Why do Finnish people head to the sauna before Christmas dinner?

What's the best way to celebrate Christmas Eve, according to you? House party, night out, pub hopping, or movie marathons? But in Finland, Christmas doesn't begin with a sumptuous feast or exchanging presents. For many Finnish families, it starts with going to the sauna. Known as Joulusauna, the Christmas sauna ritual is an age-old Finnish tradition. The warm sauna, filled with the aroma of birch leaves and lit with the help of candles, provides families with the opportunity to relax from their daily lives and welcome Christmas.

Christmas sauna ritual: Why the tradition matters to Finnish families

The Christmas sauna ritual has a close relationship with the declaration of Christmas Peace, made every year in Finland. For many centuries now, the declaration of Christmas peace has been taking place every December 24 at midday in the south-western city of Turku. It symbolises the start of the Christmas celebrations for most families.

In the Finnish family, the sauna begins after the announcement. This is the point where all domestic activities end, and attention turns to Christmas and dinner time. It is considered an important moment, and everybody is supposed to keep their behaviour calm.

The wooden seats are cleaned, fresh seat coverings and towels are provided, and whisks made of birch leaves and twigs collected in the summer season are prepared. These whisks are soaked in water before they are used because they are helpful for blood circulation when tapped lightly on the body. In the winter season, people use dried or frozen whisks.

Outdoor activities are an essential part of Christmas after having a candle-lit sauna. They feel the warmth, silence, and Christmas lights outside the sauna window. When their kids are young, everybody bathes together. However, nowadays, each one has their own time to take a bath, and younger ones prefer night baths after a hot sauna.

In addition, there is also a spiritual side to the Christmas sauna ritual. Finnish mythology talks about Saunatonttu, an elf who is said to visit the sauna after the humans have left it. Traditionally, bathing took place before dusk, leaving the evening undisturbed for unseen visitors, including departed relatives.

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