Some people will tell you that you should never drink alcohol alone. Those are the people who are ready to read you a long list of things that you shouldn’t do.
It’s not wise to become dependent on alcohol. It’s unhealthy to get drunk. That doesn’t mean that having a drink on your own every now and then is a bad idea.
The Finns have a word, kalsarikänni, that refers to the calming, restorative feeling that is achieved by staying home alone in one’s underwear while having a nice alcoholic drink. This emotion is also known by its anglicized version: päntsdrunk.
Might you show more social grace if you dress up and go out to an expensive bar, ordering a pricey cocktail made by a bartender? Sure, but sometimes, social grace is the last thing we want. Sometimes, we just want to be free of expectations, and pleas ourselves.
The London Times writes that, “At its core, päntsdrunk is about getting home after a long day’s work, letting it all hang out and doing what you want on your own terms.”
This is an emotion that the people of Finland have had the imagination to define, but it’s a feeling that we all can understand.
