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Sweet Christmas of Finland

The Museum of Finnish Architecture designed 'Gingerbread Helsinki of the 1850s'

The Christmas season in Finland is accompanied by an endless influx of traditional treats, and thoughts of dieting are postponed until the coming year. So join the festive spirit of Helsinki by getting to know Finnish Christmas sweets.

Mulled wine (or glögi in Finnish) is the essence of Finnish Christmas: the aroma of cloves and cinnamon from hot juice or wine with almonds and raisins

Homemade jam, marmalade and mustard at the Christmas market in Helsinki

In recent years, the aroma of roasted chestnuts has become part of Finnish Christmas

Finnish festive Christmas tables are often adorned with sugar-coated 'Green Balls' (Vihreät kuulat) candies

Caramel at the Christmas market 'Tuomaan Markkinat' on Senate Square in Helsinki

Rice porridge sprinkled with cinnamon is a favorite holiday dish, especially among children. Kids guess who will get the 'lucky almond' hidden at the bottom of the pot. Rice porridge is traditionally served for breakfast on Christmas Eve

Christmas star-shaped pastry with plum jam (joulutorttu) is made from puff pastry and sprinkled with powdered sugar

Christmas bun (joulupulla) is decorated with a star of gingerbread dough and flavored with cardamom

Finland, as everyone knows, is the home of the real Santa Claus, so the presence of this fairy-tale character in chocolate form is quite justified

Gingerbread cookies are an integral part of Christmas. Many Finns happily bake these cookies for the holiday, in part because they can't resist the pleasure of treating themselves to the tasty gingerbread dough

Greeting cards in the form of chocolate CDs at the Old Covered Market in Helsinki (do not insert into player!)

On each of these handmade chocolates, a Christmas greeting: Hyvää joulua!

Strawberry and cranberry juice for hot Christmas drinks at Helsinki Market Square

Tim BIRD.
Photo by author.