85 years ago today, finland broke away from the slowly crumbling russia and stopped being a duchy and became an independent republic. december 6 is finnish independence day (i end up saying finn-dependence day), which isn't really celebratory, but rather a formal or solemn time.

a blue/white candle is lit and placed in the window to pay tribute to those who died giving finland her freedom, especially after the winter war with russia during world war II, which was particularly rough on finland, although it was met with the usual finnish combination of pragmatism and steadfastness.