tables and vital part of the evening is singing.   

The sittning is guided by a toastmaster and there is also a song master , lukkari. Sittnings often begin with a certain song and end with another. After a song is sung, glasses are raised for a skål, or in English, a toast. There is an etiquette concerning how to toast: first to raise a glass and to nod first to one who sits on the right side of your table partner, then to raise a glass and to nod to one who sits on the left side of your table partner and last to raise a glass and to nod to your table partner sitting across the table. Then you can drink from your drink.

During the last verse of the last song, the guests stand and after the song is finished the sittning is over and one is no longer supposed to sit down. Then there is a after party, this time in a local pub Potti. Youngsters continued their night, we parents took a taxi to home. What a fun night we had!!



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