Familiar Christmas charity campaigns are calling donors to action once again. Children's and young people's gift wishes can be found on both the Joulupuu campaign trees and Hope's Christmas trees across the city.
The popular Christmas collections are starting up across Finland. The Joulupuu campaign begins on Saturday, November 15th and continues until Independence Day on December 6th.
In Lappeenranta, the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare organizes the Joulupuu campaign. The gifts will be delivered to children and young people who are clients of South Karelia welfare district's child protection and social services.
Joulupuu Christmas trees can be found at Lappeenranta Prisma, K-supermarket Lehmus, and Joutseno S-market. Participants can pick a child's gift wish from the tree or take an empty gift card to create their own present idea. Donors can add extra items like sweets or wool socks alongside the requested gift. All gifts should be returned unwrapped to the same stores.
The charity organization Hope runs a similar campaign starting slightly later on Thursday, November 20th. This drive continues until Sunday, December 14th. Hope distributes Christmas gifts to children and young people who have been clients during the past year.
Gift wishes can be found on Hope's Christmas tree located on the first floor of Iso-Kristiina shopping center near Sokos. The University Pharmacy receives all donated gifts for this campaign. While Hope typically accepts used items, Christmas gifts must be new products or gift cards only.
Numerous other organizations also run Christmas campaigns, though many accept monetary donations rather than physical gifts. The Finnish tradition of Christmas charity drives reflects the Nordic welfare model's emphasis on social solidarity. These annual campaigns help address gaps in social services during the holiday season.
For example, Save the Children Finland's 'Give the Future as a Gift' Christmas campaign uses proceeds to support low-income families, prevent social exclusion, and help anxious young people. The Finnish Federation of the Visually Impaired sends Christmas cards with bank transfer details to mailboxes nationwide, allowing people to support their 'Anna's Eyes' Christmas campaign.
Christmas charity participation remains strong in Finland despite the comprehensive welfare state. These campaigns demonstrate how Nordic countries balance government social services with civil society initiatives. The tradition shows that even in societies with strong safety nets, community-based giving maintains cultural importance during holiday seasons.
International residents in Finland often find these campaigns provide meaningful ways to engage with local communities. The clear instructions and multiple participation options make it easy for newcomers to contribute regardless of language barriers or familiarity with Finnish customs.