Hamina Christmas Wonderland

The historic center of Hamina becomes a magical Christmas wonderland at the end of November. The Christmas Stars event on Raatihuoneentori square brings the Christmas atmosphere of a Central European town to Hamina. Christmas lights will be on show in the square until the end of the year. Christmas window displays in the old wooden buildings serve as the city’s Advent calendar, with a new Christmas window being unveiled at 6pm every December evening until Christmas Eve.

Christmas Stars events bring a Central European Christmas atmosphere to the historic center of Hamina. Raatihuoneentori square brims with Christmas spirit from late November to the end of December. Christmas products and delicacies are sold in the stalls. The Tivoli Sariola carousel is also located in the square. Santa Claus, Mrs Claus and elves visit the market square. The Christmas Stars event is based on the spirit of Tchaikovsky’s beloved ballet, The Nutcracker: small speakers around the square play music by Tchaikovsky, among other composers.

The town house of the Aladin family by the square, known as Tanelinkulma, will be transformed into a Fairytale Palace — designed by Jukka Rintala and Matti Vaskelainen — for the Christmas Stars event. Read more about the Fairytale Palace here. (link to the Fairytale Palace)

The city’s beloved Advent calendar, i.e. the Christmas windows of its old wooden houses, will be opened for the eighth time this year. A Christmas window will be unveiled at 6pm every day.

In the Christmas exhibition of the Shopkeeper’s Museum, the Suutarintalo elf will tell stories about life in Hamina’s old wooden houses in the old days.