FINNISH CHRISTMAS & FOOD HERITAGE
Merchant’s Christmas Dinner
Gather Around a Finnish Christmas Table
Step inside a candlelit merchant house and experience a traditional Finnish Christmas buffet surrounded by festive decorations, seasonal flavours and the warm hospitality of the North.
Secure booking through Moder
2–3 HOURS
A leisurely Christmas dinner
TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS BUFFET
Classic Finnish festive flavours
HISTORIC MERCHANT HOUSE
Christmas in a unique heritage setting
GROUPS 10–40
Private group experience
CHRISTMAS SEASON
Available by reservation
CHRISTMAS AT THE MERCHANT HOUSE
When the House Dresses for Christmas
Christmas has always brought a change of rhythm to Finnish homes.
As the darkest days of the year arrive, candles are lit, familiar decorations appear and the table becomes the heart of the house.
At Langin Kauppahuone, Christmas settles into rooms that have witnessed generations of northern life.
Christmas trees and traditional ornaments fill the historic interiors. Candles glow in the dining rooms. Finnish Christmas music plays softly in the background.
And, as in Finnish homes for generations, everyone gathers around the table.
Merchant’s Christmas Dinner invites you to experience that tradition as a welcome guest.
A FINNISH CHRISTMAS EVENING
Come Inside from the Winter
Outside, Old Raahe may be covered in snow and the northern winter already dark.
Inside the merchant house, everything changes.
Warm rooms, candlelight and the scents of Christmas welcome you as you take your place around the table.
This is not a theatrical recreation of Christmas past. It is a celebration of traditions that remain very much alive in Finland today.
The evening unfolds at an unhurried pace, with good food, conversation and the simple pleasure of being together.
Just as Christmas should.
THE TABLE
Taste a Finnish Christmas
At the centre of the evening is a generous traditional Finnish Christmas buffet.
Cold and warm dishes, fish and meat specialities, seasonal accompaniments, salads and festive desserts create a table meant to be explored slowly.
Take a little of everything, discover new flavours – and return for your favourites.
THE HOUSE
Christmas in a Historic Setting
At Christmas, Langin Kauppahuone takes on a special atmosphere.
Christmas trees, traditional decorations, candlelight and seasonal table settings fill the historic rooms with warmth during the darkest time of the northern year.
This is Christmas inside a house where hospitality has been part of life for centuries.
THE TRADITION
A Table Made for Sharing
For Finns, the Christmas table is about much more than food.
It is a place to gather, slow down and spend time together.
The dishes themselves carry traditions from one generation to another – familiar flavours that return to Finnish tables every Christmas.
Here, visitors are invited to share in that tradition.
In Finland, Christmas begins when we gather around the table.
FOOD & FLAVOURS
The Finnish Christmas Table
he Finnish Christmas table is generous by tradition.
Rather than a single main course, Christmas dinner brings together many dishes, each with its own place in the celebration.
Fish, meats, warm casseroles, salads and seasonal accompaniments are followed by festive desserts and Christmas flavours.
The buffet at Langin Kauppahuone follows this tradition, allowing guests to discover the different tastes of a Finnish Christmas at their own pace.
Vegetarian options are available, and the exact selection may vary according to the season and menu.
But the idea remains unchanged: at Christmas, there should always be enough to share.
LIVING HERITAGE
A Christmas Tradition Still Shared Today
Many of the traditions surrounding Finnish Christmas have changed surprisingly little.
We still decorate our homes.
We still light candles against the winter darkness.
We still prepare foods that return to the table year after year.
And we still believe that Christmas is a time to slow down and gather together.
Merchant’s Christmas Dinner is not about recreating a Christmas that has disappeared.
It is an invitation to experience traditions that Finnish families continue to share today – inside a historic house where generations before us gathered around their own Christmas tables.
A TIP FROM THE HOUSE OF LANG
Don’t Rush the Christmas Table
A Finnish Christmas buffet is not meant to be conquered in one round.
Start with the cold dishes, taste the fish, continue to the warm dishes and leave some room for dessert.
And if you find a favourite, go back for more.
At Christmas, nobody is counting.
PLAN YOUR EXPERIENCE
Your Christmas Dinner at the Merchant House
Included in the experience:
- Hosted Christmas dining experience
- Traditional Finnish Christmas buffet
- Cold and warm festive dishes
- Seasonal desserts
- Introduction to Finnish Christmas food traditions
- Dining in the historic rooms of Langin Kauppahuone
Duration: approximately 2–3 hours
Group size: 10–40 guests
Availability: Christmas season by reservation
Dietary options: vegetarian options available; other dietary requirements by advance arrangement
MAKE IT YOUR OWN
Add Something Special to Your Christmas Evening
Finnish Welcome Drink
Begin the evening with a traditional seasonal welcome.
Finnish Christmas Traditions
Add a guided introduction to the customs and traditions that make Finnish Christmas unique.
In the Merchant’s Footsteps
Walk through wintery Old Raahe before gathering around the Christmas table.
Captain’s Sauna
Begin the evening with another beloved Finnish tradition – the warmth of the sauna.
BOOK YOUR EXPERIENCE
Take Your Place at the Christmas Table
Come inside from the northern winter and gather around the table for an evening of traditional flavours, candlelight and Finnish Christmas hospitality.
You will continue to our secure booking service, Moder, to select availability and complete your reservation.
CONTINUE THE STORY
