Helsinki, Finland

I Spot SantaEurope, Popular, Tracker 3 Comments

Take a look at Helsinki, Finland at Christmas time. This is a fun place for Santa and his reindeer to fly through. Since you can always expect a white winter wonderland in Finland. Take a look at our video above, where Whitey the elf captures Santa flying through this snow-covered Finland town. It is typically a cold visit for Santa when he makes his way to Finland. Which is why so many good children waiting for their gifts leave Santa some hot cocoa along with his cookies. 

Look closely at our video above, you won’t just see Santa! You’ll also see the pretty log cabins that are famous in Helsinki. Inside many families wait anxiously for Santa to arrive—and Santa has a very unique nickname among these Finnish families. Santa is often called Joulupukki—which translated means Christmas Goat. 

Don’t worry, Santa loves this traditional nickname, and knows it is an important part of Finland’s culture. In fact, people in Helsinki have this nickname because they even allow animals in on the Christmas fun. They encourage the animals to celebrate Christmas as well!

Christmas Traditions in Finland

Want to learn more about how Finnish families celebrate Christmas? Here are a few more Christmas traditions in that are common in Helsinki and around Finland.

  • Christmas meals in Finland are traditional served between 5-7 PM. Oven backed ham is a traditional Christmas meal in this country.
  • Many families go to mass on Christmas Eve in Finland, but those who are not religious will also go to the Finnish saunas on this holiday.
  • It is common for Finnish families to visit cemeteries and loved ones on Christmas Eve.
  • On Christmas Eve, many families will have porridge for lunch, with a hidden almond in one bowl. The person who gets the almond has to sing a song. They are thought to be the luckiest person at the table.
  • Caroling is a common tradition on Christmas Eve. You will find many singers going door-to-door the night before Christmas singing songs for their neighbors. What a fun tradition!

One of the favorite traditions in Helsinki however is visiting the big tourist theme park known as Christmas Land. It is a spot that Santa loves to stop and visit because it reminds him of home!

Even More Fun Traditions Before Christmas Day

There are not only fun traditions on Christmas Day for Finish families. There are also fun traditions leading up to Christmas Day in Finland as well. December 13th is a big holiday in Finland. St. Lucia Day, also known as the Feast of Saint Lucy is a big day for celebrations. When it is over, it is typically the signal for Finnish families to start their Christmas tree shopping and decorating.

Here at I Spot Santa, we love some of the traditions that they celebrate in Finland. What are some of your favorites? Watch his appearance in Finland above and we will update you on the next time we see Santa in Helsinki.

Want to see Santa in other parts of Europe, check out our collection of videos and photos here.

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