🛄 Last-minute gifts from HEL and RVN: what to buy 15 minutes before boarding

✈️ You've already passed through security, but you still don't have any gifts

It's a painfully familiar scenario.

You've passed through all the security checks, found your gate, sat down to relax... and only then do you remember:

● "I still haven't bought anything for my parents."

● "I promised my colleagues something Finnish."

● "I told the kids at home that Moomin would be coming with me..."

15–40 minutes until landing.
It is no longer possible to return to the city. Panicking is pointless.
There is only one option left: to buy decent gifts right at the airport.

And yes, the airport is not only about

● overpriced goods

● suspicious gift sets,

● and plastic Santas that end up living in a desk drawer.

Helsinki Airport has a decent selection of shops: Iittala design, Kalevala jewellery, Moomin Shop, Helsinki Shop, Finspiration — all right in the Schengen area by the gates.
Rovaniemi Airport has a local souvenir shop, Napapiirin Lahja, and a renovated terminal with an emphasis on local gifts.

The purpose of this text is to guide you through these options so that:

● you can buy gifts for everyone in 15–30 minutes

● avoid grabbing the first thing you see,

● and not bring home another "Lapland style" set just because it was at the checkout.

⏱ How to use this guide if you have 15, 30 or 60 minutes before departure

To avoid getting bogged down in details, let's agree on the following:

● 15 minutes before boarding
→ goal: one or two universal gifts that "everyone will like" (coffee, sweets, basic design, small Moomin).

● 30–40 minutes
→ you can visit 2-3 shops and pick up a few targeted gifts: for children, parents, colleagues.

● 60+ minutes
→ this is almost a mini shopping session: you can calmly visit a design shop, sauna area, Helsinki Shop / Finspiration and collect a whole "box of Finland".

Inside each airport, we will look at:

● which shops and gift formats are logical for last-minute purchases;

● where it is easiest to find "everything in one place";

● what really makes sense to buy at the airport rather than in the city.

🛫 Helsinki Airport (HEL): where to find decent gifts after security

Helsinki-Vantaa is a huge hub, which is a plus:
even if you don't have much time, there are decent shops right by the gates.

1. Helsinki Shop: "everything about Helsinki" in one place

What it is: a shop with souvenirs and gifts with a focus on Helsinki and Finland:
from postcards and sweets to soft toys, themed puzzles and football merchandise.

What to buy last minute:

● chocolate, coffee, tea — to quickly cover a lot of people;

● light souvenirs from Helsinki: postcards, posters, mini puzzles;

● small soft toys (if you have children or nieces and nephews waiting for you at home).

Suitable for:
colleagues, friends, children, a "wide circle" of people who don't need a personalised design masterpiece.

2. Finspiration: a quick "box of Finland"

Finspiration is a format that brings together "everything Finnish and beautiful in one place": design, textiles, tableware, gifts and souvenirs.

It's convenient to

● pick up 1-2 items for the home (a candlestick, a mug, textiles);

● add food or chocolate from nearby shops;

● and put together a mini-set right at the airport, which is then easy to pack at home.

Works well for:

● parents,

● friends who love cosiness and northern minimalism,

● colleagues who want to give a "more serious" gift.

3. Iittala, Moomin Shop, Kalevala & co: if you want a small "wow gift"

According to Finavia, the following are particularly popular with passengers:

● Kalevala jewellery (such as the legendary "Moon Goddess") at Lindroos;

● Iittala glassware and tableware (PomPom vases, the Ultima Thule series, Birds by Toikka, etc.);

● items from the Moomin Shop — clothing, backpacks, small souvenirs with Moomins.

This is already in the "€30-50 and above" range, but if:

● you have more than 30 minutes left,

● and you need one or two really impressive gifts,

it makes sense to visit at least one of these shops.

4. What to do if you only have 15 minutes at HEL

The most practical scenario:

1. Find the Helsinki Shop or Finspiration (or any multi-goods shop) near the gate.
   
2. Buy:

○ 1–2 packs of Finnish coffee;

○ a couple of bars of chocolate;

○ postcards or a small item for the home (coaster, napkins, mini-decoration);

1. If you have children, add one small soft toy or item from the Moomin range.
   

Total:

● you spend 10–15 minutes,

● cover at least 3–5 people,

● and leave without feeling like you grabbed the first thing you saw just so you wouldn't leave empty-handed.

🦌 Rovaniemi Airport (RVN): Arctic last-minute without unnecessary kitsch

Rovaniemi is the "official airport of Santa Claus" and the gateway to Lapland.
After a recent renovation, cafes and souvenir shops were added, making the airport look like a small concentration of Lapland: northern lights on the walls, Christmas motifs and local gifts.

The key spot for last-minute shopping is Napapiirin Lahja: a shop selling clothing, décor and gifts that describes itself as offering "high-quality local gifts".

What to buy in RVN

● local wood and textile products — minimalist, not screaming "LAPLAND!!!";

● cosy things for winter: mittens, scarves, socks, hats (if they are not 100% acrylic);

● small souvenirs with a northern aesthetic: postcards, posters, natural materials, not plastic.

It is very important to remember our* anti-guide to souvenirs:

● avoid cheap "Sámi style" items,

● do not buy strange "shamanic kits" without the craftsman's signature,

● and don't drag plastic reindeer around, which will seem like a dubious idea on the train home.

🎁 Ready-made sets: "take this and you can't go wrong"

To make things really simple, let's look at a few gift sets that are available at both HEL and RVN.

Set No. 1. "Office/colleagues"

Where to find it: Helsinki Shop / Finspiration / any multi-shop.

What to get:

● 2–3 packs of coffee;

● a few bars of chocolate;

● small bags of sweets or biscuits.

At home, simply divide these into mini-sets:

● 'coffee + chocolate',

● or "tile + postcard".

Link to cluster: guide to edible gifts from Finnish supermarkets.

Set No. 2. "Children and teenagers"

Where: Moomin Shop (HEL), Helsinki Shop, Napapiirin Lahja (RVN).

What to get:

● a small soft toy or branded Moomintroll;

● sweets (chocolate, candies);

● stickers, a small notebook, postcards.

Important: avoid fragile snow globes and porcelain figurines — these are more likely to appeal to adult collectors than children.

Cluster link: gifts for children and teenagers from Finland.

Set No. 3. "Parents and grandparents"

Where: Finspiration, Iittala, Helsinki Shop.

What to get:

● one nice mug or small item for the home (candle holder, mini vase);

● coffee/tea;

● a bar of chocolate.

Essentially, this is a mini version of "Finland in a Box": home + taste + a little story about the trip.

Set No. 4. "Sauna & wellness combo"

Where: shops selling sauna products in HEL (sometimes part of the range is available in Finspiration/multi-shops), in RVN — in local souvenir shops.

What to take:

● a hat or small towel for the sauna;

● natural soap or salt;

● a small bottle of essential oil/aroma blend.

If you have time, check out the guide to sauna gifts to expand your collection on your next trip.

Set No. 5. "A gift for yourself"

Sometimes the best recipient of an airport gift is yourself.

Ideas:

● a mug or bowl that you will actually use every day;

● a mini travel set of cosmetics or wellness products;

● a small print or postcard that you can frame.

The main filter: will you still be using this in six months?
If yes, go for it. If not, it's just an airport impulse buy.

💸 What to buy at the airport and what is better to buy in the city

Airports are not the most budget-friendly places. But there are some things that make sense to buy there.

What's OK to buy at HEL/RVN

● Travel-size cosmetics and wellness sets — mini and limited edition formats that are not available in supermarkets.

● Design and decorations (Iittala, Kalevala, some textiles) — if you understand the prices and have seen these brands in the city, the airport often offers a decent selection and a peaceful space.

● Gifts you forgot to buy in advance — chocolate, coffee, postcards, small items for children.

What is usually cheaper to buy in the city

● large food sets (chocolate, biscuits, sweets) — they are cheaper at Prisma / K‑Citymarket;

● some textiles and basic tableware — city shops offer a wider selection at the same price;

● "tourist sets" in beautiful boxes — most often, this is simply overpaying for packaging.

📋 Last-minute checklist before checkout

🧳 Final breath: don't let your flight cancellation ruin your gift-giving

Last-minute shopping at the airport can easily turn into chaos:
people are nervous, boarding announcements are blaring, and someone is already tugging at you, saying, "Let's go, or they'll fly without us."
In such an atmosphere, it's especially easy to buy something that you'll regret later at home.

This text is intended to reverse the scenario:

● you calmly choose one or two shops (Helsinki Shop / Finspiration / Napapiirin Lahja);

● you buy gifts that truly carry a piece of Finland with them;

● and you go to the gate not with the feeling of "at least I bought something," but with the thought "I've gathered a small but authentic piece of Finland for my loved ones."

This is exactly what our project is for:
we are building which helps both tourists and locals make small but important decisions — which souvenir, gift, route or ritual to make part of their lives.

If you found this guide useful:

● save it so you can open it next time you're on your way to the gate;

● share it with those who are flying to Helsinki or Lapland and are afraid of flying away "empty-handed";

● check out our other materials:
— an anti-guide to Finnish souvenirs,
— gifts under €10 / €20 / €50,
— sauna and wellness gifts.

The airport is just the last scene of the trip.
Let there be less panic and more Finland in this scene.