Back to the Homeland: A Winter Visit to Finland

This blog post is part of my article series in The Finnish American Reporter newspaper.

Returning to Finland during Christmas time feels like stepping into a cherished memory. Those snow-covered forests, roads and streets that you see already when the airplane is landing... the soft glow of lights in windows and the familiar pure winter air all bring a sense of comfort and peace.

Tranquility. 

It’s more than just a visit—it’s a homecoming.

For us with Finnish roots, Finland is a place that tugs at the heartstrings, a place that feels like home no matter how far we’ve traveled.

On the flight to Finland, the song "Going Home for Christmas" played in my head as the plane descended into the snow-covered Helsinki Vantaa airport.

I found myself tearing up, it’s been a year again since I visited last time, too long.

The snow-covered airport, the familiar sights of Helsinki from the air—it all felt so familiar and comforting, as if I were returning to something I had never truly left.

Tasting Finland - try as many as you can!

One of the reasons I visit Finland so rarely is money. It’s quite expensive to visit there. 

Especially, dining out in Finland can be expensive, but there are many traditional Finnish foods to enjoy elsewhere, and more economically.

Many Finns cook the traditional dishes at home, as they can easily prepare these comforting meals themselves. When they want to dine out, it’s usually to try something different— maybe some new  international cuisine they can’t easily replicate in their own kitchens. But for visitors to Finland, there’s a wonderful array of ready-made meals, dishes and pastries available in grocery stores that provide a tasty experience and offer excellent quality at affordable prices.

When you’re visiting Finland and have access to a microwave, you can try many traditional dishes without needing to cook them yourself. Finnish grocery stores offer a wide variety of ready-made meals, such as salmon soup, spinach soup, chanterelle soup, all made with fresh, high-quality ingredients.

There’s even reindeer soup, a unique dish that’s perfect for those who want to try something northern and traditional. Meat soups, sausage soups (including the beloved siskonmakkarakeitto), and casseroles—like liver casserole, cabbage casserole, and macaroni casserole—are also available in ready-to-heat versions.

During the Christmas season, Finnish grocery stores carry Christmas casseroles, including the famous carrot casserole and sweet potato casserole.

These seasonal dishes are a must-try if you’re visiting during the holidays, offering a comforting and festive taste of Finland. And for those who crave more hearty meals, there are options like meatballs, cabbage casserole, ground liver patties, and blood or spinach pancakes—all representing classic Finnish flavors.

And not all Finnish food needs to be heated up. If you’re looking for something quick and easy, Karelian pies filled with rice porridge and topped with butter and cheese (try Koskenlaskija cheese!) are a beloved treat.

You can also find whipped lingonberry porridge and berry soups—often sold in convenient 1-liter cans in the drink fridge. These cold options make for refreshing snacks or light meals and are perfect if you’re on the go. Just pair lingonberry porridge with sugar and milk and make a great snack or breakfast. The Easter time favorite, mämmi is available in big supermarkets freezers, year-round. Just let it thaw and add sugar and cream! 

Finnish grocery stores also feature a fantastic selection of instant oatmeal (named “annospikapuuro”) in a variety of flavors, ranging from chocolate to apples and more traditional options. Simply add hot water, and you’ve got a warm, satisfying meal in minutes.

This is a great option for breakfast or a quick snack while traveling. Add milk also to this one! (if you have challenges with lactose, there are a lot of lactose-free milk options) On top of porridge, many add frozen berries, they melt instantly on top of hot porridge. I might have eaten about 2 lb of lingonberries during my visit... Many Finns freeze the berries they picked in the autumn and eat them gradually during the cold winter times to get their natural antioxidants and vitamins.

And of course, no trip to Finland would be complete without indulging in Finnish pastries.

 It really is difficult to pass the baked goods section in any small or large supermarket! Pulla, with its sweet, cardamom-infused dough, is available in a range of forms—whether it's a simple bun or more elaborate variations, e.g. with bilberry filling..

If you're visiting between January and March, don't miss Runebergintorttu, the iconic pastry named after our national poet, J.L Runeberg. There’s also an abundance of cookies and candies to sample, making Finnish bakeries a true delight for anyone with a sweet tooth. I just wonder why they don't export more of that candy!

Spending Time with Family and Friends

During this trip, I was fortunate to spend quality time with my friends and family. The holidays are always a special time to reconnect and create new memories.

As I spent time in Finland, I also had the opportunity to get back in touch with the ingredients that have been a part of my culinary heritage. So I made use of the wonderful Finnish ingredients I had access to, making some new recipe videos to share later. 

This trip, I didn’t venture to Lapland to hunt for the northern lights, nor did I visit my home islands in Helsinki. Instead, I tried to see the place from outsiders view, visited a museum, a library and just enjoyed walking outside, soaking in the quiet beauty of a winter evening as snowflakes slowly descended.

And I felt almost like a tourist when visiting the Christmas markets, museums, department stores and shopping centers. But I felt very local when singing Christmas carols in a church or scanning through many second hand flea markets to make finds (and I did make some Finnish design finds!) 

Homeland in Every Season

Finland’s landscapes are beautiful in any season, whether it’s the endless days of summer, warm autumn nights, the quiet icy beauty of winter or the shyly blooming spring.

There’s something so unique about the way Finland’s nature harmonizes with the changing seasons. In the winter, it feels as if the entire country slows down, becoming a peaceful refuge from the world’s bustle.

The snowflakes descending slowly from the sky created a calmness that seemed to extend into every corner of the landscape. And then you are flipped back to the modern days when a grocery shop robot appears waiting to cross the street and happily rolls along to take food to busy people’s homes. But at night time, it's so quiet and peaceful that you can even see nature animals like rabbits and foxes in Helsinki if you get lucky.

Well there is a big forest in Helsinki also, called Central Park even though it’s clearly a forest, almost 6 miles long!. The homeland is still the most forested country of all Europe and that’s great! I think the most common hobby of Finns is spending time in nature or the woods, relaxing, e.g., by walking, hiking, or even picking berries.

For those of you with Finnish heritage, like myself, I’m sure you’ve dreamed or planned on going to Finland or perhaps have already experienced its magic, maybe many years ago. "Whether you yearn for the natural beauty, the culture, the food or the memories, Finland has so much to offer.

The quiet moments, the hearty meals, and the stunning landscapes are just a few reasons to make the visit.

I may not have made it to Lapland or the home islands this time, but I know I’ll be back soon.

Finland will always be waiting, offering its peacefulness and beauty, and its traditions, no matter where life takes me. 

And by making Finnish food I can feel like I’m in Finland, any day, in my own kitchen.



Read also my budget traveller's guide to Finland:  What to eat in Finland