The Advent calendar, created by Evangelical Lutheran parishes in the Helsinki Capital Region, will be distributed to the homes of parish members in Helsinki, Vantaa, Espoo, and Kauniainen. The aim of the calendar is to bring Christmas joy to all residents, which is why anyone is welcome to pick up a free copy from their local church. The daily windows will also open in audio and written form on the parishes’ social media channels. The Advent calendar is available in Finnish, Swedish, and English. This year marks the tenth edition of the Advent calendar by the parishes of the Helsinki capital region.

This year, the calendar texts were written by nonfiction writer and pastor Hilkka Olkinuora, with illustrations by artist Mirva Malmgren. Each window contains a reflection inspired by the gospel reading of the week. The illustrations depict nostalgic Christmas imagery, brought to life with expressive, joyful artwork.

Hilkka Olkinuora hopes the Advent calendar offers joyful surprises and gently guides the reader toward Christmas and the spirit of the season, one step at a time. For her family, an Advent calendar has always been an important part of Christmas.

– For us, a calendar has brought that childlike joy of Christmas. I hope this calendar helps quiet the hustle. God surprises us with joy, Olkinuora says.

Artist Mirva Malmgren confesses to being a Christmas enthusiast. She likes decorations, beauty, and even nostalgia, which is why she wanted to incorporate these elements into the illustrations of the Advent calendar.

– In the illustrations, I aimed to capture warmth, hope, and joy. My child was born on Christmas Eve morning a few years ago, and since then I’ve found myself reminiscing about my own childhood Christmases and looking at the season through a child’s eyes again. That may be why a children’s choir became the subject of this calendar’s cover. I love how I was able to create such different personalities among the children; one sings boldly with head held high, while another is more reserved.

Malmgren says the best parts of Christmas are music events and sing-alongs, because they reflect the heart of the season: connection, beautiful music, and a sense of calm.

– Singing together is a kind of intangible good everyone has access to.

The Advent Calendar is a Gift

‍The Evangelical Lutheran parishes’ Advent calendar is a gift from the parishes of Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, and Kauniainen to their members. It is primarily designed for adults but is suitable for the whole family. This year, the calendar is also distributed in Hyvinkää, Kerava, Kouvola, Kuopio, Laihia, Seinäjoki, Vaasa, and the Turku Swedish congregation.

The Advent calendar created by the parishes of the Helsinki Capital Region has attracted widespread interest year after year. Unlike many other Advent calendars, its texts are primarily designed to invite adults to reflect on the message of Christmas. Each year, the calendar is written and illustrated by different contributors to ensure the content resonates with a diverse audience.

The Advent calendar evokes strong emotions. It has been praised for its sense of surprise, grace, hopefulness, relatable language, joy, and humour. The calendar also fosters a sense of community. The windows are often opened together with friends and family, over video calls, in care homes, and even on social media.

Around 350,000 calendars will be mailed at the end of November to the homes of parish members in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, and Kauniainen. The Swedish version of the calendar is distributed with the Kyrkpressen paper. The Swedish texts were also written by Hilkka Olkinuora. An English version of the calendar is also available in churches, translated from Finnish by Anna Uotila.