Moominvalley winter descends on Stockmann’s beloved fairytale window – the Groke becomes a symbol of a lonely Christmas

Stockmann, Press release, 1 November 2025

The magical fairytale windows of Stockmann department stores in Helsinki city centre, Tampere and Turku will open on Saturday 1 November. The display window in Helsinki city centre department store draws its inspiration from the 80th anniversary of the Moomin stories. A giant Groke character makes its debut in Helsinki.

A beloved Christmas tradition begins again when Stockmann's fairytale windows open. This year, the window of the Helsinki department store showcases the wonderful collaboration between Stockmann and the Moomins, which began already in 1956 when Moomin creator Tove Jansson designed a popular Moomin-themed display window for Stockmann. The collaboration has continued over the years, and this year's fairytale window celebrates the 80th anniversary of the Moomin stories. The window tells the story of a winter when the Moomin family has unexpectedly woken up in the middle of their hibernation.

The fairytale window shows Moominvalley in winter. The Moomin family is awakened by the howling of the lonely Groke and decides to throw a party to which everyone is invited. Moomintroll personally delivers the invitation to the Groke.

In Tove Jansson's books, the Groke is described as the embodiment of loneliness – a growling, solitary creature who spreads fear and coldness wherever she goes. Although many of the inhabitants of Moominvalley fear the Groke, Moomintroll learns to understand her – even the Groke needs light and warmth in her life.

“This year’s fairytale window reminds us that Christmas is not just a time for celebration and togetherness for everyone. The beloved fairytale window takes us to this theme in a Moominous, gentle way and once again brings citizens of all ages together in a traditional Christmas meeting place. We believe that this warm-hearted window display will appeal to everyone who stops to look at it," says Maiju Niskanen, Chief Brand and Offering Officer at Stockmann.

Stockmann is collaborating with Save the Children again. During the Christmas season, Stockmann’s customers will have the opportunity to help low-income families with children in Finland and prevent child exclusion and loneliness by participating in Save the Children's Christmas collection at department store checkouts and online. The campaign will commence on November 1 and run through the end of the year.

“Poverty currently affects more than 120,000 children in Finland, but the number is growing. The plight of low-income families with children is worsening, and the risk of loneliness and exclusion among children and young people is increasing. It is important and meaningful that Stockmann has chosen to address this issue in its iconic window display and is once again offering its customers a concrete opportunity to help," says Aino Sarkia, a specialist in child poverty at Save the Children.

A giant Groke character makes its debut at the opening of Stockmann's fairytale window

The opening of Stockmann's Christmas window display will feature something very special: a giant Groke character will be seen in Helsinki for the first time. The two-and-a-half-meter-tall Groke will float on the Keskuskatu street a few times during the opening ceremony. The Groke will make a second appearance at the Helsinki Christmas opening on November 22.

"In the Moomin stories, the Groke is a symbol of loneliness. In the story written for Stockmann's fairytale window, she is invited to join the Moomin family's celebrations, which hopefully reminds us to be more mindful of those who feel lonely during the Christmas season. In the spirit of Moominvalley: the most important thing is to be mindful of others and do kind deeds," says James Zambra, Creative Director at Moomin Characters.

"It is particularly gratifying that the story will be featured in Stockmann's beloved fairytale window, continuing the collaboration that Tove herself began with Stockmann in the 1950s," Zambra continues.

The music for the fairytale window was composed by Lauri Porra, a composer known for his classical music works. The fairytale windows were designed in collaboration between Stockmann, James Zambra, Creative Director at Moomin Characters, and his team, as well as Stockholm-based creative agency RAY Atelier.

The fairytale windows will open on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at 2 p.m. and can be admired until Epiphany. Instead of Moomins, the fairy tale windows in Turku and Tampere will feature traditional Christmas magic and beloved Christmas characters. A Moomin-themed adventure will delight department store visitors from November 1 until the end of the year.

More information:
Maiju Niskanen, Chief Brand and Offering Officer, Stockmann, tel. +358 40 704 0314
Stockmann MediaDesk, tel. +358 50 389 0011, info@stockmann.com 
Tiina Liukkonen, Moomin Characters, Communications Lead, tel. +358 44 032 3322, tiina.liukkonen@moomin.com


Stockmann is a marketplace for a good life, founded in 1862. Its department stores are known for high-quality selections of fashion, beauty and home brands. In the Baltics, Stockmann also offers quality food and beverages. Stockmann has seven department stores in Finland and the Baltics and an online store stockmann.com. Stockmann is part of Lindex Group plc, which is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki and had a turnover of EUR 940 million in 2024. www.lindexgroup.com.

Moomin Characters Oy Ltd is the official copyright holder of all the Moomin characters. All characters from Moominvalley are trademark-registered worldwide. The Moomins are central characters in a series of books and comic strips written by Finnish-Swedish writer and artist Tove Jansson between 1945 and 1980. They are one of Finland’s biggest exports and have a global fan base.

The company was founded in the 1950s by Tove Jansson (1914-2001) and her brother Lars Jansson to manage the copyright of the Moomins and is still run by family members. Rights and Brands is the worldwide licensing agent of the company. 

Find out more about the Moomins and Tove Jansson here: 
www.moomin.com
www.tovejansson.com

RAY Atelier is a Stockholm-based creative agency dedicated to crafting memorable head-turners; spatial brand experiences that engage and inspire across scales. Working at the intersection of communication, design, storytelling, and production, the studio creates innovative, aesthetic, and playful concepts that spark attention and drive engagement. As demand grows for hybrid activations that seamlessly blend physical installations with moving image content, RAY Atelier stands at the forefront of shaping brand worlds that resonate, from in-store environments to cultural and public spaces, and across digital platforms.

Save the Children is the world’s leading independent children’s organization, creating both immediate and lasting changes in children’s lives. 
Together, we secure every child’s right to life, protection, education, and participation in Finland and around the world.

Because children’s future starts now.