Walpurgis Night, May Day Eve

In Finland, Walpurgis day (Vappu in Finnish) is one of the four biggest holidays along with Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve, and Midsummer (Juhannus in Finnish).

May Day on May 1 is an ancient Northern Hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures. May Day coincides with International Workers' Day, and in many countries that celebrate the latter, it may be referred to as "May Day".

In Finland celebrations among the younger generations take place on May Day Eve, see Walpurgis Night in Finland, most prominent being the afternoon 'crowning' of statues in towns around the country with a student cap.

May Day is known as Vappu, from the Swedish term. This is a public holiday that is the only carnival-style street festivity in the country. People young and old, particularly students, party outside, picnic and wear caps or other decorative clothing.

Some Finns make a special lemonade from lemons, brown sugar, and yeast called "sima". It contains very little alcohol, so even children can drink it. A similar product can also be bought in all stores. Some Finns also make doughnuts and a crisp pastry fried in oil made from a similar, more liquid dough.

Balloons and other decorations like paper streamers are seen everywhere.


All above from Wikipedia pages... :-D

As you can see my Walpurgis Night's Day is very Zen and that's how the evening will continue. I will stay clear from all the crowds and traditional festivities and enjoy my quiet evening. How lame and old I have become.