If you’re happy and you’re Finnish clap your hands as you’re the merriest people on Earth for the eighth year running.
Like many of us outside Suomi our knowledge of the Land of a Thousand Lakes is probably limited.
To Olympic greats Lasse Viren, the odd sports driver in Keke Rosberg, a footballer or two Jari Litmanen and Jonatan Johannson and Antti Niemi and Euro headbangers Lordi.
And travel friends like adopted Scot Paula who is by now more Glaswegian than me and Daddy’s Little Girl’s Young Man who spent his childhood there.
Finn it to win it
So what is the secret?
Well, we’ve been down this route before and it seems to boil down to a narrower pay divide between rich and poor, nature and community.
And a down-to-earth and humble attitude, all of which allows for an outburst of shouting out their achievements on their website.
Where they scream that they are the ‘happiest place on Earth.’
Although in the interests of fairness we hold their feet to the fire (well, it is cold up there) to see if we match up.
Shining a light
The Finns proudly flag up the Northern Lights but are not alone, not least in Aberdeen who have even embraced them in their civic song.
We will, of course, give them their saunas.
With Finland boasting 3 million saunas and 188,000 lakes and the Finns freely bare all so no inhibitions there.
They also wave their nature in our faces (behave) and their The Everyman’s Rights which state that everyone is free to enjoy nature responsibly.
And what they call the the cleanest air in the world Finns are all foragers and porcini mushrooms or cloud berries are just scattered at your feet.
In their forests and 40 national parks from the lush Southern woods to the Arctic wonders of the North.
Fairytale Finland
All fairytale stuff and, of course, they have Santa himself in Rovaniemi, or the North Pole as its billed.
Best for us all, while proud of our own countries, to test for ourselves whether Finland deserves its plaudits.
And Finnair will get you there unless you work for Santa.
Disney has, of course, trademarked Happiest Place on Earth.
But Finland is the Happiest Country on Earth.
So today, and every day, if you’re happy and you’re Finnish clap your hands.
