Saint Urho

Once upon a time (1956), in a land very far away (Minnesota) there was not much to tell really.  The true story, if there was a true story, began in Finland or maybe the story began "The true story began in Finland".  It's a toss-up.

Once upon a time in Finland, the grape vines were under attack by locusts (grapes? locusts? Finland?).  Enter Urho.  He waved a...stick & chanted "get out grasshoppers" or some such & a legend was born: the legend of Saint Urho who drove the locusts from Finland.  If this sounds a little bit like a second string holidays version of Mad Libs, I'm with you.  & so were the irish-americans of Virginia, Minnesota (no, really).  They called it a made up holiday (!) meant to steal the thunder of Saint Patrick's Day (which I guess is not made up....?).

Whatever the inspiration, you can celebrate Saint Urho's Day drinking purple beer.  Does beer seem like a funny choice to honor the rescuer of a vineyard to anyone else?  Anyway, you can also join in wearing purple, to represent the grapes & green to represent the....grasshoppers?  There is also a cultural dish made with potatoes.  Alright, I am not one for my holiday is more authentic than your holiday but this is getting a little bit same-y.  But wait, Saint Urho has a charming little ?song?chant?  Whatever it is, you can find it here.  & they dance slow polkas (what?) called a schottisches. 

What the hell, I'm in.  Bring on the grape juice.  Let's honor this patron of Finland that Finland does not actually acknowledge.