Happy Saint Urho's Day!

Bill Ashton

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2006
Messages
4,387
Reaction score
989
Location
North Central Massachusetts
Guild Total
4
For those non-Finn's among us, he is the patron saint of Finland, famous for driving the grasshoppers out of Finland and thus protecting the grape harvest :highly_amused:

Actually a celebration started in Minnesota...or the upper pennisula of Michigan, depending on which "legend" you believe, to inspire as much national-pride as the
Irish seem to have on SPD...and a day earlier so the drinking could start earlier! :rolleyes:

So tonight, or today...lift a glass to those who are Finns...or would be Finns...in memory of those ancient times. :very_drunk: :couple_inlove:
 

GAD

Reverential Morlock
Über-Morlock
Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Messages
22,582
Reaction score
17,798
Location
NJ (The nice part)
Guild Total
112
I’m lifting a glass. Well, a cup... of coffee.

To the grasshoppers! Did I do that right?
 

Nuuska

Enlightened Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2016
Messages
7,668
Reaction score
6,028
Location
Finland
Guild Total
9
Howdy

Happy sait Urho's day to all US-finns, too.

Over here nobody knows about this, unless they have US-connections. I first heard of this 1975 in MN.

Somehow I think it has to do with our ex-president Urho Kekkonen, who was The Man back then.

I recall them MN-finns telling me the chant for driving grasshoppers was "Heinäsirkka, heinäsirkka, mene täältä hiiteen!"

Google translator : Grasshopper grasshopper, go from here to mouse!

That must be translation error, because to mouse would be "hiireen"

Hiiteen derives from HIISI - which in old scandinavian belief is sacred place. Like burial ground or holy grove or . . .

As long I can remember the meaning of the phrase has been "go to hell" - I sent correction proposal to Google translator. Might well be it never clears , while I'm being brutal and using word "hell" . . .

Wikipedia tells that origins are in MN at -50s

So happy whatever day. And tomorrow happy st Patrick's for all irish folks - and why not everybody else, too , while we're at it.
 

Nuuska

Enlightened Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2016
Messages
7,668
Reaction score
6,028
Location
Finland
Guild Total
9
I’m lifting a glass. Well, a cup... of coffee.

To the grasshoppers! Did I do that right?


Howdy

The way humans are destroying the planet - lifting glass for grasshoppers seems like brilliant idea.

Cheers
 

davismanLV

Venerated Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2011
Messages
19,196
Reaction score
11,812
Location
U.S.A. : Nevada : Las Vegas
Guild Total
2
I'm with Nuuska. Let's all celebrate today!! The trash and recycles have been picked up and the bins have been stored already. Isn't that enough to be celebrating with?? :encouragement:
 

walrus

Reverential Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Dec 23, 2006
Messages
23,956
Reaction score
8,019
Location
Massachusetts
I texted my family the same thing this morning!

We are not Finnish, but for whatever reason my Dad was a big fan of St. Urho's Day. He was an elementary school principal and used to celebrate it with the kids...

walrus
 
Top