Finland is proud of its culture, its climate and its history, and it plans to show them off in a rather unique fashion: emoji. The tiny graphics are found on practically every smartphone and social media platform, and have become an essential part of online communication for many people. But even with hundreds to choose from, Finland felt there weren't enough. So it's adding 30 especially Finnish icons to the mix.
The first three are a good indicator of what to expect: a long-haired headbanger (Finland is known for its heavy-metal music scene), the iconic and famously durable Nokia 3310 mobile phone (created in Finland), and — naturally — a couple Finns lounging naked in a sauna.
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Unfortunately these little graphics can't be sent just like emoji, since real emoji are built into phones and services. But you will be able to download them and share them however you like come December — the icons are being released as part of a "Christmas calendar" put out by This Is Finland, a site managed by the country's Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
