Christmas in Finland

Christmas in Finland falls on December 24, Christmas Eve, as the main celebration.

At midday on Christmas Eve the Declaration of Christmas Peace is broadcast on television and radio from Turku, a tradition Visit Finland says dates back about 700 years. Christmas Eve typically includes drinking glögi, having Christmas dinner and bathing in a Christmas sauna, and midnight Christmas mass is a tradition for many. Decorating gingerbread and hanging it from spruce branches is one of the most cherished tasks of the season, and self-made lanterns light up the winter darkness.

An oven-baked ham served with mustard is a must for many, alongside an assortment of fish. Vegetarian courses include beetroot salad and oven-baked root dishes such as rutabaga, carrot and potato casseroles. Rice porridge is the traditional Christmas Eve breakfast, and sweet pastries such as prune jam tarts and spice cakes are seasonal favourites. Glögi, made from red wine or berry juice with spices such as cardamom and cinnamon and served with raisins and almonds, is the favoured hot drink.

Santa brings gifts to children on Christmas Eve, and his visit is the most anticipated Finnish Christmas tradition among the youngest members of the family.

The festive figure most associated with Christmas in Finland is Santa Claus, who Visit Finland says lives in Lapland in the north of Finland.

The Declaration of Christmas Peace, read at midday on Christmas Eve from Finland's second capital Turku, is a tradition Visit Finland dates back around 700 years.

For the rituals, dishes and gift bringers in other countries, browse our Christmas around the world hub, compare customs side by side in the Christmas Traditions Explorer or plan your own December with the Christmas checklist.