Happy St. Urho's Day
@GardenGerty (163426)
United States
March 16, 2023 2:01pm CST
I am willing to bet you have never heard of this holiday. I had not until the past five years.
Bob, my husband, is of Finnish descent. His family helped populate the upper peninsula of Michigan.
Here is a brief posting from Wikipedia about it:
Saint Urho is a fictional saint of Finland, created and elaborated by Finnish Americans in Northern Minnesota in the 1950s, to celebrate their heritage and extend celebrations of St. Patrick's Day. Wikipedia
We have not done anything to celebrate it. In fact, I am not sure what we are supposed to do. I just know his cousin was greeting us all for this holiday today on Facebook.
18 people like this
17 responses
@kaylachan (77505)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
16 Mar 23
I never heard of it either. But, it's always fun to learn new things sometimes.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (163426)
• United States
17 Mar 23
It is pretty much all made up. It is all in fun.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (163426)
• United States
17 Mar 23
@kaylachan As time passes we get more and more holidays, recognitions and celebrations.
2 people like this
@kaylachan (77505)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
17 Mar 23
@GardenGerty Ah, yeah. Probably why I didn't hear of it. But then I had to look up Juneteenth.... so... didn't know if I was just clueless.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (163426)
• United States
17 Mar 23
Something fun and lighthearted. Actually an excuse to start drinking a day before St. Patrick's Day.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (163426)
• United States
17 Mar 23
@RebeccasFarm They are not all bad. Bob is a good one.
2 people like this
@RebeccasFarm (94525)
• Arvada, Colorado
17 Mar 23
@GardenGerty Fins are my arch enemy..one of my X was Fin hahaha
2 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (49578)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
17 Mar 23
I think I came across this "saint" in a novel that had a Finnish character in it... but there again, I could be hallucinating once more. 
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (163426)
• United States
17 Mar 23
Surely not hallucinating. Maybe I posted this before, on another far off St. Urho's Day. Happy St. Patrick's Day to you today.!
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (163426)
• United States
17 Mar 23
In the US many of the Saint days are for fun. I like celebrating St. Joseph and Father's Day and I did not know that was the custom, since I am not Catholic, but I can show respect.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (473988)
• Italy
17 Mar 23
@GardenGerty Father's Day has always been the 19th of March in Italy and here in the south of Switzerland. I used to celebrate my father.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (163426)
• United States
17 Mar 23
I guess I was supposed to wear purple. Someone invented this in 1956.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (163426)
• United States
17 Mar 23
@rakski Yeah. Wear purple for the grape crops he supposedly saved.
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29411)
• Eugene, Oregon
17 Mar 23
I'm sure this saint is as saintly as any sanctioned by whoever decides about saints. It's whimsical and that is a good thing.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (163426)
• United States
17 Mar 23
@JamesHxstatic Whimsy can be a lifeline for sure.
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29411)
• Eugene, Oregon
17 Mar 23
@GardenGerty Oh yes, we need it more than ever.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (163426)
• United States
17 Mar 23
We do not see the cousin often, but he is up there in the Upper Peninsula with many others of Finnish heritage.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (163426)
• United States
17 Mar 23
Always good to celebrate something.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (163426)
• United States
17 Mar 23
Finland also has a real Saint as well, I guess. St. Urho is obviously a fun character.
2 people like this
@LeaPea2417 (37824)
• Toccoa, Georgia
16 Mar 23
Interesting, I never heard of it before.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (163426)
• United States
17 Mar 23
Pretty obscure. Just like having several other made up holidays. One for every day of the year.
2 people like this
@RasmaSandra (84795)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
16 Mar 23
That is interesting I have never heard about this day before, Thank you for this I looked it up and there is a lot written about it online.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (163426)
• United States
17 Mar 23
There is always something new to learn. I read some more about it myself.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (163426)
• United States
17 Mar 23
You have also taught us new things. That is what is neat about being here.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (188285)
• United States
13 Apr 23
I've never heard of it either. A good excuse for doing something special!
1 person likes this
@Treborika (17895)
• Mombasa, Kenya
17 Mar 23
What do you celebrate exactly on the St. Patrick's Day
