4 GIFT IDEAS FOR THE SAUNA LOVER IN YOUR LIFE

We all have at least one person in our lives who makes an enjoyable activity like holiday gift giving into a colossal challenge riddled by anxiety, second guessing, and dread. We work so hard to think of the perfect gift for this person, something that will communicate to them that we are thoughtfully aware of their wants and needs. Some years we nail it; other years, their look of muted disappointment or their words of unenthusiastic gratitude strike a blow to our gift-giving spirits.

Well, if this certain person in your life, this person who already has everything or who is far too picky for their own good or who you’re obligated to get a gift for – if this person is a sauna lover, then you’re in luck. Here are 4 ideas for giving them the perfect gift this Christmas season.

Sauna Whisks

In traditional Finnish sauna practice, they use a whisk made from birch branches to lightly flail their skin, claiming that it cleans the skin and improves blood circulation. It’s simple enough that you can make one yourself, and there are multiple YouTube videos demonstrating the process.

Because birch trees aren't native to many states, it is possible to find sauna whisks for sale online. For example, the company Sauna Goods ships sauna whisks in the United States. Their stock includes your traditional birch whisks but also puts a creative spin on things by providing birch and mint, birch and juniper, birch and nettle, and birch and sage options, among others.

Sauna Goods also decided to branch out (pun totally intended) and experiment with other species of trees like oak and maple. That means there’s something for everyone, from the strict sauna traditionalist to the free spirited sauna lover. (You can check out their Facebook page by clicking here.)

Sauna Caps

If you feel like researching the matter further, it seems that felt sauna caps are part of the Russian banya tradition, which is similar to, yet distinct from the traditional Finnish Sauna. However, the way they’re described, they seem to carry implications for the traditional sauna experience as well. The purpose of a felt sauna cap is to keep the head insulated against extreme heat, and it has the added benefit of protecting hair from becoming dried out.

Sauna hats range from a basic muted-toned cap to intricate and elaborate works of art. You can find them on that online database of all things exquisitely homemade, Etsy.com.

Scented Oils

These are for the person in your life who has a well-developed sense of smell and likes to use it.

A traditional sauna practice is to ladle water onto the heated sauna stones to create a burst of steam and elevate the humidity in the room. Scented sauna oils are usually highly concentrated, so you mix a small amount of sauna oil in the water bucket, and when you place the water on the stones, the result is a burst of scented steam. Feels good. Smells good. What more could you ask for?

Here at Almost Heaven Saunas, we keep some bottles of scented oils in stock from Harvia in Finland. Right now we have citrus or peppermint, but if you visit Harvia’s website, you’ll be able to see their full scented product lineup: eucalyptus, pine, birch, and apple – in addition to citrus and peppermint.

Red Cedar Accessories

Another nice-smelling item is anything made from Western Red Cedar. We use this lumber to varying degrees in all of our saunas, and we also use it to make a series of sauna accessories: leg rests, back rests, head rests, magazine racks, and drink shelves.

If your sauna lover likes to own their space and add their personal flair to it, these accents might be good for him or her. A drink shelf installed on the wall keeps libations within easy reach. A magazine rack provides storage space for any type of literature that best promotes individual relaxation. A head rest gives the neck a comfortable place to repose while the body is stretched out on the sauna bench.

Visit our accessories page to see our full lineup on Red Cedar accessories, or call 888.355.3050




Hopefully that gives you some more ideas about what to get that sauna lover in your life. If you know of some sauna-related gift idea that we didn’t mention here, by all means, leave a comment on our Facebook page and tell us more.