Hyvää Joulua!

That is how you say Merry Christmas in Finland. Christmas in Finland is celebrated by cleaning the house to get ready for the occasion, which lasts for three days, starting on Christmas Eve to Boxing Day (December 26). The fir tree is often used as a Christmas tree and this is decorated with different ornaments on Christmas Eve. Fruits such as apples, paper flag, cotton, tinsel and candies are often used as ornaments.

A tradition that is unique to Finnish Christmases is the feeding of the birds. People take out a sheaf of grain and tie it to a pole, adding some nuts and seeds. This pole is then set up in the garden for the birds to eat. Some families will not have their Christmas meals until the birds have finished eating.

But most families start eating as soon as the first star appear in the sky. Christmas meals in Finland often include codfish, suckling pigs, roasted ham, vegetables, potatoes and cream sauce.

Santa Claus

Finland is said to be where Santa Claus lives. The Finnish legends hold that Santa Claus lives in Korvantunturi or Lapland which is in the northern part of Finland. Around the globe, Finland's northern area is very famous for Christmas Land, a theme park near Santa Claus' supposed address. This is why children in Finland do not have use for Christmas stocking, because Santa Claus, together with his elves, brings their gifts in person.

A Family Tradition

We've been posting about Christmas traditions in other cultures, and most of our favorites have been those that, no matter what they do, there is a sense of community. While it is true that numerous countries believe that Christmas is a stay-at-home, private celebration, even those places have gatherings and visit family and friends and participate in community events either in the days preceding Christmas or the days following. It's all about the love!

The Finns have one of THE best Christmas traditions though. Being one of those countries that holds fast to Christmas being a private, family, stay-at-home event, there is something that many Finns do after a light Christmas Eve lunch. They go to the spa! Since the weather is so frigid in Finland, we can safely assume that these spas are not what we think of in the U.S. More than likely, they are something of a hot house in the backyard. The Finns, perhaps in order to prepare themselves for the busyness of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, decide there is no better way to spend Christmas Eve afternoon that in the sauna. Whatever the reason, the practice is significant enough that a stamp was created in its honor!