The happiest country in the world—12 unexpected aspects of the northern way of life

Finland has been named the happiest country in the world for the 8th time in a row. The ranking is based on a survey including 143 countries. We are, of course, famous for our democracy, freedom of speech, free education, and stunning nature— but we have other surprising assets as well. The Kotona editorial team has gathered 12 examples of what Finnish happiness looks like!

1. We’ll make a sauna out of anything (like ice, trampolines, or even whiskey barrels).

Of course, you can’t talk about Finnish happiness without mentioning the sauna. And we’ll make a sauna anywhere, anytime, and out of anything. Take a peek at, for example, an ice sauna or a trampoline sauna.

2. In winter, we take a dip in an ice hole. Or in a chest freezer ice hole.

After a sauna, Finns go for a swim, whether it’s July or February. And how handy it is if you can take a dip anytime, whether the lake is frozen over or not—like Mari, whose chest freezer converted into an ice hole doesn’t freeze over thanks to its lid.

3. And in summer, we really bathe.

Finland is the land of a thousand lakes (actually 168,000 of them!). In addition to lakes, we swim in the sea, in ponds, rivers, swimming pools, hot tubs, and jacuzzis.

4. Even though summer flies by and winter is long and dark, we know how to make the most of both.

In school, we Finns are taught that Finland has four seasons. In reality, it feels as if there are only two: the bright but fleeting summer (that’s when we barbecue, go on picnics, expand the terrace, plant potatoes and pull up ground elder from our potato patches, pick blueberries for blueberry pie and get strawberries at the outdoor market for strawberry cake) and the three-quarters-of-a-year-long November, which we also call winter.

5. We love Finnish design—so much so that we tattoo it on our arms.

Finns live surrounded by world-class design, but we don’t make a fuss about it. Then again, there are people like Jani, who bought a vacation home in a residential area designed by Alvar Aalto and furnished it with Aalto’s design. And Pertti, who cherishes his collection of over a hundred Artek stools.

6. We exercise, run, and hide surprises at bus stops—all, of course, while wearing wool socks.

Finland is a wool sock nation. Where else do they teach knitting a heel in school, practice wool sock workouts, compete in wool sock running, and knit socks as gifts for the homeless, for coworkers, and even for wedding guests?

7. And when those socks eventually get holes in them, we darn them or decorate them with balloons.

A Finn understands that mending clothes can actually be a luxury: “You can only do it if you have enough time,” explains Niko, who repairs his torn clothes as spectacularly as possible.

8. We plant the tallest possible hedge in our yard (preferably thuja), hoping it blocks the neighbor’s view.

For a Finn, it’s perfectly natural to drive 600 kilometers back and forth in one day, only to sit quietly in the corner at a family gathering. No one would find it strange, let alone get upset. Of course, the best is if you can retreat to a wilderness cabin in Lapland alone, or at most with your own family.

9. And then we transform an apartment building yard into a flower paradise together, and establish a commune for single parents.

But when a Finn puts their head together with another Finn, all sorts of amazing things happen. As a result of a crazy idea among a group of friends, you might renovate an old tuberculosis sanatorium into a castle-like home for the whole group. Or you could establish a commune for single-parent families. Or if you don’t want to go as far as move in together, you might, with a few neighbors, transform a dull apartment building yard into a colorful flower garden—a grandmothers’ playground, as Anja calls it.

10. We grow up on school food

We Finns are proud of the fact that we have free school lunches and daycare meals. There’s plenty of shared memories across generations about chicken fricassee, spinach pancakes, and pea soup—some love them, some hate them. Have you ever tasted Finnish pea soup?

11. For Finns, more important than exterior splendor is inner beauty (or is it mushy texture? After all, we love liver casserole and mämmi).

Our delicacies—salmiakki, licorice, and mämmi—are as black as the landscape on a November night. But a Finn knows not to let appearances deceive them.

12. Let’s make coffee.

If you visit a Finn, you are bound to hear the following suggestion: “Let’s make coffee.” The coffee maker bubbling away in the kitchen is perhaps the most Finnish sound of all. Would you like milk or sugar?

Updated on March 20, 2025 at 9:00 AM: The results of the Happiness Report have been adjusted to reflect the 2025 results, in which Finland was named the happiest country in the world for the eighth consecutive year. The article was originally published on March 22, 2024.