By Tyler Walton.
As the winter days grow shorter in Helsinki, the city bursts into light, and the Christmas season brings warmth, music and thousands of twinkling bulbs.
Every year in late November, Helsinki’s Christmas season begins with a grand opening ceremony on Senate Square. Thousands gather, bundled in scarves and mittens, waiting for the moment when the seasonal decorations light up.
The mayor of Helsinki opens the celebration alongside a special guest from the far north – Santa Claus himself, visiting from Finnish Lapland, where he has his home, workshop and post office. A joyful parade winds its way through the city, featuring festive floats, horse-drawn carriages, dancing children and even dogs dressed in holiday finery.
The procession moves down Aleksanterinkatu (Alexander Street), which is decorated for the season as Helsinki’s official Christmas Street. Lights strung above the thoroughfare come to life, stretching like golden ribbons into the wintry dusk. The street’s distinctive letter “A” decorations hang high between the buildings, creating a sparkling canopy over the parade crowd.
Near the end of Alexander Street stands one of Helsinki’s most beloved holiday traditions: the Stockmann department store’s Christmas window. Each year, the display becomes a miniature wonderland of toys, ornaments and tiny woodland creatures. Children can step up onto a special viewing platform to peer inside, their faces glowing in the reflection of the lights.
A week after the opening ceremony, Senate Square transforms into a Christmas village of its own. Wooden stalls offer handmade gifts, ornaments and cosy woollen clothing, while the air fills with the scent of roasted almonds and hot glögg – Finland’s spiced mulled wine – often served with gingerbread cookies. Beneath the grand white cathedral, the city’s towering Christmas tree sparkles beside a vintage carousel, turning slowly to cheerful music.
A short walk away, Esplanade Park glows with its own magic. The lampposts wear crowns shaped like reindeer antlers, and among the statues stand reindeer sculptures composed entirely of lights. Locals and visitors alike pause to take photos or simply to enjoy the moment.
Source: finland.fi
