Helsinki: Christmas Night of Baltic Sea’s Daughter

Christmas of the current era is a time when people are so busy that they cannot be bothered being concerned with what’s going on in one another’s life. Is there not some miracle that can take us back to the true meaning of Christmas? In Finland, the home of Santa Claus, a blanket of pure white snow covers the cities every year like frosting. The sight is enough to pull one from reality into a Christmas Wonderland. In a world of ice and snow, every tourist coming here for the first time is sure to feel happiness and warmth.

Not only is Helsinki the capital city of Finland, it is also a place of gathering for Christmas-loving tourists from Finland and all over the world during Christmas time. Every year on Christmas Eve, winter comes and tightly grips the city of Helsinki. However, the bright yellow chandeliers on both sides of the road, the Christmas decorations in the shop windows, the smiling faces of the children on the streets of Helsinki, and the emotion-stirring Christmas songs of the church all warm the hearts of the people. It is enough to make one believe that Helsinki was built for the purpose of celebrating Christmas.

Christmas is a time for many Helsinki people to hold family reunions. As a result, everyone often holds small Christmas parties in bars and restaurants way in advance so as not to interfere with family time. Compared to capitals of other North European countries, Helsinki is relatively small. It is not as modern as Stockholm, cannot compare to the mystic fantasy of Copenhagen, and also lacks Oslo's bright and fresh appearance. However, in this little city of Helsinki, bars are more than abundant. The most common expression of the introverted and quiet Finnish people is, in fact, no expression at all. At first glance you may think that they are not easy to get along with; however, if you meet a Finlander in the bar, especially during Christmas time, you will see a totally different side to them, one of being warm and cheerful.

Every Christmas time, the most popular alcoholic beverage in the bars of Helsinki is known as “mulled wine.” To make mulled wine, spices are added to romantic red wine and are allowed to infuse throughout it, resulting in a wonderfully combined color and taste. Next, grab a few almonds and raisins. For those who have always been weary of bread and biscuits containing almonds and raisins, eating them together with mulled wine is a completely new experience.

Roaming the Market, Enjoying the Sun

Speaking of Christmas markets, Helsinki's most famous Christmas market is the “St. Thomas Christmas Market. "Every year a few weeks before Christmas, the St. Thomas Christmas Market will have already been set up in the center of Helsinki, drawing in a large crowd. Things like traditional handmade crafts, lanterns, Christmas decorations, and winter food/hot drinks can be found in more than 120 stalls throughout the market.

Having lived in Japan for a few years, I experienced the markets there. The boundaries between shops in the Japanese market are not very distinct. Each shop is a temporary tent, after having finished eating barbecue you could turn around and you may have stepped into another shop.

In contrast, the shops of Helsinki’s St. Thomas Christmas market are all exquisite and small wooden houses. From afar, the cute wooden houses are all lined in a row, looking like miniature Santa Claus houses. When the winter sun of Helsinki lands on the wooden houses, they become tinted light beige. It is a sight that people cannot help but feel warmed up by.

Standing on Tiptoes, Gazing at the Christmas Display Window

If anybody thinks that the Christmas market can not completely satisfy their shopping needs, then they can go to Helsinki’s Alexander Street, famously dubbed as “Christmas Street.” As soon

as the Christmas lights of Alexander Street are lit, it marks the official beginning of the year’s Christmas season. Alexander Street is one of Helsinki's most famous shopping streets. Here you can find a number of stores of well-known Finnish and international brands selling clothing and shoes. Furthermore, there are also a number of expensive fine jewelry stores.

Christmas display windows, originated during the 1860s in the United States, and have accumulated hundreds and hundreds of years of history. As the highlight of the Christmas shopping season, major brands and high-end department stores compete with each other for the chance to work with well-known designers and artists to create a perfect display window from their mini “square space.” During the happy time of Christmas, everyday luxurious and low- key international brand names and jewelry suddenly become objects of fantasies.

The annual unveiling of the Christmas display window on Alexander Street is a much anticipated event for children in Finland. Some parents even come to Helsinki from a faraway suburb or another city so that their children can witness the sight. At night, the display windows carry a hint of fantasy, glistening and dazzling, adorning the entire stretch of Alexandra Street. The children stand on their tiptoes, staring at the Christmas ornaments in the display windows, their thoughts filling the sky like snowflakes, scattering throughout every corner of the city.