antigravity wax and red carpets

Up is the new down for wax drips in Finland

Yesterday was itsenäisyyspäivä (independance day) - and is understandably a special day in Finland.
This leaves me with two questions:

1. Why do 2.3 million Finns (out of 2.4 million TV households) celebrate by watching linnan julat the most boring television event imaginable? (Live coverage of a queue of 1800 overdressed people arriving for a party...)
2. What do they put in the celebratory sininen ja valkoinen candles? (See picture above). 

Any scientific/rational solutions for either would be appreciated...