Better together: Friends and Saunas
Sharing Sauna with friends is one of the most rewarding aspects of the Sauna experience. But in America socializing with friends in a sauna almost never happens. Here are 3 reasons why.
1. There is no tradition
In Finland and other European nations there is a long established tradition of sharing sauna with family and friends. For hundreds of years Finnish people have gathered with their families in their saunas every Saturday evening to end the week by unwinding and sharing their experiences together. Some even socialize in the sauna together on Christmas and at the summer solstice holiday…or with friends in public and lakeside saunas.
In America of course, no such age-old tradition exists. The solution? Create your own family sauna tradition! The cost of a new home sauna is far less expensive than adding a new bathroom or kitchen. Or you can request a home visit from our Mobile Warming Sauna, an authentic wood-burning Finnish sauna on wheels that we provide for family get togethers, parties, and other events.
After you experience the unique social bonding of the family sauna experience you will “get it”…and want to start your own tradition.
2. Somebody might see me without clothes on!
This is an almost insurmountable problem for many Americans. For a nation obsessed with the appearance of the human body and showing it off, it is puzzling that people are afraid of being seen in a sauna. While it is not uncommon for Finns and other Europeans to shed their clothes in the sauna, please relax. It’s OK to wear a towel or a bathing suit in the sauna with friends and family.
Several families here in Pittsburgh use our Mobile Warming Sauna with their friends and employ several strategies to reduce the inhibitions of their guests. One family in Franklin Park invites their neighbors to bring their bathing suits and towels, not for a pool party, but for a sauna party. They fill an outdoor wading pool and we set up an outdoor shower for the kids to play in and for cooling off after sauna. Everyone is in bathing suits splashing around and before long even the most inhibited friends end up in the sauna together.
Another family in Ross Township invites family and guests for a Sauna Toga Party. Everyone attending wears a toga and the women and children sauna together first..then after 30 minutes the men take a turn together. Then they repeat, and repeat! In between turns there is plenty of good food and drinks for all.
3. I just can’t find the time
We are all fond of lamenting about how much busier we are than in the past. And about how we never have enough “quality time” with our kids and friends. But is that really true? There are still only 24 hours like back in the day. Today we often busy ourselves watching TV, surfing the Net or “Facebooking” our “Friends” and arguing politics with complete strangers online. Or we are glued to our phones.
As wonderful and useful as cell phones are they can needlessly absorb our time. Cell phones distract us from spending meaningful, uninterrupted time with each other, like relaxing together in a sauna. Cell phones should be banned before, during and after Sauna. Quality time together focusing on each other beats staring at a cell phone every time. It’s OK to leave you cell phone for a few hours, really it is. If you are feeling cell phone separation anxiety it will pass in minutes when the warmth of the sauna and the conversation melts away your tension.
One family in Mt. Lebanon had us install a large enough sauna in their home for the whole family to gather several afternoons a week – no cell phones allowed. They report that after initial reluctance their kids now look forward to sauna time and sharing conversations with each other. On a side note, if you do make the mistake of taking your cell phone into the sauna don’t be surprised if it gets ruined. Cell phones aren’t designed to survive in 175 degree heat. Lose the cell phone for a while.
Sauna is the perfect, healthy experience to share with friends and family. Whether a relaxing evening outside by your pool or fire-pit, or an afternoon splash party complete with music, good food and beverages, Sauna is for sharing. Dare to be different. Start your sauna tradition today.
