Christmas Sauna Traditions in Finland – Ancient Beliefs and Modern Tips
In Finnish Christmas traditions, going to the sauna — joulusauna a.k.a. the Christmas sauna — has long been one of the most important rituals. Old folk beliefs were filled with elves and spirits, and various charms were performed to ensure a good harvest in the coming summer. Most modern Finns no longer have flax fields to cultivate or straw to leave on the sauna benches as padding for the sauna elf after people had finished bathing. Still, many old beliefs contain timeless ideas that can make today’s Christmas sauna a truly special experience.
Did you know? It is worth noting that the Finnish word “joulu” (Christmas) originates from Yule, the ancient Germanic midwinter festival. The ancient Finnish Christmas had nothing to do with Christ or Christianity.
1. Create a Festive Christmas Atmosphere in the Sauna
In apartment building saunas, decorating options are limited, but if you have an outdoor sauna, your possibilities are endless. You can create a very traditional Finnish Christmas sauna atmosphere in many ways:
- Place lanterns on the sauna steps
- Decorate with linen sauna towels and wheat-filled linen cushions
- Hang Christmas ornaments on nearby trees
- Lay spruce branches on the steps to wipe snow and dirt from your shoes (You need the landowner’s permission to cut spruce branches, unless the tree grows on your own land).
- Hang a Christmas wreath on the sauna door
- And of course, nothing stops you from putting a linen elf hat on your head when you go to sauna!
For the sauna session, have skin-applied sauna honey ready, a sauna scent for the stove, and the distinctly Finnish favorite: tar-scented soap, which instantly brings memories of the past to life. You can find all of these — and much more — in the sauna sections of Finnish supermarkets.
2. Stay Quiet
According to old beliefs, those who chatted noisily or caused a racket in the Christmas sauna would later face unpleasant consequences, such as thick swarms of mosquitoes in summer. For the superstitious, this threat may still feel very real today. But even without believing in old omens, it’s worth embracing silence in the sauna. Quiet allows for deeper relaxation — for yourself and especially for others. Even the sauna elf has no patience for endless chatter.
3. Roll in the Snow
If there is snow, rolling in it between sauna sessions boosts circulation and, for some, is also great fun. According to old beliefs, this practice cleanses both body and soul. Ice swimming is another wonderful way to alternate between icy cold and fiery heat in the true Finnish spirit, and it likely works as a similar purification ritual.
In both cases, remember safety: never go ice swimming alone, and if you roll in the snow, make sure it is soft and deep enough.
4. Do Not Whistle, Curse, or Get Drunk
These were believed to please none other than the Devil himself — someone most people prefer to keep far away from their Christmas sauna. In any case, swearing, drunken muttering, and clumsy behavior are unpleasant for other people to endure as well. Even if you don’t fear the old horned one, be courteous to others, behave properly, and mind your language.
In the Finnish language, there is a concept known as saunarauha (“sauna peace”), which emphasizes respectful, calm behavior and consideration for others at all times during the sauna experience.
5. Improvise with Whisks
Since fresh leafy birch branches are unavailable in midwinter, Finns must improvise to enjoy whisking in the Christmas sauna.
Some people dry a fresh birch whisk in summer specifically for Christmas. These dried whisks can also be purchased — just remember to soak them in water while the sauna is heating so the leaves soften and don’t crumble into dust during use.
Those with tougher skin sometimes make a winter whisk from juniper, which is soaked in boiling water for about half an hour before use. Juniper is considered a symbol of Finnish resilience.
Whisking releases a wonderful scent into the sauna air. If you don’t have a whisk, you can still enjoy the aroma of birch or even spruce by using a sauna fragrance according to instructions. These are available in the sauna sections of most stores.
6. Beer on the Stove
If you are a farmer hoping for a good harvest, you may splash a little beer onto the sauna stove. This releases a warm, malty aroma into the sauna. Whether this spell works for anything beyond crop success remains unknown to us.
7. Sauna Early and Make Room for the Unseen
In everyday life, Finns usually go to the sauna in the evening, but at Christmas the sauna is taken already during the day or at the latest in the afternoon. This is believed to help the work of the coming year go smoothly — but there are other reasons as well.
When throwing water on the stove, one corner of the heater is kept completely dry at all times. This prepares a pleasant sauna experience for spirits, elves, and possibly even the deceased family members. They enter the sauna after you — just remember to call out loudly when you leave that the sauna is free. Since you have spared one corner of the stove from water, it remains especially hot and produces excellent steam. If you wish, you can also leave refreshments behind for the next bathers, such as beer.
In some regions it was believed that if one went to the sauna too late on Christmas, one might become the target of ghostly activity — and even that the washing water could turn into blood. Perhaps the elves and other beings would grow angry at anyone who failed to grant them their joulusauna peace.
Read next
No Phones, No Books: Why the Finnish Sauna Is the Perfect Spiritual Detox
In Finnish Saunas, Nudity Isn’t a Taboo – Here’s Why That Matters
What to Bring to a Finnish Sauna – A First-Timer’s Guide
What You’ll Find in a Finnish Sauna: A Simple Introduction
Related Content
Sauna Hermanni 
Uusi Sauna / Sanna Kaesmae 
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!