As the website "This is Finland" notes, there are two words for souvenir in Finnish: matkamuisto and tuliainen, which literally mean "memory of a trip" and "gift from a trip." So let's go pick out souvenirs and gifts from Finland.
1. Coffee
Finns are world champions in coffee drinking, and the selection of coffee here is unusually wide. Taste is subjective, but the most popular and most purchased brands in the country – "Juhla Mokka" and "Kulta Katriina" – are perfect for a souvenir.
2. Items from Marimekko
The world learned about Marimekko when Jacqueline Kennedy wore outfits from this company. Stylish design plus renowned Finnish quality – why not buy an item from Marimekko? And if not a dress, then at least a pitcher with the funny name "Sausage Socks."
3. Souvenirs with Angry Birds
The products of Rovio are not called a contribution to world culture, but the angry birds have flown from Finland all over the world. You can find backpacks, T-shirts, mugs, and candies with images of characters from the popular computer game.
4. Cloudberries
Cloudberry is the Finnish national berry. Many people bring cloudberry liqueur as a gift for friends, and for non-drinkers, cloudberry jam works. It goes especially well with bread cheese (leipäjuusto); they are even sold together.
5. Souvenirs with Moomins
The work of Tove Jansson is an important contribution of Finland to world culture. The writer's peak fame came from the books about the Moomins with her own illustrations. Today, Tove Jansson's drawings can be found on dishes, bed linen, balls, and cereal boxes. And the most useful of the inexpensive souvenirs are reflectors.
6. Aalto Vase
A unique case in the world: in every supermarket in Finland you can buy a copy of the most famous Finnish exhibit at the 1937 World's Fair in Paris. It's impossible to confuse: regardless of color and size, the vase by architect and designer Alvar Aalto has a unique shape reminiscent of a wave. This is symbolic: Aalto means "wave" in Finnish.
7. Smoked and Salted Fish
Finland is famous for its fish; Emperor Alexander III himself came here to catch salmon. It's easier for us: the tasty souvenir is sold in any store. Remember: graavilohi is lightly salted salmon, kylmäsavulohi is cold-smoked salmon, savulohi is hot-smoked. Excellent salmon is sold at markets, but it's better to take fish home in factory packaging.
8. Candies and Liqueurs with Salmiakki
Sweets containing ammonium chloride have somehow become popular with Finns. The assortment of exotic products is large: candies of various shapes – diamonds, coins, cubes with letters, or something resembling coils of wire, liqueur, and even ice cream. You can't bring ice cream as a gift, but everything else is fine.
9. Finnish Knife
Contrary to Yesenin, the Finnish knife (puukko) is not a weapon for hooligans in a bar brawl, but an indispensable household item. With a knife with a wooden handle, Finns have from time immemorial done carpentry, dressed game, and gutted fish. When choosing, keep your head – it will spin from the abundance of models. There's a saying in Finland: the Finnish knife is like the master who made it.
10. Kalevala Jewelry
For the 100th anniversary of the national epic in 1935, Finns came up with making jewelry based on archaeological finds. Following the example of President Kyösti Kallio's wife Kaisa, other fashionistas began wearing jewelry from "Kalevala Koru" in the late 1930s. Helsinki City Hall information department specialist Lyudmila Helanterä prefers the Lumikukka series – jewelry in the form of delicate petals made of silver and bronze.