Alcohol

We don't do hookah or chew khat. The number of Marlboro men is decreasing all the time. Snuff-stuffed upper lip is common only in the areas close to Sweden border. Alcohol is our national intoxicant and our favorite way of messing brains. Finland doesn't score very high on the average alcohol consumption per capita, but our expertise is being really deeply drunk.

In many cultures it's natural to drink wine or beer or grappa and what not, but it's disgraceful to be drunk. For us it's somewhat the opposite: Drinking may be considered as a bit shameful, but it's perfectly ok to vaunt with boy-was-I-drunk-stories. And yes, we even plan our hangovers to some extent. But at least we're open and homeland-oriented with our drinking: we don't need to travel to Ibiza to get wasted. Ok, the Tallin ferries are booze traveling, but cruising on Baltic Sea is not exactly international waters.

If you want to drink like a Finn, maybe these could be your 10 commandments:

1.  Everyone should get really wasted at least once in a lifetime.
2.  Always drink with your friends.
3.  Try tuning up an intense and loud discussion on a grill queue at 4 AM.
4.  Enjoy the hangover too.
5.  Recall the missing pieces of past night with your friends.
6.  Don't hurt yourself or others.
7.  Don't drive drunk. Ever.
8.  Don't leave your friends behind.
9.  Don't pass out in the snow.
10.  Don't drink too much too often.

And last but not least, rule number 11 for those who already know how to drink like a Finn:

   11.   It's also perfectly ok not to drink.