how to relax like a Finn

OK class, I need your full attention now. Todays’s topic is

how to relax like a Finn

No, this is not another post about Hygge. Or Lagom. What I’m about to teach you is far less virtuous and way more fun. So, get your bad girl attitude on.

Right, this has (of course) been called the latest Nordic lifestyle hack, mostly by people who know nothing about Nordic lifestyle. For us Finns it’s just what we do, when we feel like it. Though preferably not on a school night… It’s more of a weekend activity, for obvious reasons.

I’m talking about the quintessentially Finnish way of relaxing, called:

Translated as ‘pantsdrunk‘ in English, it could be defined as drinking alone at home, wearing your underwear (or other comfortable clothing you wouldn’t be caught dead wearing outside your home), with no intention of going out.

Yes, it’s a thing. There’s even an emoji (actually, two: a male and a female version) for kalsarikänni:

Let’s make one thing clear: kalsarikänni does not mean that you’re an alcoholic (it’s an occasional thing, not for every day). And it’s not just another excuse for selfies in fancy lingerie or a silk robe. It’s simply a way to spend quality time with yourself. Alone. At home. In non-Instagrammable clothing. And you can have a drink without feeling guilty.

The best thing about kalsarikänni is that it doesn’t require an Instagram-perfect setting like hygge, or puritan self-discipline like lagom, or enduring tedious small talk when all you really want to do is being left alone (hey, I’m a Finn, cut me some slack: we don’t really get the point of small talk…).

In fact, kalsarikänni requires no preparation whatsoever. It doesn’t matter if your hair is a mess and you’re not wearing any make up, or if you haven’t vacuumed for weeks, or if or your clothes are still splattered across the floor 12 hours after you frantically tried to find something to wear before dashing out of the door in the morning.

And nobody is going to tell you to stick to just one glass of wine.

Yes, you can have the whole bottle if you want (or not, if that’s what you prefer, we’re not judging, either way…).

Because kalsarikänni is about letting go of the social pretenses you put yourself through when you interact with others and doing exactly what you wish you could do when you’re fed up with everything: give the world the middle finger and have a drink. Or two. Or five. Or…

Now, purists say that the drink in question should be beer, but really it’s a matter of taste. Anything goes. Well, almost anything. Forget cocktails; you’re in your jammies for heaven’s sake! Keep it simple. I’m a bit of a snob, and I absolutely hate beer, so wine is my poison (no, not the whole bottle, but certainly more than just a glass).

And snacks? Well, snacks are optional, as long as they require no preparation. You can have a pizza delivered.

What was that? CALORIES?!? Seriously? Who gives a shit?!? The whole point is getting wasted, you can diet tomorrow. Or the day after: you’ll probably need that pizza tomorrow morning…

Personally, I think red wine goes really well with raspberry dark chocolate or blueberry white chocolate. Or both, there’s no need to choose one, this isn’t lagom: excess is good.

Now, grab a glass, reach for that pizza, make sure the remote control is within reach for that Netflix marathon, or just spend hours on Instagram watching kitten videos. And relax.

Outfits details:

nightie and socks: Marimekko

How do you relax?

Tiina

Linking up with:

Not Dead Yet Style, Elegantly Dressed and Stylish, High Latitude Style, Style Elixir, A Labour of Life, Curly Crafty Mom, Fashion Should Be Fun, Color and Grace, The Wardrobe Stylist, Not Dressed As Lamb, Style Nudge, Living on Cloud Nine, A Well Styled Life, Elegance and Mommyhood. Posh Classy Mom, Nancy’s Fashion Style, Shelbee on the Edge, A Pocketful of Polka Dots Style Splash, The Fashionista Momma, Tina’s Pink Friday, Fake Fabulous. Mummabstylish