by Aino, age 9, asks Joulupukki do you have a really, really long white beard?, about the Arctic Circle, and Finland’s Sami reindeer herders
Dear Joulupukki,
My name is Aino and I am 9 years old. I live in Rovaniemi, Finland, where the sun barely comes up at all in December, and my papa says we live closer to you than almost anyone else in the whole world.
First, do you have a really, really long white beard?
Second, a geography question: what imaginary line crosses right through Rovaniemi?
Third, a school question about my country: why is Finland home to reindeer-herding communities like the Sami?
I left you gingerbread and a cup of glogi.
Love, Aino, age 9, Rovaniemi, Finland, Rovaniemi, Finland
From the Desk of Joulupukki
Dear Aino, thank you for the treat, it was wonderful. Now, your questions.
Do you have a really, really long white beard?
A proper long white beard, yes, well suited to the cold Lapland winters and grown, I will admit, over a very long time indeed.
What imaginary line crosses right through Rovaniemi?
The Arctic Circle runs directly through Rovaniemi, marking the point south of which the sun always rises and sets each day, and north of which you get the famous midnight sun in summer and long polar darkness in winter.
Why is Finland home to reindeer-herding communities like the Sami?
The Sami are an indigenous people who have lived in the far north of Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Russia for thousands of years, developing a deep knowledge of reindeer herding suited perfectly to the Arctic land and climate. Their culture and traditions remain an important and protected part of life in northern Finland today.
Hyvaa joulua, Aino.
Ho ho ho, Joulupukki
