On March 1 at 11 AM, celebrate Laskiainen with Scandinavia House Online in a virtual event with Ida Metsberg!

Laskiainen (Shrovetide) is often described as a “mid-winter sliding festival”. Associated with Shrove Tuesday, it is a celebration of the beginning of Lent that takes place before Easter, but includes both pagan and ecclesiastic traditions. These days, Finns generally observe two days of this festival: Laskiaissunday (Shrove Sunday) and Laskiaistuesday (Shrove Tuesday). Laskiaissunday is often a family day full of sledding, ice-skating, cross-country and downhill skiing; on Laskiaistuesday, people flock to the nearest hill after work or school. After a day of sledding, Finns enjoy the beloved Shrovetide bun, the laskiaispulla, a sweet pastry filled with almond paste or strawberry jam and lashings of whipped cream.

Join Finnish singer Ida Metsberg as she shows you how to make your very own laskiaispulla, while sharing her own childhood memories of Laskiainen/Shrovetide!

This event will take place as a virtual premiere on this page at 11 AM ET on March 1 via YouTube and Facebook. It will remain available to stream on this page through Sunday, March 6. Please check back to this page for viewing links and to set reminders to watch.

Laskiainen/Shrovetide is meant for people of all ages and all walks of life.  Should you happen to be in Finland during Laskiainen, we wish you a Slippery Shrovetide with perfect snow and sunny skies — and don’t forget to have pea soup and a laskiaispulla bun!