New Year’s Eve Reflections: Memories of Pancakes, Tin Casting and Finnish Traditions

New Year’s Eve... It’s a time for recap, resolutions, and plans for the year ahead. Many might be doing exactly that. As for me, my thoughts drift back to the taste and smell of *pannukakku*—Finnish flat oven pancake! A tradition for some, a remedy for others, and a comforting taste of my childhood.

After Christmas: A Finnish Twist on New Year's Celebrations

Growing up, Christmas in Finland was a time of endless food, family, and holiday spirit that stretched on for days. The festivities filled us up on the warmth of loved ones, but the tables piled high with ham, casseroles, and treats took a toll on our stomachs. Somehow, I always seemed to come down with a minor stomach bug just in time for New Year’s Eve. And while my friends ran outside to watch the neighbors’ modest fireworks display, I’d be perched on the windowsill, nose pressed against the cold glass, enjoying a simple slice of cold pancake—*pannukakku*—made the day before by my grandma.

Finnish oven pancake is simple but comforting: flour, eggs, milk and sugar, baked to a golden crispy softness. Grandma’s version was always perfectly balanced, neither too sweet nor too heavy. And on New Year’s Eve, it was a gentler meal, a simple pleasure that was kind to an overstuffed stomach. I ate it plain, without jam or sugar. Apparently, it was one of the few things that went down well with an upset stomach. 

Outside, the sky was typically gray, with drizzle or perhaps a fine layer of snow—a fittingly modest backdrop for the celebrations.

Yellow Jaffa: Finland’s Classic Soft Drink

Of course, what would have been a New Year’s Eve without a glass of *keltainen Jaffa*? Jaffa, the iconic Finnish orange soda, has been around since 1949, making it almost as classic as the holiday itself. Finns love their Jaffa, and its appeal has lasted generations. It even rivaled international brands like Fanta.

For many, Yellow Jaffa is also a "sick day drink," believed to settle an upset stomach. There’s no scientific proof, of course, but when I sipped on my glass of Jaffa as a child, it felt like the perfect tonic, and perhaps that’s all that mattered.

Finnish New Year's: A More Modest Affair

Moving abroad to Spain, I saw a different side of New Year’s celebrations. Here, locals ring in the year with grand, city-sponsored fireworks shows that light up the sky for what feels like hours. In Finland, New Year’s Eve was a far more understated affair. Most families had a handful of rockets, perhaps three to five, or ten if they really wanted to splurge. We’d bundle up, head outside, and light them one by one in the snowy or sometimes slushy yard, watching the brief but beautiful burst of color in the sky. For us, a few rockets were enough to mark the occasion. It wasn’t about how much you had, but rather about starting the year in good spirits.

Finnish New Year’s Menu: Simple and Light

Christmas meals in Finland are famously rich and hearty, filled with traditional dishes like joulukinkku (Christmas ham), rosolli salad, and oven-baked casseroles. By New Year’s Eve, though, we’d had our fill of Christmas flavors. Back in the day, the holiday ham would last for at least a week, sliced and reheated into new meals until it was finally finished. 

Nowadays, it’s common to see people already tired of holiday food by December 26th, looking for something different like pizza, tacos, or Italian pasta to mix things up. But in my childhood, New Year’s Eve meals were simple, often just leftovers or something light, like soup or an oven pancake.

There was a practical side to this simplicity too—after all the rich foods of Christmas, it felt right to enter the new year with a lighter stomach and an appetite for the possibilities ahead.

Tin Casting: Predicting the Future in Shadows

One of the most magical parts of a Finnish New Year’s was tin casting, or *tinanvalaminen*. This tradition, with roots going back centuries, was a cherished ritual on New Year’s Eve. Using a small metal ladle over the stove, we would melt a small piece of tin or lead, usually shaped like a horseshoe. Once melted, we’d pour the molten metal into a bucket of cold water, where it would instantly harden into unique, often mysterious shapes. 

Afterward, we’d examine these strange metal forms, turning them in the light, casting shadows on the wall to reveal their shapes. Each form carried a bit of magic, an interpretation that hinted at our future year. A shape that resembled a ship might mean travel in the coming year, while a heart shape could hint at love or good relationships. If the shape was unclear, we’d look for small “crumbs” of metal around the edge of the casting, which we called “money”—the more crumbs, the more luck with money we’d have that year.

While tin casting remains a cherished tradition in Finnish culture, in recent years, environmental concerns have led to changes. Real tin castings are harder to find in stores, and people have started using alternative materials like beeswax, which are kinder to the environment but preserve the tradition of future-telling and mystery.

Nostalgia and Simplicity in Finnish Traditions

For many Finns, New Year’s is not just about resolutions and looking forward. It’s also about reflecting on the simple, enduring traditions that connect us to our past. Sitting by the window, eating that plain pancake, I was doing more than just waiting for my stomach to settle—I was taking in the quiet magic of a Finnish New Year. It was a moment of calm, a reminder that celebrations don’t always need to be grand to be meaningful. 

Our celebrations were smaller and often indoors, our food simple but comforting, and our traditions humble yet full of meaning. For those who grew up with Finnish customs, these memories serve as a beautiful reminder of the Finnish way of being—modest, close to family, and connected to the natural rhythms of the season.

Finnish Oven Pancake (Pannukakku) Recipe

For those of you who’d like a taste of Finland on New Year’s, here’s my grandmas recipe for oven-baked Finnish flat pancake (yes, it needs to be flat!):

Ingredients  

• 3 cups whole milk  
• 2 eggs   
• 3 tbsp sugar  
• 1 tsp salt  
• 3-4 tbsp (40-50g) melted butter  
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

Intructions 

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, butter and salt. 
2. Slowly add in the flour, whisking until smooth.
3. Leave to thicken for 30 min.
4. Heat the oven to 450 °F.
5. Pour the batter onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spreading evenly a thin layer (max half an inch thick,  12x16 in is a good size sheet for this recipe)
6. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.  

Enjoy warm with jam or berries, or try it plain like I did on New Year’s Eve. It’s good also just with sugar. With each bite, I hope you’ll find a small taste of the simple joy that made Finnish New Year’s Eves so memorable. 

This year I’m planning to try making the pancake in the airfryer! Let’s see how that goes..

I wish you a Wonderful and Happy New Year with new experiences that will make the best positive impact in your life!