Winter in Helsinki Finland brings the anticipation of Christmas with warm cups of glögi, relaxing saunas and dips into the cold sea.Despite the possibility of changing weather, November and December are cozy months to visit Finland to get your holiday spirits running high. Nevertheless, days can fill with golden light, colorful falling leaves with occasional rain or it is crispy cold with possibilities of snow. Depending if you are travelling in the beginning or end of the month, it is best to check the forecast as it changes drastically with a blink of an eye. As winter takes its course, so does the anticipation for Christmas. After all, Finland is home to Santa Claus so the holidays are near and dear to everyone’s hearts. Christmas is less commercial in the Nordics than some other parts of the world. Here it is less about shopping but rather about spending time together. Breath in the crisp Finnish air as you walk on the frost-bitten ground into a warm coffee shop. Indulge in the buttery cinnamon bun (korvapuusti in Finnish) and warm up by pressing a steaming coffee to your lips. At this point in time, most of the summer leaves have changed into a vibrant warm tone of either yellow or red. With light dusting of snow flakes gently dancing onto the ground, little Christmas season has begun. Company events, friends and families are out for dinner and festive drinks, of course this year with more precaution due to corona. The little Christmas market has just opened in front of the large white cathedral called Tuomionkirkko where people gather to get into the Christmas spirit. Shop for local handcrafted goodies to take back home; may this be woolen socks, lamb/reindeer rugs or decorations. Sample some Finnish delicacies like marinated herring or rye bread variations and nibble on roasted chestnuts as you explore the stalls. You will quickly discover that people are drinking a warm sweet drink. It is the season for glögi, a sort of mulled wine (either alcoholic or not) that is made from berries or apple, that is topped with raisins and almonds. I highly suggest you buy a bottle of glögi concentration (that is mixed with water) that you can take back home and enjoy it throughout the holidays. To Finns, glögi solidifies the start of the Christmas season.Roasted chestnuts & apple glögi spiced with cinnamon and clementine & cloves.

 As the evening darkness takes over and the city starts to sparkle with decorative lights, visit a charitable Christmas concert in Tuomiokirkko or Johanneksenkirkko that plays traditional songs in Finnish and Swedish, sometimes free of charge. Additionally, Finland has rather spectacular Christmas ornaments, so do make sure to visit all the pop-up stores that open in town and bring a bauble back home to hang up on your tree.

As you probably already know, Finland is a nation of coffee, so as the morning rises head over to get a creamy latte or strong black cup to awaken your Nordic buzz. There are no creamers in Finland and most people drink coffee without any syrup flavorings. As much as we love coffee, Finns love the warmth of a sauna. Did you know, there are more saunas than cars in Finland? So, as a local would, start your morning with a sauna and refreshing outdoor swim at Allas Sea pool that is connected to the market square, right in the center of town next to the ferris wheel. Swim in a heated pool overlooking the harbor and dip into a pool that is as cold as the sea water. Don’t let this shock you, but many Finns swim in the sea (throughout the year) despite its coldness. In the winter, a larger hole is made into the ice, where people dip in after a warm sauna. This has proven to have many health benefits especially for blood circulation and is common for people of all ages. My favorite sauna is called Löyly, that is about a 20min walk from the city center. The architecture of the building is beautifully designed, where you can dip into the sea for a swim. Here you also have an option for a smoke sauna. The modern wooden and glass concoction is elegant but cozy, where you can sit by the fire and enjoy a delicious salmon soup afterwards. Try a “sauna makkara”, that is a sausage cooked in the steam of the sauna, it sounds strange but it is absolutely delicious with a dollop of strong mustard and very Finnish. Taking a sauna is part of every Finns life that is often connected to their summer houses. Most Finns have a second house, a cottage by a lake/island where going to a wooden stove sauna is pure relaxation and part of routine. Most apartment buildings have a sauna for its occupants and many people have private saunas in their houses. Let the warmth of the sauna relax your body and close your eyes as you listen to the sound of the water sizzling on the rocks. A proper Finnish sauna feels like a full body cleanse and you will feel relaxed and mellow after the experience. Find other great sauna experiences in the island of Lonna and Uunisaari.

Locals are all about enjoying the simplicities but meaningful aspects of life. This definitely includes a trip out into nature away from the hassle of the city. Take the 10min fairy from the market square to Suomenlinna to discover the UNESCO island fortress. With a car or public transport, visit the national park of Nuuksio for a mind calming trail hike in Espoo. Seurasaari (in town) is another place to go for a peaceful walk. If you have a car in use, all it takes is 30minutes to drive out into beautiful forestry and see what the changing leaves and nature is all about. There will be plenty of lingonberries that you can eat straight from the bush and if you are feeling devilish, take a dip in one of the lakes you will most likely encounter. Visit a picturesque town called Porvoo, that is 30min away from Helsinki by either car or bus or steamboat.

Try local delicacies. Visit the Old Market Hall where you can sample some treats from the different stalls. Perhaps an oyster or cured fish of different kinds that are often served on rye bread. Eat everything salmon. Along your stay, sample comforting savory and sweet pies, like karjalanpiirakka, a rice pie with egg butter on top. Helsinki’s best lihapiirakka (meat pie) and anchovy rye bread is served in the market square called Toripojat, in a little tent café by the farmers market stalls that is always full of locals. In the market you can also sample on some seasonal produce. Some of my favorite café´s include Café Success, Gateau, Ekberg, Café Esplanad, Strindberg, Kanniston Leipomo and Ursula. Berries is a big part of our culture, so you will also find all kinds of healthy raw porridges to let you in some Finnish flavors.From the center, take a sea view walk towards the residential Kaivopuisto and head back up into town via Korkeavuorenkatu. With a takeaway coffee in hand, walk through old Eira to see beautiful old Jugend style buildings and admire the beautifully manicured gardens (Eiran kukkapuisto is my favorite) while breathing in the clean Finnish air. Visit the old charming library on Rikhardinkatu (even though there is a world-renowned library in the center called Oodi). Ice-skate in Rautatientori and head over to the ferris wheel and opt for the champagne cart for some panoramic views of the city.

Nordics are really into design. If visiting the design museum is not enough, it is popular to make your own ceramics, so why not take a few hour crash course in Aleksanterin Teatteri where they teach you to make something beautiful with your hands. As locals would, visit some amazing second hand stores like Fasaani (on Korkeavuorenkatu) to find bargains on vintage plates, cutlery and interior pieces to take back home. You will find vases, glasses and stunning local plates that date back to the 1800’s from Arabia, a famous Finnish design. Allow the Nordic way of life to blend into your lifestyle as your holiday comes to an end. Hopefully the calming aspects of nature and sauna have imprinted into the mind and body before the Christmas rush takes over as we cross over to December. Underneath the rough weathers, there is much charm in this metropolitan city and hopefully this local perspective gives more insight to what life in Helsinki is all about.

{Photo and Words by Hanna Kirstiina Amy, Website: www.xoamys.com, Instagram: @xoamysnordic }

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