Free-of-charge Christmas cafés by the Red Cross serve as meeting places

Red Cross Christmas cafés are once again open at and around Christmas.

Christmas cafés are meeting places with small snacks and drinks and nice things to do along with the opportunity to spend time together – completely free of charge. The cafés are operated by volunteers. 

“Even though December is one of the busiest times of year for me as a hairdresser, I have yet to be too busy to join other volunteers in creating the festive Red Cross Christmas café, or bringing good Christmas spirit to people as we call it, for local people,” says Finnish Red Cross volunteer Heta Ahonen from the Merijärvi branch.  

Ahonen has been involved in Red Cross activities since she was in lower secondary school, following in her older brother’s footsteps. Christmas cafés have been organised in Merijärvi since 2020, and Ahonen has been involved in organising them from the beginning. 

“You cannot buy Christmas spirit at any store or sense it sitting in traffic. Instead, you can foster Christmas spirit by knowing that you helped create a sense of community for people that may not have any visitors at Christmas. Or people whose life is more or less lonely all year round, or whose finances are too tight to visit anyone,” Ahonen says.
 
“The Christmas café has been very popular and all of the feedback we have received has been positive. The thing that people have been most impressed by is that everything truly is free and made happen by volunteers coming together. I think that we have been able to make Christmas less lonely for many lonely people,” Ahonen says. 
 
The moments spent together at the Christmas café bring much needed meaning to many people over the long holiday season. The cafés provide communality, especially for people who would otherwise spend Christmas alone against their will. 

The Finnish Red Cross’s Christmas cafés in 2024

Updated list of the locations and opening hours of the Christmas cafés for 2024 in alphabetical order:

Akaa: December 29, 2024, from 12 PM to 3 PM and January 5, 2025, from 12 PM to 3 PM, SPR Akaa branch office Syke, address Valtatie 9, Akaa

Espoo: December 26, 2024, from 1 PM to 4 PM, Villa Apteekki, Pappilantie 5, 02770 Espoo

Forssa: December 26, 2024, from 2 PM to 4 PM, Branch premises Siurilankatu 28, Forssa

Harjavalta: January 3, 2025, from 10 AM to 2 PM, SPR Pysäkki, Harjavalta shopping center, Killankatu 3, 29200 Harjavalta

Heinola: December 24, 2024, afternoon and December 30, 2024, from 1 PM to 3 PM, Café HeiMo, Kaivokatu 14, 18100 Heinola

Helsinki: December 22, 2024, from 12 PM to 4 PM, Venue, Hämeentie 85-89, 00550 Helsinki

Hinnerjoki: January 3, 2025, starting at 1 PM, Pollari cultural house, Löröntie 16, Hinnerjoki

Hämeenkyrö: December 23, 2024, and January 3, 2025, Veteran’s House, Härkikuja, Hämeenkyrö and Toritupa, Torikatu 8, Kyröskoski

Hämeenlinna: January 3, 2025, from 2 PM to 6 PM, SPR Hämeenlinna branch, Palokunnankatu 20 A, 13100 Hämeenlinna

Kaarina: January 1, 2025, from 11 AM to 2 PM, Civic Activity Center’s office Puntari, Puntarinkatu 1, 20780 Kaarina

Karkkila: December 27, 2024, from 1 PM to 5 PM, Hiljan Kammari, Valtatie 8, Karkkila

Kiikoinen: January 2, 2025, at 1 PM, Huhtahovi, Huhtatie 2, 38360 Sastamala

Kimito: November 27, 2024, starting at 2 PM, Red Cross premises Arkadiavägen, Kimito

Kokemäki: December 20, 2024, from 10 AM to 1 PM, Tulkkilantie 15, 32800 Kokemäki

Koski tl: January 2, 2025, at 4 PM, Club room on Pappilantie, Pappilantie 7 C

Kouvola: December 20, 2024, from 10 AM to 1 PM, Kuusaantori Shopping Center, Kauppakatu 1, 45700 Kuusankoski

Lappeenranta: December 27, 2024, Konnunsuo Reception Center, Läykänkuja 53, 54190 Konnunsuo

Leppävirta: December 21, 2024, from 11 AM to 2 PM, Leppärengas, Suomalanpurontie 18, Leppävirta

Luvia: December 20, 2024, from 1 PM to 3 PM, Tasala, Tasalantie 6, 29100 Luvia

Merijärvi: December 20, 2024, starting at 11 AM, Kilpukka dining hall, Merijärventie 106, 86220 Merijärvi

Padasjoki: January 6, 2025, starting at 5 PM, Library’s multipurpose room, Vaahteratie 4, 17400 Padasjoki

Parkano: January 4, 2025, from 12 PM to 2 PM, Parkano Library, Parkanontie 57, 39700 Parkano

Pirkkala: January 3, 2025, from 10 AM to 5 PM, Joint premises of SPR Pirkkala and Pirkkala Elokolo, Suupankuja 8-10 D 55

Punkalaidun: December 20, 2024, and January 2, 2025, Kulmakamari, Pihlajatie 1, 31900 Punkalaidun

Puolanka: January 3, 2025, from 12 PM to 3 PM, Branch readiness room, Keskuskatu, 89200 Puolanka

Rajamäki: December 26, 2024, from 11 AM to 2 PM, Rajamäki Village House, Villentie 2, Rajamäki

Rautalampi: December 20, 2024, Kuopiontie 22, Rautalampi

Riihimäki: January 6, 2025, from 1 PM to 3 PM, Branch premises, Keskuskatu 1, 11130 Riihimäki

Siilinjärvi: December 30, from 2 PM to 4 PM, Tapaamo, Kasurilantie 7, 71800 Siilinjärvi

Sodankylä: 6.1.2025, 13:00–15:00, Kylälaaksontie 2, 99600 Sodankylä

Tammela: December 18, 2024, from 1:30 PM to 4 PM, Kuusitie club room, Tammela

Tampere: December 24, 2024, from 12 PM to 6 PM, Meeting place Tampuri, Otavalankatu 12 A, 33100 Tampere

Uimaharju: December 26, 2024, from 10 AM to 2 PM, Better Life Niskantie 46, Eno and Uimaharju Kasari Association, Harjunraitti 26, Uimaharju

Utsjoki: December 24, 2024, from 3 PM to 9 PM, Utsjoki Parish Hall, Tenontie 1, 99980 Utsjoki

Vantaa (Tikkurila): December 27, 2024, from 12 PM to 3 PM, Tikkurila branch premises, Tikkuraitti 11 A 19, 01300 Vantaa

Vantaa (Myyrmäki): December 19, 2024, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM, Myyrmäkitalo, 3rd floor, club room, Myyrmäki

Virolahti: December 28, 2024, from 1 PM to 3 PM, Youth Center Pleissi, Virojoentie 7, 49900 Virolahti

Virrat: December 26, 2024, from 2 PM to 4 PM, Keskustie 7, 34800 Virrat

Yläne: January 5, 2025, from 10 AM to 3 PM, Game Café at Yläne Cooperative Bank’s club room, Haverintie 6 A, 21900 Yläne, Pöytyä

Ähtäri: December 28, 2024, from 1 PM to 4 PM, Tapaamo, Ostolantie 11, Ähtäri