Festival of light in the dark winter

Every December 13th since 1898 in Finland the light is celebrated in the middle of the dark winter by crowning a young Swedish-peaking maiden in a white outfit with 4 candles. Santa Lucia was once concoinceded with the winter solstice (shortest day of the year) before calendar reforms. This celebration occurs mainly in Scandinavia and in Italy.

Beautiful illuminations in the dark nights of Tampere

Horses on Hämeenkatu

For the 49th time since 1965, the darkest nights in Tampere are illuminated by 165 figures in the city center, composed by 23.000 led bulbs. As the days are getting shorter while approaching December 21st, the lights bring a Christmasy atmosphere in the second largest city in Finland after Greater Helsinki. The lights are visible from the railway station to Finlayson and to the church park of Pyyniki. The illuminations are visible daily from 4:30 to 10:30pm until January 11th, 2015. During Friday and Saturday nights, lights are up until 5am. The Christmas market is open from December 5th to December 22nd on Keskustori.

Moomin the national symbol from the books of Tove Jansson has his own figure in Kuninkaankatu

American cartoons such as Tweety, Speedy Gonzalez and Donald Duck have their figures

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Christmas market in Tampere