💬 Tourist Gifts Through Finnish Eyes: Honest Opinions

🧊 "Thank you, but...": how Finns feel about gifts in general

In short, here's how Finns feel about gifts:

● they don't expect grand gestures;

● they value simplicity, practicality and no fuss;

● feel awkward if the gift is too expensive or "too personal";

● but are genuinely delighted when the gift has a story behind it and shows respect for their culture.

Official guides to Finnish customs and etiquette say something like this:

● it is customary to bring flowers, chocolate or a bottle of wine when visiting someone;

● modesty is the key word;

● gifts are opened in front of the giver, but without theatrical emotions.

And in Reddit threads, Finns add a touch of self-irony:

● "Of course, we'll say 'kiitos', but inside we may be thinking: what am I going to do with this huge souvenir?"

That is the main conflict:

The tourist wants "wow, Finland!",
while the Finn wants "small, normal and useful".

This article aims to bring these two worlds together.

💬 What Finns themselves write about gifts and souvenirs

If you browse through the discussions on r/Finland and r/Finnopedia, you will find an interesting mix:

● a little irony,

● a lot of practicality,

● zero tolerance for blatant kitsch.

Typical motifs:

● "The best gift is something I'll actually use, not something I have to store somewhere."

● "Please don't bring giant souvenirs, we have small flats."

● "Anything is fine: chocolate, coffee, something from your country. There are no 'forbidden' items, except for those that are very intrusive or expensive."

In "The ultimate guide to gifts from Finland," users compiled a list of Finnish gifts that are "always a hit" — and, importantly, there is almost no purely souvenir junk:
a telescopic stick for roasting sausages, Fazer, coffee, Marimekko, Iittala, xylitol sweets, sauna stuff.

In other threads, Finns discuss

● what they take abroad themselves (chocolate, coffee, salmiakki, canned fish — at their own risk, bread, Moomin, a little design);

● what gifts from other countries they like (chocolate, spices, local alcohol, tea, "normal food" rather than souvenir plates);

● how they feel about expensive and "big" gifts (most often — awkward: "why spend so much?").

👍 Gifts that Finns really like

Below is not an abstraction, but an excerpt from threads on r/Finland, Finnopedia, and blogs like HerFinland: what Finns themselves call successful gifts.

1. Food and sweets (yours and theirs)

Finns are very fond of "edible gifts":

● good chocolate,

● unusual sweets,

● spices, sauces, biscuits, nuts,

● something "typical" from your country (but not too exotic).

For their part, they most often bring:

● Fazer, especially blue tiles;

● salmiakki (but with a note saying "as a joke, if you don't mind");

● xylitol chewing gum and sweets;

● rye bread and crisps.

Why it works:
food doesn't take up much space, doesn't gather dust, fits into everyday life and provides a topic of conversation.

2. Coffee, tea, small drinks

Finns are big coffee lovers.
The following regularly pops up in threads: "Yes, coffee as a gift is normal, it's part of our lives."

They are happy to

● try coffee from your country;

● receiving a packet of Finnish coffee from a tourist "in return" as recognition of their taste;

● tea, especially if the guest's country has a good tea culture.

Alcohol — be careful: there is little point in helping to carry heavy alcohol from duty free; if you do give a gift, give one normal bottle, not a whole set "to kill".

3. Small items for the home and kitchen

Discussions show that Finns like gifts that

● goes in the kitchen,

● help them drink coffee/tea,

● are part of everyday rituals.

Good options:

● a mug (not necessarily branded, but comfortable and without loud inscriptions);

● a high-quality kitchen towel;

● a small bowl, cutting board or baking dish;

● a candle with a pleasant scent (not "Arctic Storm").

In its articles on gifts, HerFinland emphasises that simple, practical, pleasant items are perfectly acceptable and often the best option for Finns.

4. Something related to your country (but not a "museum set")

Finns are interested in anything that tells them about your home:

● local sweets/tea/coffee;

● spices;

● small decorative items or textiles with local patterns.

But:

● there is no need to bring fragile porcelain or silverware;

● it doesn't have to be "as national as possible" in the stereotypical sense.

In online discussions, people write that they are happier with good chocolate from Belgium, spices from India or tea from Japan than with a huge national souvenir that is difficult to find a place for.

5. "Small Finnish things" — but in the Finnish way

If you give a Finn a Finnish gift (for example, in response to hospitality):

● Fazer,

● Moomin,

● Marimekko napkins,

● sauna accessories,

— it's not strange. It's:

"I was in your country, saw this, and thought of you."

The main thing is to rely on our guide to good souvenirs and anti-guide to bad souvenirs so as not to fall into "Lapland™ kitsch".

🙈 Gifts that make Finns feel awkward (even if they smile)

Now — about what Finns write about a little more quietly, but quite honestly.

1. Gifts that are too expensive or "obligatory"

Finnish culture is about equality and the absence of "debt" gestures.

When a tourist gives:

● expensive jewellery,

● large appliances,

● high-end branded items,

a Finn may think:

"Now I have to reciprocate with something comparable" — and that makes them uncomfortable.

Especially if you haven't known each other for long or aren't close.

2. Very personal items (perfume, jewellery, tight-fitting clothing)

In Reddit threads, Finns cautiously write that:

● perfume from someone you don't know well is too intimate;

● clothes with a specific size can hit a sore spot (especially if the size is wrong);

● underwear, very personal jewellery, and "symbolic" items are best avoided altogether unless you are in a very close relationship.

3. Huge souvenirs and fragile decorations

A typical Finnish comment:

● "Where am I going to put this?"

● "We don't have room for such things."

This category includes:

● large souvenir plates;

● elaborate figurines;

● massive unframed paintings;

● snow globes and fragile glassware.

Even if an item is beautiful, a Finn may simply not have space for it — physically or mentally.

4. "Meme" gifts without context

Kilograms of salmiakki, strange sauces, weird alcoholic mixes, "you definitely haven't tried this" — all of this can be funny if you know each other well and can laugh about it together afterwards.

But:

● as the only gift, it is often perceived as "they are experimenting on me a little";

● it often ends up being put aside for "later."

5. Dishonest "local souvenirs"

Finns are quite strict about counterfeits such as:

● "Sámi style" with no real connection to the Sámi;

● "Finnish" souvenirs made on the other side of the world;

● items that use culture as a marketing tool.

And if you give something like this to a Finn as a "taste of real Finland," it can be very awkward — especially for those who are sensitive to cultural ethics.

🧠 How to use this knowledge to choose gifts consciously

Now — let's get constructive.

1. Look at gifts through the eyes of a Finn, not a tourist

Finns don't need another "proof" that you've been to Finland.
What matters to them is

● that you thought of them as a person,

● that the gift is emotionally safe (not obligatory, not pressuring),

● that it can be used without stress.

2. Translate your idea through three questions

1. Where will this thing live?
   In the kitchen? In the wardrobe? In the mind?
2. How much space does it take up?
   Can it be removed/rearranged if it doesn't fit?
3. Does it have a story?
   For example: "We drank this coffee every morning in Helsinki,"
   or "we had the same blanket in our cottage on Lake Saimaa."
   

If there is no answer to the first question, the gift is risky.

3. Combine "their Finland" and "your country"

The ideal set for a Finn:

● something from Finland (chocolate, coffee, a small item for the sauna or home),

● something from your country (food, drink, spices, a small piece of art),

● your words (a postcard, letter, a few lines explaining "why you chose this for them").

This shows respect for both their world and yours.

4. Use our "bridges" between guides

So that you don't have to start from scratch every time, you can use our materials as a map:

● guide to gifts from Finland on a budget → when you need to choose how much to spend;

● universal Finnish gifts for the whole year → when an "evergreen" option is important;

● starter kit for newcomers → if a Finn has just returned from emigration or moved into a new flat;

● what to bring a Finn from your country → the reverse vector;

● An anti-guide to Finnish souvenirs → to weed out fakes and kitsch.

Our project is like a "master mind on Finland": it helps you choose gifts not based on how pretty they look on the shelf, but on how meaningful they are to the recipient.