Runeberg Day
February 5 · Level 2 · #1864 of 2238
Finns mark the birthday of their national poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg, born on 5 February 1804. It is a day for poetry and also an official flag day.
How it is celebrated: flags go up on flagpoles, and with tea or coffee people eat runebergintorttu, a small cylindrical cake with almond, raspberry jam and a ring of sugar icing. It is especially loved in Porvoo, where the poet lived for many years.
Runeberg wrote in Swedish, and his poem "Vårt land" became the words of the Finnish national anthem, which Finns sing as "Maamme".