Christmas in Finland is a quiet, family-centred occasion shaped by tradition, season and environment. While Finland is internationally associated with Santa Claus, the reality of Finnish Christmas is far calmer and more understated than many visitors expect.
Rather than public celebration or large social gatherings, Finnish Christmas focuses on home, routine and continuity. Customs are deeply rooted and change little from year to year. For many families, the emphasis is not on novelty, but on doing the same things in the same order, every December.
Understanding how Christmas is celebrated in Finland requires looking at timing, food, atmosphere and cultural values rather than spectacle.
Christmas Eve is the main day
In Finland, Christmas Eve on 24 December is more important than Christmas Day itself. It is the focal point of the entire holiday.
Most workplaces close early on Christmas Eve, and many businesses shut entirely. Travel peaks on this day as people return to their family homes.
Key traditions take place on Christmas Eve, including:
- The main Christmas meal
- Gift-giving
- Visiting the sauna
- Quiet family time
Christmas Day is treated as a continuation of rest rather than a central event.
The Declaration of Christmas Peace
One of Finland’s most distinctive Christmas traditions is the Declaration of Christmas Peace.
This declaration is read aloud every year at noon on Christmas Eve from the city of Turku. It dates back to the Middle Ages and symbolically marks the beginning of Christmas.
The declaration encourages people to spend the holiday calmly and respectfully. It is broadcast on television and radio, and many Finns pause to listen, even if only briefly.
While largely ceremonial today, it reinforces the idea of Christmas as a time for quiet and order rather than excess.
Christmas Eve sauna
The sauna plays an important role in Finnish Christmas.
On Christmas Eve, many families visit the sauna in the afternoon or early evening. This is not a social sauna in the modern sense, but a traditional one.
The Christmas sauna is:
- Calm and unhurried
- Often taken in silence
- Seen as a way to prepare for the holiday
Historically, the sauna was associated with cleanliness and transition. Entering Christmas clean, both physically and mentally, remains an important idea.
Traditional Finnish Christmas food
Food is central to Finnish Christmas, but the focus is on familiar dishes rather than variety or abundance.
The main Christmas meal is usually eaten on Christmas Eve after the sauna.
Typical dishes include:
- Joulukinkku (oven-baked Christmas ham)
- Lanttulaatikko (swede casserole)
- Porkkanalaatikko (carrot casserole)
- Perunalaatikko (potato casserole)
- Rosolli (beetroot salad)
The flavours are mild and comforting rather than heavily seasoned. Many of these dishes are eaten only at Christmas and are closely associated with memory and tradition.
Rice porridge and the hidden almond
Rice porridge is traditionally eaten during the Christmas period, often on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning.
A single almond is hidden in the porridge. The person who finds it is said to receive good luck in the coming year.
In some families, the finder is expected to sing a song or complete a small task.
This tradition is simple, but widely observed.
Glögi and Christmas baking
Glögi, a spiced hot drink similar to mulled wine, is commonly consumed throughout December.
It is often served with:
- Raisins
- Almonds
- Gingerbread biscuits (piparkakut)
Baking plays a role in the lead-up to Christmas rather than the holiday itself. Gingerbread and star-shaped pastries filled with plum jam are common.
Gift-giving is modest
Gift-giving in Finland tends to be restrained.
Presents are usually exchanged on Christmas Eve, often after the main meal.
Gifts are typically practical, thoughtful, or modest rather than extravagant. There is less emphasis on large quantities of presents, especially for adults.
Children may receive gifts “from Santa,” but the overall tone remains calm.
Santa Claus in Finland
Finland is internationally recognised as the home of Santa Claus, particularly through the association with Lapland and the town of Rovaniemi.
Within Finland, however, Santa plays a relatively small role in everyday Christmas celebrations.
For families with children, Santa may visit in person or be represented symbolically. For many adults, Santa is peripheral rather than central.
The global image of Finnish Christmas is often more Santa-focused than the domestic reality.
Visiting cemeteries and remembering the dead
Many Finns visit cemeteries during Christmas to light candles on family graves.
On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, cemeteries across the country glow with candlelight.
This practice reflects the importance of remembrance and continuity between generations.
It is a quiet, reflective tradition rather than a religious obligation.
Religion and Christmas
Finland has a long Lutheran tradition, and Christmas retains religious elements for some families.
Church services are held on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, and attendance varies.
For many Finns, Christmas is cultural rather than overtly religious. Traditions are followed regardless of personal belief.
Christmas Day is for rest
Christmas Day on 25 December is notably quiet in Finland.
Shops are closed, public transport is limited, and streets are largely empty.
The day is usually spent:
- At home
- Eating leftovers
- Watching television
- Going for a short walk
There is little expectation of activity or social obligation.
The role of silence and darkness
Christmas in Finland takes place during the darkest time of the year.
Daylight hours are short, especially in the north. This shapes the atmosphere of the holiday.
Candles, soft lighting, and early evenings are part of the experience.
Silence is not seen as emptiness, but as a normal and valued state.
Why Finnish Christmas feels different
Finnish Christmas differs from many other countries because it prioritises calm over celebration.
There is little pressure to entertain, perform, or consume excessively.
The focus is on repeating familiar rituals, spending time with close family, and allowing the season to pass quietly.
For visitors, this can feel understated. For Finns, it is precisely what makes Christmas meaningful.
Christmas as continuity rather than spectacle
In Finland, Christmas is not designed to impress. It exists to connect past and present.
Many traditions are followed not because they are exciting, but because they are familiar.
Each year resembles the last, and that sameness is intentional.
Christmas arrives, unfolds calmly, and passes without fanfare, leaving behind a sense of order before the long winter continues.