This week’s Economist has a good survey of the Nordic region that includes this old, and accurate, joke about the Finns and their dislike of unnecessary chatter:
“An old Finnish joke has two men sitting in a sauna, drinking beer. “Cheers!” says one, raising his glass. An hour and a few refills later, he raises his glass again and repeats: “Cheers!” Another hour on, and he breaks the silence yet again: “Cheers!”
The second man is speechless with anger, but eventually brings himself to reply: “are we here to drink or to talk?”