Discover the Magic: Top 7 Unique and Fun Facts About Christmas in Finland

1. Joulupukki: The Goat Santa

Forget flying reindeer and a jolly man in red: in Finland, Christmas is all about goat costumes and leftover feasts! Joulupukki, a figure that originated from a pagan tradition, still receives over 500,000 letters from over 200 countries, with most coming from Poland, Italy, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau, and he travels in a sleigh pulled by non-flying reindeer, rocking the traditional "nuuttipukki" goat costume.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

2. Sauna Cleansing on Christmas Eve

For Finns, Christmas is the most wonderful (and toasty) time of the year– where they "cleanse" naughty and nice lists with a steamy ritual: Finland has a centuries-old Christmas tradition called "joulusauna" where families gather in a candle-lit sauna on Christmas Eve to unwind, enjoy a spiritual cleanse, and pay respects to the sauna elf or 'saunatonttu' who protects every sauna. Following this peaceful purification process, they slip into fancier attire, indulge in a festive meal, and bask in the presence of Joulupukki AKA Finnish Santa bearing gifts.
Source => visitjyvaskyla.fi

Did you know that a Swedish Christmas icon, the Gävle Goat, has met a fiery end 38 times since 1966? Discover how this straw goat's tale keeps burning bright, and the team that rebuilds it every time!

=> Fun Facts about Christmas-In-Sweden

3. Nuuttipukki’s Leftover Feast

Hold onto your festive feasts and prepare for a goat-ly visitor, because the Finns know how to send Christmas packing with a wild twist: The Nuuttipukki, a goat-like creature, roams the Finnish landscape on January 13th aka St. Knut's Day, devouring Christmas leftovers as children dress in wacky costumes going door to door for sweets, marking the end of the holiday season with a whimsical celebration that originated in Scandinavia to honor the Danish prince Canute Lavard.
Source => ancient-origins.net

4. Mischievous Tonttu Helpers

Move over, Santa's elves: Finland has its own mischievous mythological helpers known as the tonttu! It's gnome joke – these tiny, colorfully-capped bearded beings are said to hang out in Finnish barns during the Christmas season, keeping farms protected and performing small odd jobs. Word to the wise, though: leave out that bowl of porridge to butter them up, or you might find yourself in a spot of "tonttuble" with a soon-to-be former tenant: In Finnish tradition, these farmstead guardians reward good treatment with helpful acts, but if angered or ignored, they're notorious for their elaborate pranks, thefts, and even injuring livestock.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

5. Graveyard Candlelight Tradition

Who needs a graveyard smash when you can have a graveyard glow-up? Finland brings a whole new meaning to "lit" during the holiday season: Families visit local cemeteries and place candles on the graves of loved ones, with up to three-quarters of Finnish families participating mostly on Christmas Eve, creating serene candlelit scenes. This heartwarming tradition of festive necromancy took off in the 1920s with affordable candles but likely traces its roots to even older, pre-Christian customs.
Source => finland.fi

6. Finland's Rice Porridge Obsession

Who needs sugar and spice when you've got rice? Finland's affinity for rice porridge goes beyond just festive feasting and serves as their very own breakfast of champions: The Christmas-y concoction is enjoyed all year round as a staple breakfast and even as a lunchtime treat in schools, complete with a side of fruit soup. As for the hidden almond tradition, it hails from the land of ABBA, Ikea, and meatballs - Sweden! Don't expect your leftover porridge to be thrown away though; Finns transform it into mouth-watering Karelian pies, oven-baked pancakes, and even use it as the secret ingredient for their delectable pannukakku!
Source => scandicuisine.com

7. Kid Grinches on St. Knut's Day

In a comically Nordic plot twist, Finnish families ring in the festive season by dressing their children as little abominable Christmas takedown agents, turning their pint-sized Knuts into the Grinches of January: The fun begins on St. Knut's Day, January 13th, as kids decked out like St. Knut himself embark on a tasty "plundering" spree, knocking on doors for traditional gingerbread and sweets, while consigning all domestic Yuletide flourishes to seasonal oblivion.
Source => all-things-nordic.com