芬蘭：圣誕老人的家鄉

文/Diego

芬蘭或許是小國，卻大有味道。空氣潔凈、景色壯美，既是千湖之國，又是森林之地。芬蘭是個充滿了有趣對比的國度，有分明的四季，有極晝和極夜。對了，你是否知道，全世界孩子們都愛的圣誕老人，他的家鄉就在芬蘭呢？

Located in Northern Europe,Finland has a total area of almost 340,000 square kilometers,ranked the 64th in the world,with a population of 5.5 million people.Finland is a small country,with even lower population density（密度）,ranked 201st in the world.Sitting in one of the coldest regions of the world,Finland sees polar days and polar nights.In the cold winter days,there are over 50 consecutive（連續的）nights without sunrise, while in the warm summer,the sun does not set for over 70 days.The extreme weather has trained Finnish people to be tolerant（容忍的）and accepting.

芬蘭位于歐洲北部，國土面積約34萬平方千米，全世界排名第64位，人口約550萬。芬蘭是一個小國，人口密度更低，排在世界第201位。地處世界上最冷的區域之一，芬蘭有極晝和極夜。在寒冷的冬日，連續有50多個極夜，完全看不到太陽；而在夏天，年均有70多天太陽不下山。極端的天氣造就了芬蘭人總體而言隱忍和不習慣抱怨的性格。

Ho Ho Ho,Santa’s Home

Legend has it,Finland was the very first country that welcomed Santa Claus home. The Northern Lapland region.

Korvatunturi,translated into English as“Ear Mountain”,goes all the way to the Arctic ocean（北冰洋）.And Santa Claus got to hear all children’s wishes from all over the world with the help of the“Ear Mountain”.Thus,he can lead 20,000 reindeer（馴鹿）and deliver gifts that are prepared by elves,to each child on Christmas eve. Although many western countries have tried to make Santa Claus theirs,in 1995,the United Nation secretary mailed a holiday card to Santa Claus to Rovaniemi in Finland,which officially confirmed Finland as the hometown to Santa Claus.

The post office in the Santa Claus village in Rovaniemiisno doubtthe busiestin the world.Children write to this address every day from everywhere,despite polardays and nights,Santa Claus and his elves always reply to each letter with sincere hearts.

圣誕老人的家

歷史上傳說，芬蘭是圣誕老人最早定居的國家。

位于芬蘭拉普蘭省的“耳朵山”通往北冰洋。圣誕老人正是借助這只“耳朵”，才能在遙遠的北極聽到全世界孩子們的愿望，并在圣誕節前夜帶領兩萬頭馴鹿，將精靈準備的禮物送到每一個孩子的手中。雖然西方不少國家一直想爭奪圣誕老人的國籍，但在1995年，聯合國秘書長將一張發給圣誕老人的賀卡寄到芬蘭的羅瓦涅米，相當于正式承認了芬蘭作為圣誕老人家鄉的地位。

羅瓦涅米的圣誕老人村里，有全世界最忙碌的郵局，每天要接收來自全世界小朋友的來信。圣誕老人和他的精靈們，無論極晝還是極夜，都會真誠地回復每一封來信。

At Least One Meter,Please

Finnish people are generally considered tolerant and introverted（內向的）.They value personal space and can endure（忍耐）extreme heat or cold.

Due to the low population density,Finnish people give priorities to individual space and safe distance between them and others.And there comes the world famous“Finnish Quene”.

No matter where you go,from bus stops,shops to any place that requires a line,Finnish people normally keep a distance from each other of at least one meter,despite the fact they may suffer from rain or wind.In Finland,it’s rare to see people try to squeeze（擁擠）to hide under the shade to avoid rain or snow.Riding public transportation,strangers would rather stand far away from each other than sharing two seats next to each other.

至少一米的安全距離

芬蘭人性格中的隱忍、內向，使他們格外看重個人空間，同時也能夠忍耐酷暑或嚴寒。

由于人口密度極低，芬蘭人非常講究個人的獨立空間，彼此保持安全距離，于是就有了世界聞名的“芬蘭式排隊”。

無論是在公交車站、商店外面，還是任何需要排隊的地方，芬蘭人寧愿被風吹雨淋，也要保持彼此間幾乎一米的距離。在芬蘭，很難看到有人為了躲避雨水或雪花而爭相躲避到遮陽篷下的場景。乘坐公共交通工具，不認識的人寧愿隔得遠遠地站著，也不會彼此并肩坐在一起。

Sauna And Alcohol

The winter in Finland is long and cold,often with a temperature of lower than minus 30 to 40 degrees Celsius. The cold, along with the consecutive polarnightswhere the sun doesnot rise for almost two months,restrict（限制）Finnish people’s outdoor activities.As a result,the Sauna has become the locals’favorite.Sauna is also the only Finnish word that has been universally accepted and used.No matterage,genderand location,Finnish people willtake offthe thick jacket along with the cold air,and jump into the steamy（充滿蒸汽的）Sauna room,until they are all red and sweaty.Sauna helps people forget about the cold and winter.

The faraway Finland has freezing cold weather,and passionatesauna.Finnish peopleendureand enjoy the cold,while Santa Claus is busy realizing all children’s dreams and wishes.

蒸著桑拿喝著小酒

芬蘭的冬季漫長而寒冷，溫度常常保持在零下三四十攝氏度。再加上極夜的到來，讓人在將近兩個月的日子里“不見天日”。于是，芬蘭人冬天的戶外活動受到極大限制，而能夠讓芬蘭人保持溫暖的桑拿，就成了當地人最喜歡的選擇。桑拿浴（Sauna）一詞源自芬蘭語，也是芬蘭語中唯一一個全世界通用的單詞。不分年齡、性別、地點，只要條件允許，大家就會脫下厚厚的衣服，卸下寒氣，跳進充滿熱氣的桑拿房，蒸個滿頭大汗、全身通紅，將寒冷和冬天拋之腦后。

遙遠的芬蘭，有冰天雪地，也有熱情似火。有人們對極端天氣的忍耐，更有圣誕老人紅紅火火，忙著實現全世界每一個小朋友的愿望和夢想。