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St. Urho's Day!

March 16, 2006

ph_mar_urlo.jpg

I can't believe it took until today, my 41st Birthday, for me to hear about St. Urho, patron saint of Finland.

Why is this so unbelievable? you ask??

Well, because not only are a good portion of my ancestors Scandanavian, but today... my birthday... is St. Urho's Day! STRIKE UP THE BAND! PULL OUT THE KAZOOS! POUR A BOTTLE OF WINE! PUT ON A HAPPY FACE, FOR GOD'S SAKE! THIS IS THE DAY WE CELEBRATE CONQUERING THE GIANT GRASSHOPPERS!

GIANT GRASSHOPPERS?!

Yes, giant grasshoppers.

It seems there were a couple of Minnesota Finns back in the 1950's who decided to concoct a story... a myth... a joke.... a yarn... involving St. Urho. I'm not sure if it was a spark of unbridled creativity, out of pure boredom (it was the 1950's, and they were in Minnesota) (sorry, mom) or... pure jealousy over all the fun the Irish have this time of year with St. Patty's Day... BUT, come up with a tale they did, and it goes somethin' like this:::

Way, way back. Far, far and away back. Hundreds of gazillions of years ago in Finland. Pre-Ice Age Finland, before it got cold and blanketed with snow up there. St. Urho (pronounced "Ooooorlho") engaged in a battle of mythic proportions against a swarm of GIANT GRASSHOPPERS who invaded Finlandia, eating everything in sight, notwithstanding and including their beloved grape vinyards.

St. Urho was a mighty man of God, and even though it was pre-ice age, he believed mightily in the father, son, and holy ghost and asked all three of them to shine their light upon him in order to save the Finns from a world without wine.

Being gracious, God gifted Urho with a splendid and loud voice, with which Urho reputedly used in some sort of magical way against the giant locusts. I'm thinking maybe Urho sang Barry Manilo songs until all the saber toothed hoppers impaled themselves on his mighty pitchfork.

Seriously, people. What better day to be born on than ST. URHO'S DAY?! Do you know that according to a reliable internet source, St. Urho Day is officially recognized in all 50 states too? (this matters very little in my world, since I live in DC, which isn't a state, and I'm taxed without representation... but that's a whole other story...)

I say, to HECK with St. Patty's Day, and UP with St. Urho's Day! Why, all St. Patty did was banish a bunch of snakes! St. Urho? Why, he took on a herd of prehistoric, saber-toothed, GIANT, MAMOUTH GRASSHOPPERS!

Faith and Begrasshoppers! It's St. Urho's Day!

Posted by vincent at March 16, 2006 07:13 AM

Comments

It's quite a sticky wicket
When you're plagued with giant crickets
Be you Mormon, Dutch or Finn
It's quite a fix you're in.

Posted by: Robert White at March 16, 2006 07:29 AM

Dear Sir Rob,

There's nothing better than receiving the gift of poetry on St. Urho's Day and my birthday! Thank you, kind Sir!

Posted by: Susan at March 16, 2006 07:30 AM

I had no idea that this was spread to the whole country. I guess I'll have to wear my purple shirt today. I don't have green to wear tomorrow.

L in Northern Minn. Which rhymes with Finn, which I'm not.

Posted by: LoieGram at March 16, 2006 09:19 AM

happy happy birthday!!

Posted by: bobbie at March 16, 2006 09:55 AM

Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday to you,

You look like a giant grasshopper

And you jump like one, too.



(I know, it doesn't really make sense. How about I just say happy birthday and happy St. Urho's Day instead?)

Posted by: Lynn at March 16, 2006 10:35 AM

Happy Birthday and St. Urho's Day to you! I had no idea I was required to wear purple today but will rumage through my closet and find appropriate attire to celebrate the occassion. How did I live in Minnesota all those years and not hear of this miraculous occurance? Perhaps I was having too much fun in the 50'?:-)?????? But all this information might explain why you love the color purple????

Posted by: janet at March 16, 2006 12:34 PM

You made this up, didn't you? ;)

Happy Birthday...I must put this on my calendar, it takes me by surprise every year!

Posted by: tamara at March 16, 2006 12:50 PM

Happy Birthday Susan! Each year I've known you, you've become happier, healthier, saner, and wiser. I'm proud to count you as a friend.

Posted by: joy at March 16, 2006 04:42 PM

HA! this is great! and happy birthday! how lucky you are to be born on such a sacred day.

Posted by: la vie en rose at March 16, 2006 05:57 PM

Purple? Purple?!?!?

Oh, man, I'll have to dig through the very back of the closet...

Happy Birthday!

Posted by: dan at March 16, 2006 06:42 PM