A Christmas picnic in August! Hanna and Johanna’s charming tradition amuses passersby

Hanna and Johanna, you went on a Christmas picnic on a Tuesday in August—a delightfully whimsical idea! How did it happen?

Johanna Suhonen: We got to know each other some years ago through Instagram. Christmas is something we both love, it’s a hobby to us. We started messaging and found out we live quite close to each other in Helsinki. We became friends and have met up many times since. It has become a tradition for us to hold a Christmas picnic in August.

Hanna Savolainen: For us, the Christmas picnic is an all-encompassing experience—like an adult version of play. Our August picnic marks the start of the coming fall Christmas season.

Johanna suggested the Kaisaniemi Botanical Garden for the picnic, because she loves its atmosphere and history. Last summer, the friends had their picnic at the Strömfors ironworks. Photos and video for the article: Hanna Savolainen

Of course, a picnic calls for snacks! What did you serve?

Hanna: We had gingerbread cookies, Christmas candies, pastries, coffee, and chilled mulled wine. I always stock up on pastry dough, gingerbread dough, and Christmas candies in January so I’ll have enough for the Christmas parties I host in early summer and for the August picnic. This time, I was in charge of the refreshments, and Johanna took care of the dishes and decorations.

Hanna filled the Christmas pastries with prune preserves and pear marmalade.

These summer drinks have mulled wine and sparkling water. Sparkling wine also pairs nicely with mulled wine, Hanna suggests.

The decorations and table setting were so eye-catching! Could you tell us more about them?

Hanna: Johanna has amazing vintage Christmas ornaments that she brought along. Each piece has its own story, and it’s truly fascinating to learn about them.

Johanna: I love vintage Christmas ornaments and spend a lot of time and effort searching for them. I’m fascinated by their decorative details and by how, in the past, even everyday items were crafted to be beautiful. I like imagining all the Christmases my ornaments have seen and remembering that every piece has its own unique story.

Johanna loves vintage Christmas ornaments and linens. “My dream Christmas is like something from an old holiday movie, and vintage decorations help create that atmosphere,” Johanna says.

The little glitter tree and snowman are Johanna’s newest and most beloved finds. The tree is by Bethany Lowe Designs, and the snowman by Lenox. In the background, you can see Villeroy & Boch Christmas mugs, a gift from one of Johanna’s friends.

Johanna hunts for vintage ornaments on websites like eBay. “You often have to act really fast if you want a specific piece.”

What’s the most important thing about the Christmas picnic?

Hanna: In our busy modern world, there aren’t many small moments of delight that lift you out of everyday life—nor many friends who are ready to share these fun experiences. With Johanna, I can talk about the coming Christmas, our decorations, food, and all the ideas behind them—and she understands exactly why each of these things matters to me.

You can feel the spirit of Christmas even at times other than Christmas Eve. During the picnic, we create Christmas for ourselves for a moment. All the decorations, treats, and objects help set the scene, but the most important part is the feeling.

Johanna: The picnic is matters a lot to me. The rest of the world may think we have a strange hobby, but together we can feel free to enthuse about our shared interest. Before I met Hanna, I was alone in my Christmas enthusiasm—no one in my life had the same interests. It was wonderful to find a friend who understands me and my vision of Christmas.

“At the picnic, we talk about life and of course Christmas. We’re both spontaneous and cheerful, and afterward my stomach hurt from laughing so much. My husband pointed out that there was no way we went unnoticed by passersby,” Johanna says.

Hanna was thrilled to have perfect weather for the picnic. To top it off, the white fluff drifting from the trees created a summery “first snowfall.” Once the friends got back in the car to head home, it started pouring rain. Photo: Johanna Suhonen

There are a lot of visitors to the botanical garden on summer days. How did passersby react when they saw you?

Hanna: We definitely didn’t go unnoticed! People slowed down and stopped to see what was going on. I’m sure we were a surprising sight—here in Finland, people usually just bring a blanket to a picnic. No one was bold enough to talk to us, but if they had, we would have offered them coffee.

Have you already started planning next year’s picnic?

Johanna: The Suomenlinna sea fortress would be delightful for a Christmas picnic, but hauling everything there would be quite a lot of work. We’ll see!