Nostalgic Christmas spirit in Helsinki’s oldest wooden house
The Christmas season at The Burgher’s House begins on Wednesday, 26 November, and continues until Sunday, 4 January 2026. Admission to the museum and all Christmas events is free. The atmospheric home museum, located in Kruununhaka at Kristianinkatu 12, is just a ten-minute walk from Senate Square.
For decades, The Burgher’s House has been a cherished Christmas favorite. Each year, the small wooden home is decorated in mid-19th-century Christmas style – simpler than today, yet familiar and cozy. In the kitchen, visitors can enjoy the spicy scents of Christmas by the stove and imagine busy hands baking festive treats. In the chamber, gifts are wrapped into small packages, sealed with lacquer, and adorned with playful riddles. In the parlor, a small Christmas tree decorated with candles and cookies stands on a table, as was customary at the time.
Crafting Christmas tree sweets in the chamber
The Christmas tree became a tradition in upper-class Helsinki homes during the latter half of the 19th century. Many families made their own decorations every year, and Christmas magazines offered crating tips. Colorful tree candies were children’s favorites, and now you can craft your own in the Burgher’s House chamber on three Saturdays: 29 November, 13 December, and 27 December at 14:00.
Topelius’ Christmas tales reflect the Romantic era
Zachris Topelius was one of Finland’s most prolific and versatile writers in the 19th century. A journalist, author, poet, and even a professor of history. Yet, he is best known as a beloved storyteller whose tales have fascinated children for over 150 years. Some of Topelius’s most cherished tales are set in Christmas and winter landscapes, and these stories will be read aloud in the Burgher’s House chamber: 30 November, 14 December, 28 December, 3 January and 4 January at 14:00.
The Burgher’s House Christmas event
On Sunday, 27 December from 12:00 noon to 15:00, you can experience the 1860s Christmas atmosphere at the Burgher’s House – breath in the scents of the season and chat with guides about the house’s history and Christmas traditions of the past. In the chamber, you can craft traditional tree candies. Outdoors, you can enjoy Christmas tunes performed by the Savolainen Osakunta Singers’ double quartet at 13:00 and 14:00.
Christmas season opening hours
26 November – 21 December 2025
Wed–Fri 13:00–18:00, Sat–Sun 11:00–17:00
27 December 2025 – 4 January 2026
Wed–Sun 11:00–17:00
Photo: Maija Astikainen / Helsinki City Museum