Christmas Shopping In Finland: Best Time To Shop, Gift Ideas, and Where To Get The Perfect Christmas Gifts For Your Loved Ones.

For many people around the world, myself included, Christmas shopping goes on even till 24th of December. In fact, that is the day that the most shopping is done. However for the Finns, it is the very opposite. No one, literally no one, does Christmas Shopping in Finland on the 24th of December.  From my experience, Christmas Shopping in Finland can be very exciting and if care is not taken, it can also be stressful for you especially as a Foreigner still trying to get a hang of things.

And if you don’t know the right places and times to do your Christmas Shopping in Finland, your bank account will be very displeased with you at the end of the holidays. Christmas is a fun holiday in Finland and many Finns use the opportunity to appreciate family and friends with lovely gifts and good wishes as well as good company. One of the things I have noticed over the years in Finland is that the Finns are huge on Christmas traditions even to the littlest details.

There is a common time or period when people buy gifts, and also days that they send it by post so it can arrive on time and be available to collect on certain days. Christmas is officially celebrated on the 24th day of December, not 25th, I have a new blog post coming up about this, and also what EXACTLY the Finns do on that day.

So because Christmas is celebrated on the 24th of December, by 20th most people have already sent out gifts to their loved ones far away through the local post office (Posti). This way, by 22nd or 23rd of December the recipients already have their gifts on time and by 24th of December everyone is relaxed and ready for Christmas.

However in Finland, the Christmas atmostphere is more relaxed and on time. Knowing the best places to shop for Christmas gifts at affordable prices and also the best times to do your shopping makes the whole Christmas shopping process enjoyable.

First let’s talk about some lovely Christmas gift ideas in Finland. Christmas gifting is more about the memory and good thoughts surrounding the gift. A lovely Christmas gift doesn’t have to be expensive to leave a lasting feeling of love. Here in Finland people give to their loved ones different kids of gifts ranging from Skin care products, home appliances and tools, clothing items, gift cards, and jewelry (yeah that’s a lovely one. :D).

Also, Finns are huge patriots. They love their country and their locally made products. So gifting quality products from local Finnish brands are a delight to many. And this is a huge favorite of mine. I love Finnish branded Christmas slippers, sweaters and knit wears, and coffee mugs. Nothing beats a lovely family Christmas day in my Finnish knitwear, Christmas slippers, and a cup of hot tea in my favorite Finnish mug. That is absolutely one of the best feelings in the world.

So Where Can You Get Lovely Christmas Gifts Here In Finland At Affordable Prices?

Below are some of the places where you can do your Christmas shopping in Finland conveniently and buy some Christmas gifts for your loved ones:

1. Christmas Markets: Many towns in Finland have markets dedicated for Christmas shopping. These are places where you can find a variety of Christmas themed local products and handmade goods at good prices. Because of the quality of some of these products, they may be on the expensive side, depending on what you are trying to buy, but be rest assured that you are gifting a very good quality product that your loved one will appreciate.

You can find these Christmas Markets in places like Helsinki, Tampere, Turku, Porvoo, and so on. One of the biggest and most Christmas themed market can be found in Rovaniemi, in the Santa Claus Village in Lapland, the Finnish home town of Santa claus. Here is a Video on my YouTube Channel showing my visit to the Santa Claus Village. Definitely check it out.

2. Shops and Supermarkets: These are easy and quite common places to find lovely Christmas presents for your family and friends. In Finland, shops are usually open on weekdays from 10 am in the morning to 9 pm in the evening. Some of them open earlier and some close later, depending on the type of shop or the location. During the weekends, shops are open for shorter times. Most of them open around 12noon and close by 6pm in the evening.

However, on the 24th most shops close as early as 12 noon. On the 25th, shops are closed, and then they re-open on the 26th. So it is probably best for you to do your Christmas shopping latest 23rd which is actually the day that most Finns buy Christmas food in readiness for the next day. By this day, most people already have their Christmas gifts sorted out.

3. Online Shopping: Online shopping is common in Finland, and made even more because of the current corona situation. Many people now shop online for their loved ones. One of the advantages of online shopping is that you can do it from the comfort of your home and in your pyjamas. And your reach is unlimited in that you can buy items you love from all over Europe and get it delivered to your home right on time for Christmas.

You can also order from Amazon. This is my absolute favorite because of the free shipping. You can also order from outside of Europe but please take note of the shipping fee and also tariff. You have to pay custom duties for goods worth over 22 euros if it’s coming from outside EU. If it is less, then you don’t have to pay tariff.

4. Make it Yourself: Like I said earlier, people here love authentic and original products that are of good quality. So another gift idea is that you can actually buy some of the materials you need and make something awesome for your loved ones. Make sure you start on time so that by Christmas it is ready. A common hand made item people give for Christmas are knit wears, like wool socks, gloves and blankets.

These are so lovely and very thoughtful and many people appreciate them as gifts. This is a favorite of most  Finnish ‘mummies’ (Grandmothers). Wool socks and blankets from mummies and godmothers are always knitted and made with love. They are the absolute best!

What time is best to do your Christmas shopping in Finland so you get the best gifts at the most affordable prices?

And when is the best time to do your Christmas Shopping in Finland? 

1. During Black Friday: Black Friday is the hugest sale closest to Christmas so most people use the opportunity to do their Christmas shopping, that is if they already know what they want to buy for their loved ones. Even if you don’t know yet, Black Friday sales offer a lot of lovely items and gift ideas that you can quickly grab before the item runs out. You can also find amazing Black Friday deals online. So definitely use this opportunity to grab some good items for yourself and your loved ones.

2. After Season sale: Most shops usually have major price slashes after the Christmas season. It starts right immediately after Christmas and it is almost laughable that an item you bought just 2 days ago can now be 50% off.  The ALE sign will just be popping up at random. Ale means Sale in English. The shops are trying to sell out the Christmas items so each day the discounts gets higher even up to 70% off. Well, this may be too late for Christmas but just in time for New year if you also celebrate New year in a big way (like we do in Nigeria).

3. General sales / Early Christmas shopping: One of the best ways to have a fun and stress free Christmas shopping in Finland is to start shopping early enough. Make a list of the items you want to get and for who, and keep your eyes open for when these items are on sale. Most shops in Finland have sales occasionally round the year so be on the lookout for these great opportunities to save some cash.

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