What is kalsarikännit?

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Joseph Chance (1:04)

What is Carl Sari Canet?

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Regular listeners will be familiar with a number of Scandinavian lifestyle trends by now. Given that we've discussed the likes of Denmark's Huga, Sweden's Lagom, and Norway's Friluftsliv on the show in the past, today we're going to talk about a custom from Finland which has gained international recognition in recent years. Carl Sari Canet is made up of two Finnish words. Carl Sari, which means underwear, and Canet, which means getting drunk. An odd combination you might be thinking. Put them together and what do you get? The term actually refers to the tradition of getting tipsy at home alone.

It has also been loosely translated and anglicised into the word pants drunk. How did it get to be so popular? Well, in the age of social distancing and COVID-19 lockdowns, the concept started trending on social media because a lot of people were drinking alone at home. But even before that, it gained popularity outside of Finland in 2015, thanks to a campaign by the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In a bid to promote Finnish culture, it created a collection of emojis to represent some of the country's customs, including Karl Sarikanit. The emojis showed a man in briefs drinking a large glass of beer, and a woman with her feet up drinking a glass of red wine, both sat in comfortable armchairs. I'm sure you'll agree that would be a perfect emoji to drop into a WhatsApp group on certain evenings, and all the more so if you're not confident about typing the word Karl Sarikanit correctly. Finnish journalist Miska Rantanen is the author of Pants Drunk, The Finnish Art of Drinking at Home, Alone. In Your Underwear, a book all about Karl Sarikanit, which was published in 2018 Writing for The Guardian that same year, he argued that Finland's cold climate and long periods of darkness could well be behind the tradition's origins. Isn't drinking alone a tonne kind of sad? You're right insofar as in most western countries drinking is more of a social activity. Doing so alone can even be seen as a warning sign that someone is an alcoholic. But as a 2018 NBC news article on Karl Sarikanit pointed out, Finns and Scandinavians more generally are pretty comfortable with solitude. The concept is more about getting quality you time. If you're drinking alone to escape from life or because you're depressed, that doesn't really count. And besides, some Finns say that Karl Sarikanit doesn't even have to be done alone. You can enjoy it with a friend, housemate or family member. It might even help you have a deeper relationship with your partner. Just remember you must have those drinks indoors with no intention of going out.

Even the underwear part isn't a strict requirement. It's true that Finns are used to being exposed, due to their well-established sauna culture. But in reality, many say that the most important thing is being comfortable and wearing something very casual rather than formal attire. It could be underwear, but it could equally be sweatpants for example. There are obvious practical benefits too. Like saving money, going to bed earlier and spending quality time alone or with loved ones in a comfortable environment. As the temperatures start to drop this winter, why not try indulging in a little Carl Sarikanit yourself? There you have it.

Now you know what Carl Sarikanit is. In under three minutes, we answer your questions and help you understand the true meaning behind the trends, concepts and acronyms that are making headlines. Listen along and you will really know for sure.