“Christmas Sauna in Finland” article introduces the Finnish Christmas sauna tradition.
What was the Christmas sauna tradition like in the past? Which traditions have survived to the present day? Read more to find out!
Christmas sauna is an important part of Finnish Christmas
Every family has their own traditions when it comes to sauna and especially Christmas sauna. Some take a sauna in the morning, before breakfast (Finns’ Christmas breakfast is rice porridge). Others visit sauna again on Christmas Eve and some take a sauna on Christmas Day.
Seven out of ten Finns take a Christmas sauna on Christmas Eve. Even Finns who do not otherwise take a sauna will definitely enjoy the Christmas sauna.
Clearly, the sauna is a big part of Finnish Christmas celebration.
Read more: The Best Christmas Gift Ideas for Sauna Lovers
Christmas Sauna Traditions
In ancient times, Finns heated their Christmas saunas early in the morning. Everyone had to take a sauna before sundown. People sat quietly in the Christmas sauna, thinking that it would keep the mosquitoes away the following summer.
The Christmas sauna was a big part of the Finnish peasant tradition. The upper class did not take a sauna at Christmas. In ordinary rural homes, the Christmas sauna was the most important event in preparation for Christmas.
The sauna was a sacred place for Finns; babies were born, and the dead washed in the sauna. The Christmas sauna was part of rural life in Finland, in the Nordic countries and Estonia. First, the master and mistress of the house took a sauna, then service staff.
All groups had time to take a sauna before sundown and the big Christmas meal. To make sure everyone had time, the sauna was heated the night before.
There was a quiet atmosphere in the Christmas sauna, partly because of mosquitoes, partly because of the sauna elf and, of course, the birth of Jesus. The celebration of Jesus’ birth made the Christmas sauna a sacred experience.
After everyone was done, more water was thrown on the stove in honour of the dead and the sauna elf.
For previous generations, the Christmas sauna was the most important Christmas event. For some Finns, it still is. The Christmas sauna is not just for bathing, it has many important traditions and beliefs.
Sauna rituals
Washing the sauna for Christmas has been a tradition for generations in every family. Washing the sauna with a root brush is an important part of Christmas preparations.
Read more: How to clean the sauna
Candles, lanterns, scents and decorations are also brought to the Christmas sauna. They help create the right, peaceful atmosphere. After washing the sauna, clean linen bench covers are placed on the benches.
Many families freeze or dry a birch whisk in the summer. That way they can enjoy it on Christmas Eve. Another possibility is to dry birch leaves in a cloth bag and bring the leaves to the sauna. Both bring a wonderful summer scent to the wintery sauna.
Christmas saunas in Finnish apartment buildings
The Christmas sauna tradition is also preserved in the cities, both in public saunas and apartment buildings. The apartment building’s Christmas sauna is a gift offered by the housing association to the residents of the house. The Christmas sauna is in the morning before Christmas peace is declared in Turku Finland. Men and women have had their own shifts.
I often went to the Christmas sauna in my old apartment building. I rarely met anyone else out there. If someone came in, we had a nice chat in the warmth of the sauna.
Some residents go all out and decorate the apartment building’s (often gloomy) sauna and make it lovely and Christmassy. The decorated sauna area exudes Christmas peace. It is wonderful to have a sauna in complete peace. Often, they also decorate the dressing room with Christmas decorations. They bring mulled wine, egg yolk, gingerbread and Christmas cakes for everyone to enjoy.
I once experienced a Christmas sauna like this, and it was absolutely wonderful. Even though I was in a city, I still got into the Christmas spirit.
Christmas Eve
Our family sleeps in on Christmas Eve morning. Then we eat rice porridge for breakfast. After breakfast, we enjoy the Christmas sauna. Nowadays, we can do it in our own sauna, and I am so happy about it!
When I still lived in Finland, I either went to my apartment building’s Christmas sauna, the gym sauna or my parents’ sauna. Before we built the sauna for our home here in Germany, we visited the sauna world in the nearby spa. I have a great deal of experience with different Christmas saunas!
What all these experiences have had in common is that through the Christmas sauna I have got into the right Christmas spirit. No matter what the sauna is like. I don’t remember if I’ve ever missed a Christmas sauna. I don’t think so because Christmas cannot come without a Christmas sauna!
After the sauna, we rest and eat some small salty snacks.
Do you have your own Christmas sauna traditions?
