When we asked on the Finnish Kotona website if our readers owned any Arabia Moomin mugs and in what quantities, it became abundantly clear that enthusiasts of these mugs abound. The mugs are both used and collected, and people have even built special cabinets and hanging spaces for them.
The rarest mugs, expected to become more valuable in the future, have been set aside from everyday use. The mugs in use are also swapped according to the season: for many, the summer-themed mugs are currently stowed away in cupboards, and morning coffees are enjoyed from mugs adorned with winter themes.
Explore the amazing Moomin mug collections of Finnish Kotona readers!
Elina Agge: “I have around 60 mugs, all unused in a display cabinet.”
Virve Kauppi: “Some of the mugs are in a display case with other Moomin items. The mugs we use daily are in the kitchen cupboard.”
The impressive and creative storage and hanging solutions devised for Moomin mugs also demonstrate the love people have for them.
Virpi Hautoniemi: “This Moomin rack was made at a carpenter’s workshop in Tikkakoski, Jyväskylä, Central Finland. The rack has one hundred hand-forged nails and a small shingle roof in the Moomin house style. It is stained a walnut color.”
Minna Myllymäki: “My Moomin mugs needed a storage space. I realized that my old pine cabinet reminded me of the Moomin house. I headed to buy some paint and spent several days painting. Later, I needed more storage space. My favorite mug is the pink Too-ticky, so I came up with the idea of Too-ticky’s bathhouse. I rescued a cabinet that was about to be burned in a bonfire. I added green and red tissue paper to the windows to make it look as authentic as possible.”
Anna-Kaisa Jätinvuori: “This is how we store the mugs at our cottage. My husband made three racks for the kitchen wall from the boards of a dismantled barn. At home, they’re in the cupboard. All are in use.”
Pekka Vallila: “The mugs are on a Moomin mug shelf.”
Rauni Paakkunainen: “I have 22 mini Moomin mugs.”
Tiina Lallo: “I have fewer than ten mugs, and they are in daily use. They’re waiting to be used on this pot rack along with other mugs, in perfect harmony.”
People store their mugs on racks, too, one of which is multifunctional!
Minna Salmi: “The mugs are always on display on the kitchen island. The rack also doubles as a night light.”
Maria Eskelinen: “Around the mugs, there are my own childhood Moomin figures, some flea market finds, and chocolate egg surprises.”
Some people tuck their mugs away in cupboards or glass-doored cabinets, but it’s also common—and clearly preferred—to keep them on display. And there are many ways to do that too!
Karoliina Kannisto: “The mugs are on a wall-mounted display shelf above the tea and coffee maker. I always choose the cup or cups according to my mood or company.”
Minna Hartikainen: “They’re very much in everyday use. The dearest to me is the ‘Love’ mug. The image on it was even on our wedding invitation over 30 years ago.”
Jaana Emas: “These are in everyday use.”
Pirkko Heinänen: “Our mugs are on a rack because cabinet space is limited. They’re used daily, and our preschooler can reach them himself, too.”
Maarit Pedelius: “Regular Moomin mugs are in use, and these are for decoration.”
Outi Rossi: “My mother bought this in the 90s for her grandchild, that is, my daughter. She used the mug when she was a child. At some point, I noticed that the value of these had increased, so I took it out of everyday use. It’s still in excellent condition but not in use.”
The Moomins will turn 80 in 2025.
