A new year is soon upon us!

It's the last day of the year. How will you spend it? 2023 was a turbulent year for many, may 2024 bring peace, joy and happiness.

 

Tallinn 1900 vs. 2023

One more Estonian born into the world

My sister rang me at 5am yesterday to announce she had just given birth to her eight child. EIGTH CHILD! I honestly thought she was planning to stop at six but then the seventh arrived and now there's eight. My family has really grown during the past ten years and there's another on the way. My brother will be a father for the first time in February and my other brother is engaged and will start his family in the near future.

It is quite unusual for a woman to have so many children these days and despite the high cost of living and growing inflation, it didn't dissuade my sister from having a large family. She now has the perfect balance of children, four boys and four girls. All the girls' names begin with the letter 'L' and all the boys (apart from the eldest) start with the letter 'J'. I am thrilled to welcome the new little bundle of joy into our family and looking forward to meeting him when I next visit Australia.

In Estonia there are 125 mothers with 10 or more children. In 2022 the Aan family from South Estonia won the European Large Family of the Year Award. This was the first time Estonia has ever won this award.

Estonian birth statistics

The current fertility rate in Estonia is 1.41.
Estonian women have 2.0 children on average, compared to 1.63 children among the ethnic Russian population.
The average age of a woman at birth of first child is 28.6 years
In 2022 there were 6,014 boys and 4,632 girls born in Estonia
This includes 168 twins and 3 triplets
The most popular baby names are- Olivia, Saara, Sofia, Eliise and Mia. Sebastian, Adrian, Gustav, Rasmus, David, Hugo and Karl.

Tammsaare's "Elu ja Armastus" / "Life & Love" to be released in cinemas on Valentine's Day

 

For the first time, A.H. Tammsaare's "Life and Love" has been produced into a full-length feature film. Elu ja Armastus / Life & Love is the tale of an unexpected love story of two iconic figures known from Estonian literature, Irma and Rudolf. The action of the film takes place at a pivotal period when the young Estonian Republic, crippled by growing well-being, has to deal with the shaking challenges of a changing world. The film gives a fresh perspective to timeless topics, creating surprising parallels with the modern world.

What Christmas looked like in Estonian homes during the last century

Here is an interesting article recently published by Delfi. I find the old interiors of people's really fascinating. You can view them here - Millised nägid välja pühadeaegsed kodud eelmisel sajandil

Häid jõule! Merry Christmas!

5 Estonian Christmas Traditions

Christmas (Jõulud) is traditionally celebrated in Estonia between December 21 and the Epiphany on January 6. In modern day Estonia, December 24-26 are celebrated as national holidays. Christmas Eve is the most important day on the Estonian calendar so we all have a busy day ahead of us!

Estonia has many Christmas traditions, here are five of them.

1. Tradtionally houses were cleaned thoroughly on December 21 in preparation of the Christmas feast which was the richest meal of the year. Straw was brought into the house as it was considered a blessing of good health. Estonians honour their deceased relatives at Christmas time so straw, food and drinks were tradtionally left out for the spirits who came to visit at night.

2. In old times it was very popular to brew your own beer at Christmas time and today some brewers still release a special Christmas beer.

3. The Christmas feast is the highlight of the day. Pork, verivorst, fish, potatoes, cabbage and bread are the staples on the table. Pirukas and rosolje are also very popular. When it comes to baking, Estonians enjoy eating piparkoogid, apples cakes or cinnamon kringle at Christmas time.

4. The declaration of Christmas peace is a  tradition that dates back to the 17th century, during the reign of Queen Kristina of Sweden. Today, the Mayors of Tallinn and Tartu continue this tradition, using the words from Queen Kristina's original speech.

5. Unlike other countries, children in Estonia actually meet Santa when he comes to visit on Christmas Eve. But before but they receive his gift, the child must sing a song or recite a poem. The gift must be earned.

Christmas joy with a hint of sadness

I love Christmas time. It has always given me great pleasure to decorate my home each year, buy nice gfts and cook up a feast. I come from a large family so our Christmas celebrations are usually filled with lots of joy and laughter. It has been a few years now since my family have been all together for Christmas. Some members of my family have moved away and some have passed away. Christmas can be tough when you miss the people you love. This year will be the fifth Christmas without my mother. I often feel bouts of sadness knowing she's not here anymore. Every year since her death I started the tradition of always putting out the last Christmas card she send me with the new cards. This is my way of including her during the festive season.

The World's first Christmas tree was in Tallinn

Estonia has many wonderful cultural traditions but the one that is the most practiced around the world is the public Christmas tree. The tradition of the public Christmas tree dates back to the year 1441 when the Brotherhood of Black Heads put a Christmas tree up on Tallinn Town Hall Square. The evergreen spruce tree symbolises rebirth and was decorated with small edible items.

It is not known exactly when it became commonplace to place a tree in a home in Estonia. Calendars and newspaper reports show Estonians have brought spruce trees into their homes since at least 1845. Christmas trees were also hung from the rafters in farmhouses. Up until the 1920s, straw was also brought into houses during the festive period.

It has been a tradition to give Christmas gifts in Estonia since at least 1845 and they were normally placed on the table. In other countries Christmas presents are put under the tree, but tradtionally, in Estonia, a gift has to be earned. Memoirs from the end of the 19th century reveal people often sang for their presents, or were worried about forgetting the words to a poem.They had to get it right!

Glass baubles and other decorations were seen on trees during the last decades of the 19th century. Candles were replaced by lights and tinsel came into fashion.

Today, Tallinn is not only the location where the Christmas tree tradition began, but it's also home to one of the finest Christmas markets in the world. The Tallinn Christmas Market has been voted the best many times.  Merry Christmas everyone! Häid jõule!

New Paul Keres Documentary: Kuningas

The newly completed documentary film about Estonia's greatest chess player of all time, Grandmaster Paul Keres is now freely available for Delfi readers to watch here:  Paul Keres: Kuningas

Photo flashback: Old Tallinn Taxis

These photographs date back to the early 1930s when cars were sparingly used during winter.

 

 

Discover Estonian film heritage

The video on demand platform Arkaader was created by the Estonian National Archive and Estonian Film Institute and launched in 2022. It aims to bring all Estonian film hertiage together under one roof, making it easy to access feature films, documentaries, animation and film chronicles after its theatrical run. The search engine enables films to be searched by their geographical locations in Estonia. There are currently 3000 titles available online. In the film vault you can view many Estonian classics.

With Arkaader you can watch movies individually or in carefully curated collections or explore the movie map.

All Estonians are ambassadors for their country

At the recent sixth annual global Estonian forum, Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna, stated 'every Estonian is an ambassador for his country to other nations, particularly when residing abroad.'. This is very true. Estonia is a very patriotic country and national pride is extremely high among the dispora. It is our sincerest wish to see our country thrive.

As a small nation, Estonia's interconnectedness with the international community is absolutely critical for the country's survival. The vast majority of Estonians are fiercely proud of their culture, language, heritage and growing list of success stories. Respect for our roots and cultural uniqueness makes us naturally speak well of our country and there is no better promotion than word of mouth. Estonia is a country with a lot to offer and, for those interested in learning more, we are happy to share our knowledge.

Today in history

Today, 145 years ago, Estonian conductor, pianist, organist and composer Otto Hermann was born in Tartu (13. December 1878 - 17 October 1933). He was the first  music director of Estonian theater from 1906-1908. Hermann organised and conducted the first symphony concerts in Tallinn. One of his most famous music pieces is “Spring Symphony” (Kevade sümfoonia, 1924).

Otto Hermann

105 years ago today, the national flag was raised for the first time atop Pikk Hermann Tower

On the 12th of December 1918, Estonia's beloved blue-black-white national flag was raised for the first time on top of Pikk Hermann Tower. The location has since become its most symbolic site of display. May the beautiful Estonian flag always fly proudly and freely! 

'Smoke Sauna Sisterhood' wins Best Documentary at European Film Awards

The Estonian film Smoke Sauna Sisterhood by Anna Hints has won Best Documentary at the European Film Awards in Berlin. Congratulations to Anna and her team, they have made Estonia so proud! This is Estonia's first European Film Academy Award. Smoke Sauna Sisterhood delves into the cultural tradition of Vana-Võromaa’s smoke saunas in South Estonia and how they are unique spaces for healing and community. Smoke Sauna Sisterhood / Savvusanna sõsarad is currently attracting full houses at cinemas worldwide.

 

 

I have yet to see this documentary but going by Anna Hint's acceptance speech,  it's inspiration enough for me to go and see this multi awarding-winning film.

 

Tallinn: Photo flashback

Before World War Two, there was a building located on this triangular plot, that was destroyed during the bombing by the Red Army in 1944. I wonder how many people remember this building. Fascinating.

Estonia is a winter wonderland!

Estonian meteorologist Kairo Kiitsak recently spent hours travelling around Estonia to take these stunning winter photographs. These images were taken in Sirevere in Lääne-Viru County, in northeastern Estonia. Such natural beauty!

 

Estonian 15-year-olds are the smartest in Europe

The PISA 2022 educational survey was published today and shows that the knowledge and skills of Estonian 15-year-olds are at the absolute top in Europe and seventh place in the world ranking. Student from 81 countries were tested for their proficiency in reading, science and mathematics. What a fantastic result for Estonia!

To learn more about 2022 PISA results, please click here.

Nami-Nami's Christmas Calendar

Every day in the month of December Estonia's popular recipe website 'Nami-Nami' will share a new Christmas idea. This is the ninth year Nami-Nami has created the Christmas calendar that is full of delicious treats. Be prepared to be inspired! You can view it here.

 

 

Heavy snowfall across Estonia and Europe

The impact of this year's El Niño is currently being felt across the Northern Hemisphere. 60% of Europe is covered in snow at the moment, there hasn't been snow cover like this since 2010.  I woke up this morning to find snow 40 cm deep outside my house. Snow may be beautiful to look at but it can be problematic when it comes to mobility.

 

Map of snow cover in Europe on December 1, the worst since 2010.

In Tallinn, the capital has been transformed into a winter wonderland due to the recent snowfall. The Tallinn Christmas Market officially opened yesterday and many stunning images have started to emerge on social media, including this one of Viru Gate. The photograph was taken by Michael Huang who has captured many beautiful images of Tallinn over the years.

Tallinn is truly magical during the winter months when the city is covered in a blanket of snow.

Surviving winter - the Estonian way

My cousin recently sent me this amusing picture. When I think back to the times when our ancestors had to brave the cold and harsh winters in Estonia, it really makes me appreciate what comforts we have today. But then again, I have slipped over on the ice in Tallinn despite wearing sturdy winter boots, it's simply hard to avoid. All we can really do is, rug up, slow down and do our best.

Estonian Latvian Jokes

Estonia and Latvia share a border of about 339 kilometers and also have deep historical, economic and ecclesiastical ties going back centuries. There has always been light-hearted banter between the two nations which is no less prevalent today. Estonians poke fun at Latvians as it is rumoured they have six toes on each foot, and Latvians stereotype Estonians as being slow because they like to think before they act.

Here are some typical Estonian / Lativan jokes.

A Latvian wants to renovate his living room, but doesn't know how much wallpaper to buy. Then he remembers that his neighbour, an Estonian, has exactly the same living room and that the Estonian just recently made repairs there. So he asked the Estonian how many rolls of wallpaper he had bought.

"Twelve rolls," the Estonian replied matter-of-factly.

In a couple of days, the repair will be completed by the Latvian, but there is still a lot of wallpaper left over. Scoldingly, he goes to the Estonian again and said: "I had four rolls of wallpaper left over from the repair!"

The Estonian replies matter-of-factly: "Everything is correct. I also had four rolls left over too".

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Two Estonians are walking along the road. Suddenly someone says: "Look, Jaan, a dead bird!"

"Where?" the other looks up to the sky.

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A group of five Latvians arrive at the Estonian border driving an Audi Quattro. The border guard does not let them pass saying "you cannot enter Estonia, there are five of you, but your car is an Audi Quattro, one of you needs to go". The Latvians start to protest and demand to speak with a supervisor. The Estonian border guard says "no problem, but you guys need to wait. He is dealing with three Lithuanians who are trying to sneak into Estonia in a Fiat Uno".

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An Estonian arrives home early from a business trip and discovers his wife in bed with a black lover. For a moment, as if getting angry, he sits down in a chair and with great relief, wipes the sweat from his brow and sighs from the bottom of his heart: "Thank God it's not a Latvian!"

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What does LV mean on license plates of Latvian cars? – Extra toe (Lisavarvas).

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Three Estonians are fishing.  At 7am the first one says - "no fish". At 2pm the second man says - "still no fish". In the evening the third says - "of course, there are no fish, because you chat all the time".

(Latvians joke that Estonians are not very talkative).

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A Latvian is in a bar telling a man about the time he was making fun of an Estonian for being slow.  "What happened?' the man then asked. "The Estonian beat me up the day after". The Latvian replied.

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What happens when the dumbest blonde from Estonia moves to Latvia? The average IQs of both countries improves significantly. 

2023 Estonian Book of the Year Awards

At the end of 2022, Rahva Raamat turned 110 years old, and announced the launch of a new annual book award - Aasta Raamat! This is how they acknowledge works and select the best books of the year. To find the best, they put together a broad-based jury from the Estonian literary and media scene. In addition to the jury's selection, the favourite among Estonian readers was revealed in the - People's Favourite category.

 

The winners of the 2023 Book of the Year are:

Best fiction book by an Estonian author: "The Lost Tribe" by Mehis Heinsaar     

Best translated fiction book: "The Book of Restlessness" Fernando Pessoa (Leenu Nigu)                

Best non-fiction book by an Estonian author: "Lembit Ulfsak" Eero Epner                                      

The best translated non-fiction book: "Travel impressions of the old Baltic countries" Seppo Zetterberg (translator Sirje Olesk)                                                                                                          

Best youth book by an Estonian author: "The thin ghost stories of Tallinn's old town" Jaak Juske

Best translated children's book: "The Guest of the Little Mouse" by Riikka Jäntti (translator Dea Oidekivi)   

People's Favourite: "SAUNA". History, culture, health, construction" Urmas Hõbepappel, Liisa Hõbepappel, Silja Nellis, Siim Nellis  

 

The Tallinn Christmas Market opens December 1st

Christmas is such a wonderful time of year. All the bright lights, colourful decorations, music, food, drinks and gifts really warms the heart.  Christmas Day may only be for one day in the year but the festive season lasts well over a month. One of the best ways to experience Christmas cheer is to visit Christmas markets. The best Christmas market I have ever been to - by far - is the Tallinn Christmas Market. It has such a wonderful atmosphere, it truly has it all. Music, live entertaintment,  carousel, Santa's house, reindeer and then there are all the stalls. It's got everything you could possibly want in a Christmas market. 

The Tallinn Christmas Market opens on the 1st of December 2023 and runs until the 7th of January 2024.

 

 

The world's first public Christmas tree was erected on Tallinn's Town Hall Square by the Brotherhood of Blackheads in the year 1441. Now it's a tradition seen all over the world.  More information about about the Tallinn Christmas Market can be found here - Tallinna jõuluturg

Today is International Men's Day

International Men's Day is celebrated this year on Sunday November 19. According to a social study conducted in 2022, two out of five Estonian men feel happy most of the time. The survey found that 5% of Estonian men generally felt happy all the time and that did not change significantly as they got older. Relationships and family life have a profound impact on a person's emotional wellbeing. More information about the survey can be found here.

Secrets of the Viking Burial Ships in Estonia

In this episode of Vikings: The Lost Realm they take a look at the secrets of Viking burial ships. This gripping Vikings documentary uncovers startling truths of Viking burials in Estonia and challenges known history. You can watch it here.

Most popular last names throughout Europe

Tallinn's Viru Street throughout the years

It's always fascinating looking at these old photographs. Many things change over time yet some things remain the same.

Similarities Between Hungarian and Estonian

Hungarian and Estonian are both Finno-Ugric languages that share the same origin, but how close are they? In this video the commonalities between the two languages are explored with Betti (Hungarian speaker) and Markus (Estonian speaker). Very interesting!

New Documentary: 'Fearless Estonia'

A new documentary has been released showing how Estonia stands up against Russia's threat and what Finland could learn from the experiences of its neighbour. The documentary features many quality interviews with Estonian politicans, military personnel and victims of communism. A must watch.

You can watch the documentary here.

National Geographic includes Tartu on 'The Cool List 2024'

The highly respected publication, National Geographic has listed Tartu, Estonia’s second-largest city, as one of the 30 most exciting destinations to visit in 2024. 

Why is Tartu on the Cool List?

Estonians have long considered Tartu to be their country’s cultural and intellectual heart, due to its top-notch museums, lively cafes and the country’s oldest university. Little wonder, then, that this UNESCO City of Literature has been selected as one of three European Capitals of Culture for 2024. Tartu and the wider southern Estonia region are marking the occasion with a year of events, from classical concerts and film screenings to edgy outdoor art installations. One of the highlights will be Kissing Tartu, a nod to the city’s Kissing Students fountain.

Also appearing on the Cool List 2024 is Norway's Nordland, Australia's vibrant Victoria and Madagascar's Andrefana Dry Forests.

The Estonian Year of the Sauna

2023 is the Estonian Year of the sauna. The year long celebration is a great time to enjoy everything the sauna has to offer and learn more about the sauna’s history and culture.  

Estonian sauna culture is about 800 years old. What originally began in Finland thousands of years ago, later became popular in Estonia and the two countries have since been connected in many ways. A long sauna culture is one of them. Saturday is considered sauna day in Estonia and a good sauna usually reaches temperatures between 90 - 100 degrees. Estonians cannot live without a regular sauna!

Interesting fact: The word sauna is the only Finnish word that is used in the English language.

There are many benefits of the sauna, such as improved cardiovascular health, stress relief, and improved skin health.

Old Estonian photograph of the Baltic Express

I love looking at old Estonian photographs. Even more so when they were taken by members of my own family. This photo of the Baltic Express was taken by my great-grandfather Arthur Lestal who was a professional photographer by trade. I collect his works and thrilled whenever I discover a new image. My great-grandfather often wrote on his photo postcards which makes it easier for me to identify them. This photograph of the Baltic Express would have been taken sometime during the 1930s.

Today is All Souls' Day / Täna on Hingedepäev

November 2nd is Hingedepäev in Estonia. The day on which the veil between the world of the living and that of the dead is at its thinnest. According to Estonian folklore; grey, foggy weather is a sure sign the souls are coming to visit. Today we remember those who left us and light a candle in their memory.

Don't miss Tallinn's St. Martin's Fair

One of the best places to buy Estonian handicrafts is at St.Martin's Fair. Each year the event runs for three days at Tallinn's Saku SuurHall. Many wonderful Estonian handmade goods can be found here as well as traditional Estonian food, folk music, demonstrations and workshops. I've been to the fair and I was really impressed. The event will take place from 9 - 11 November 2023. More information can be found on the Mardilaat website.

Five of the best historic hotels in Tallinn

In the 13th century Tallinn was a thriving Hanseatic trading centre where merchants and nobles from all across Europe came to do business. During those medieval times many stone building were constructed and still stand today, some 500 years later. Many of those buildings have been renovated and converted into hotels to enable us to step back in time and enjoy a bit of history. 

Here are five of the best heritage hotels in Tallinn.

Schlössle Hotel

A former merchant's house located in the Old Town, the Schlössle Hotel has been beautifully restored retaining many of its orginal features. It has elegantly appointed bedrooms and public areas, all combined with the latest technology and comfort.

Schlössle Hotel is located at Pühavaimu 13/15, Tallinn

Telegraaf Hotel

The Telegraaf Hotel is considered the most luxurious five-star hotel in Tallinn. The historic building was constructed in 1878 and was formerly a post office. During World War II, the building served as the main hub for telegraph communications, so when it became a hotel, it was named the Telegraaf Hotel to commemorate its rich history.

The Telegraaf Hotel is located at Vene 9, Tallinn

The Three Sisters Hotel

The Three Sisters Hotel comprises three former merchant houses that were renovated and united in 2003 to create this luxury boutique hotel. The buildings date back to 1362 and are located on Pikk Street, which was Tallinn's main artery of commerce during the Middle Ages. 

                          The Three Sisters Boutique Hotel is located at Pikk 71, Tallinn

Hotel Barons

A truly charming hotel located in the heart of Old Town, Hotel Barons is set within two buildings, the first dating back to the 15th century and the second a former bank building. This hotel has retained many of its classic art nouveau features which make for a very pleasant stay. All rooms are comfortable and stylish and within walking distance of Tallinn's main attractions.

                          Hotel Barons is located at Suur-Karja 7/ Väike-Karja 2, Tallinn

St Olaf Hotel

 

Built by a wealthy town elder for his family in 1437, St Olaf Hotel is now a charming old hotel full of character. Situated in the heart of the medieval merchants district, the historic building has four floors of comfortable rooms with interesting interiors.  It is also one of the best priced hotels in Tallinn.

 St. Olav Hotel is located at Lai 5, Tallinn

Vana Tallinn / Old Tallinn

It always great to see these old images of Tallinn. It's such a beautful city.

 

Estonia: Where the old and the new embrace

I found a new Estonian relative - Uku Suviste

After reading the ERR news story about Uku Suviste discovering he has some cousins who are also singers, it prompted me to do a search on Geni.com and I found that I am related to Uku too. We are 6th cousins. My grandmother, whose family comes from Võru, is related to Uku's mother Heli. Now I realise why I liked his Eurovision entry so much, great lyrics, writing must be in the genes!

This year's Gingerbread Mania theme is 'Film'

Each year the team at PiparkoogiMaania / Gingerbread Mania create a fantastic display of gingerbread art. Around 100 Estonian artists contribute to the exhibition that is one of the most popular events in Tallinn during the Christmas period. This year's theme is 'Film' and the exhibition will run from 1st December 2023 until 7th January 2024.

 Gingerbread Mania is located at Pärnu mnt 6, Tallinn. More information can be found here.