The Finnish word "kalsarikannit" gives new life to your routine weekend plans

Impact

Gone are the days when collapsing on the couch with no pants and a bottle of red would be considered slovenly or antisocial. The Finish Promotion Board has reassuring news for couch potatoes everywhere: The real Finnish phenomenon known as kalsarikannit refers to drinking on the couch in your underwear. The word has no English equivalent, but it totally should. 

Many countries embrace alcohol as a social lubricant, but for Finland, drinking is literally about getting drunk, Travelmag reported in 2004. Since alcohol is expensive, many people will start drinking at home before they head to a bar. 

The Finland Promotion Board recently thrust the beloved word (pronounced KAL-sar-ee-can-it) back into the spotlight when it released more than 50 Finland-specific emojis. The Finland Promotion Board boasts that Finland is the first country to produce country-specific emojis. 

Here are the emojis in all their underwear-clad glory: 

Finland Promotion Board

Boxers or briefs? Red or white? Thong or boy shorts? Those looking for guidance on how to kalsarikannit properly won't find any specifics on the Finland Promotion Board. 

However, you can learn plenty of other fun facts about Finland via the custom emojis. There's perkele, the "mother of Finnish swear words" that translates roughly to "the devil." 

Finland Promotion Board

There's also karjalanpiirakka, a traditional pastry or pie that has rye dough and rice porridge in the middle, whose name has come to mean the craving for something delicious. Yum.

Finland Promotion Board

Do take note: The Finland Promotion Board emphasizes that kalsarikannit isn't just about drinking in your underwear — there must also be "no intention of going out." (Thus, pregaming in your undies doesn't count.) It's all about relaxing within the realm of your comfort zone. And the board explicitly says you are to "get drunk." So, go on with your bad self.

Giphy