Christmas in Finland

Christmas in Finland is an especially beautiful time period to enjoy as a visitor to the country, as it is considered to be one of the major holidays in Finland. Additionally, since a majority of residents consider themselves as members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Christmas in Finland is an even bigger holiday than it is in other parts of the world. While most people do not visit churches on a regular basis, Christmas in Finland is a day when most people attend beginning at six in the morning.

Unique to Christmas in Finland is the fact that the Christmas tree is not set up until December 24th, or Christmas Eve. The fir tree is decorated with cotton, tinsel, flags, apples, and other fruit. The tree is lighted with candles, as well.

Before dinnertime, it is common to visit the sauna before getting dressed up to have the Christmas dinner. A dinner on Christmas in Finland is boiled codfish served with boiled potatoes, as well as a roasted ham or suckling pig with mashed potatoes. On Christmas in Finland, children do not wait until morning to receive their presents from Santa Claus. In fact, Santa Claus visits the children before or after dinner to hand them their presents.