Ryan Tate

Journalist in Brooklyn, New York

Ikimuistoinen joulu by Kaisa & Enkelit - English lyrics translation

Unforgettable Christmas

This song comes from a 2015 Finnish punk Christmas album called Kylmän Joulun Paluu, or the Return of the Cold Christmas. The "Kaisa" is Kaisa Karjalainen of Maustetytöt, which did not yet exist in 2015. "Enkelit" means "angels."

Video: Kaisa & Enkelit: Ikimuistoinen joulu

Finnish lyrics

Transcribed by AI (Transcribe.com). Likely has errors.

English lyrics

Translated by AI (Transcribe.com, Google Translate, ChatGPT) with a lot of (non-Finnish-speaking) human second-guessing and research. Likely has errors.

Taas on joulu ikimuistoinen tullut.
Ja jouluaatoksi jälleen lumisullut.
Isä lahjat hankeen nakkaa.
Ne kiveen kolahtaa.
Ei meille julistamallakaan rauhaa saa.

Once again, an unforgettable Christmas has come.
And for Christmas Eve, the snow has piled up again.
Father tosses the gifts into the snowbank.
They clatter against a stone.
We won't find peace, even by proclamation.

Taas joulu ikimuistoinen saapui.
Ja joulupuu kuihti, unelmat kaatui.
Ei mantelia saanut
taaskaan yksikään.
Eipä tarvi toivoa
mitään.

Once again, an unforgettable Christmas arrived.
And the Christmas tree withered, dreams collapsed.
No one got the almond,
once again.
No need to hope
for anything.

Taas on joulu ikimuistoinen tullut.
Äiti huutaa nyt hiljaa hullut.
Se kynttilät sytyttää
ja isä sammuttaa.
Saa lamput loistaa joulun tunnelmaa.

Once again, an unforgettable Christmas has come.
Mother now quietly shouts "fools."
She lights the candles
and father puts them out.
Let the lights shine with the Christmas spirit.

Taas joulu ikimuistoinen saapui.
Joulupöytään perhe kasaantui.
Vaan hiljaa kaikki istuu
ja rosollia syö.
Ja toivon et onnistuu ees tää yö. 		Once again, an unforgettable Christmas has arrived.
The family gathered at the Christmas table.
But everyone sits in silence
and eats rosolli.
And I hope that at least this night works out.

Notes

"No one got the almond"

Many Finnish families eat a special rice porridge on Christmas Eve. It is made with cinnamon, sugar, and milk or butter. One almond is traditionally added, and it is considerd good luck to get the almond on your plate.

"Let the lights shine"

"Lamps" is a more literal translation than "lights," but is likely a reference to Christmas lights.

"Let the lights shine" is one translation, another would be closer to "the lights are allowed to shine" or, with more license, "someone allows the lights to shine."

Rosolli

A classic Finnish Christmas side dish, a salad made with diced root vegetables like beet, potato, and carrot. It is served cold, often with a creamy dressing. Additional ingredients can include pickles, onion, apple, pickled herring, and/or hardboiled egg.

Maustetytöt English lyrics