Santa Claus is coming to town!
Stop telling the kids that Santa Claus isn’t real, because this isn’t just a fat man with a beard and a red suit. Did you know that the real Santa lives in Lapland, Finland? He’s taking a day off from reading letters and making toys and leaving the Santa Claus Village to visit the capital, Helsinki, for the Opening of Aleksanterinkatu Christmas Street.
The tradition is more than half a century old and will take place on November 25, 2012. Gather round Senate Square at 2:00 pm to see Santa arrive by tram along with the mayor of Helsinki, Jussi Pajunen. Together they will host the official ceremony and open the Aleksanterinkatu Christmas Street.
The lights are not turned on until sundown, so you’ll have to wait until 3:00 pm to see Aleksanterinkatu in all its glory. You probably just did a double take, but you heard right. Sundown occurs at around 3:00 in the “afternoon” during the Helsinki winter. Pretty cool, no?
The Helsinki Christmas Parade follows the lighting of the street, so follow the line of singing carolers, angels, (real) reindeer, and snowmen down the snow-capped streets as they spread their holiday cheer throughout the center of town. Following the spectacle, stroll down Aleksanterinkatu Street to take advantage of the many stores for all your Christmas shopping.
Walking under the dim yellow string lights hanging above Aleksanterinkatu, with snowflakes on your nose and the jingling of the parade still ringing in your ears, it’ll never feel more like Christmas than in this winter wonderland. The Opening of Aleksanterinkatu Christmas Street proves that it really is the most wonderful time of the year.
www.visithelsinki.fi/In_English/Visitor/Experience/Event_calendar/Main_events.iw3?showmodul=183&Matko_pid=22233&t=1