CLIMATE AND CLIMATE AND LIFESTYLELIFESTYLE

NATURE – INFLUENCES ON THE NATURE – INFLUENCES ON THE LIFESTYLE AND NATION`S LIFESTYLE AND NATION`S

CHARACTERCHARACTERIlluka SchoolIlluka School

Seasonal lifeSeasonal life

We have too little sunshineWe have too little sunshine Summers are short, winters are long and often Summers are short, winters are long and often

quite hardquite hard Warm seasons have traditionally been spent Warm seasons have traditionally been spent

preparing for the coming winter – stocking up preparing for the coming winter – stocking up warm clothes,firewood, food supplieswarm clothes,firewood, food supplies

Life during dark and cold periods leads to high Life during dark and cold periods leads to high expenses of heating, electricity and clothesexpenses of heating, electricity and clothes

Seasonal characterSeasonal character

We are energetic and We are energetic and open in summer and open in summer and live mostly outdoorslive mostly outdoors

We are reticent in We are reticent in autumn and winter, autumn and winter, stay indoors and need stay indoors and need a lot of sleepa lot of sleep

Dark periods often affect Dark periods often affect depressivelydepressively

Spirits´ timeSpirits´ time In late autumn on gray In late autumn on gray

gloomy days, when there gloomy days, when there are heavy rains and are heavy rains and storms and mud storms and mud everywhere and nature everywhere and nature prepares for hibernating, prepares for hibernating, gloomy thoughts may gloomy thoughts may overcome our mindsovercome our minds

On the other hand, it is a On the other hand, it is a good quiet time of good quiet time of relaxing and meditationrelaxing and meditation

For our ancestors it was For our ancestors it was the Spirits´timethe Spirits´time

Spirits´ timeSpirits´ time They believed the dead They believed the dead

members of family could members of family could visit their homes again in visit their homes again in this quiet period.There this quiet period.There was no fear of them-they was no fear of them-they were waited for as dear were waited for as dear guests.Today we often guests.Today we often put a candle on the put a candle on the window commemorating window commemorating our dead relatives-this is our dead relatives-this is a good consolationa good consolation

November 2nd is November 2nd is celebrated by the Church celebrated by the Church as a Spirits´Day as a Spirits´Day

Magic of light and darkMagic of light and dark

Strong contrasts of Strong contrasts of alternating dark and alternating dark and light periods in the light periods in the North have influenced North have influenced us strongly for us strongly for centuriescenturies

The most important The most important celebrations of the celebrations of the year are solsticesyear are solstices

Winter solsticeWinter solstice Since ancient pagan Since ancient pagan

times the magic of dark times the magic of dark and light has been and light has been celebrated on the darkest celebrated on the darkest days of year, when a new days of year, when a new hope of coming daylight hope of coming daylight has been supported by has been supported by lighting candles or lighting candles or bonfires bonfires

Today the celebration is Today the celebration is connected with Christmas connected with Christmas customscustoms

Summer solsticeSummer solstice

The best time of the The best time of the year has its year has its culmination on June culmination on June 23rd when all people 23rd when all people celebrate the longest celebrate the longest day almost without day almost without any sunsetany sunset

No one sleeps at this No one sleeps at this night and big bonfires night and big bonfires serve as magic againserve as magic again

WinterWinter

Winter is cold, but it is Winter is cold, but it is much better than late much better than late autumn.So we long autumn.So we long for the clean snow for the clean snow and white and white Christmas.It is not the Christmas.It is not the rule for every year.rule for every year.

Winter is beautiful Winter is beautiful and brings much joyand brings much joy

Oh what fun it is to ride…Oh what fun it is to ride…

Skis, skates, sledges of Skis, skates, sledges of any kind…but not only.any kind…but not only.

We call them Finnish We call them Finnish sledges-very practical sledges-very practical and popular once by and popular once by going to the village shop going to the village shop or school. Or just for fun.or school. Or just for fun.

They are getting popular They are getting popular again.People still say the again.People still say the old design is more old design is more convenientconvenient

Not just fun onlyNot just fun only

We have to be prepared of big exercise and We have to be prepared of big exercise and keep ready snow-shovels and snow-ploughskeep ready snow-shovels and snow-ploughs

Prepared for winterPrepared for winter

Winter tyres are compulsory because of slippery Winter tyres are compulsory because of slippery roadsroads

Slippery roads must be cleaned and sanded but Slippery roads must be cleaned and sanded but in reality some roads are in bad conditionin reality some roads are in bad condition

Prepared but not perfectPrepared but not perfect

We should be We should be experiencedexperienced

Problems with 2 cm of Problems with 2 cm of snow in Western Europe snow in Western Europe make us laugh- but in make us laugh- but in vain,because:vain,because:

Despite of experiences Despite of experiences we have a too big we have a too big number of accidents number of accidents every winter-fatal crashes every winter-fatal crashes and fractures of bonesand fractures of bones

A new startA new start

Awakening timeAwakening time

Waiting for spring is programmed in the northern peopleWaiting for spring is programmed in the northern people´s character´s character

This is expressed in our folklore and literature,songs This is expressed in our folklore and literature,songs and poems and poems

Spring is the time of a new life and people together with Spring is the time of a new life and people together with nature feel like reborn againnature feel like reborn again