There’s a chance that reading this post might spark some childhood memories. At least in my childhood home, whenever Christmas Eve was approaching, one thing was certain: a huge clean-up to tidy the house from floor to roof! From what I know, this has been the case in many Finnish homes as well.
The Christmas cleaning sessions are of course nostalgic to think about, but I also remember them being very stressful.
Researching the subject revealed that Christmas cleaning has a long history in Finland. The custom has apparently been to clean the house thoroughly before Christmas — even moving furniture out of the way to do it properly!
It’s already common knowledge that many Finnish Christmas customs are inherited from a celebration called Kekri. It was a festival marking the beginning of a new agricultural year, celebrated before Christianity arrived in Finland. Apparently, Christmas cleaning may have already started back then as part of the Kekri traditions, and people have simply carried it forward to the present day.
Is the Cleaning Tradition Still Relevant?
The historical significance of the cleaning tradition is clear — it has been a major part of the celebration for a long time! But do we still have to do it? I think the answer depends on personal preference.
Our standards of housing have changed drastically since the old days. Cleaning is easier now, and homes are designed to make it more efficient. Personally, I prefer to do basic cleaning regularly, so there’s less need for a massive pre-holiday cleaning session.
However, this tradition still gives a bit of a motivational boost to tackle the things I don’t often have time for: deep-cleaning kitchen appliances, washing curtains or carpets if needed, and — most importantly for me — washing the sauna. If nothing else, the approaching holidays serve as a good reminder that these things need to be done at some point. Why not before Christmas?
So What Did I End Up Doing?
Due to some work-related stress, the number of tasks I ended up taking on my to-do list is quite small. However, cleaning the sauna is something I am not giving up on! So, I cleaned it now, while I still have the time.
When cleaning wood surfaces, it is important to start with warm water, as it opens up the material. The brush should be used following the direction of the wood grain — you can see the age markings to figure out the correct way. Once you are done, the sauna is rinsed with cold water to close the wood again.
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