The Moomin mugs by Arabia: Little stories full of joy

“Ooh, the Moomins—how sweet!” I heard this sentence countless times in my former shop in Paderborn. It usually came from women in their fifties or sixties who had first encountered the Moomins on television as children and were suddenly standing in front of a shelf full of Moomin mugs. I have rarely experienced such emotional reactions to a product.

My parents also first encountered the Moomins in my shop—and the Moomin mugs became their favorite coffee mugs. In this post, I will tell you what makes these mugs so special: the little stories they tell and the joy of life they radiate.

The most important things at a glance

• Every mug tells a story: The designs show scenes from Tove Jansson’s books and comics.
• Something new all the time: New scenes are added every year—in spring, summer, and at Christmas.
• Since 1990: Back then, the first four mugs went on sale—today there are over 150 different ones.
• The classic: The Love mug from 1996 is still produced today—it will turn 30 in 2026.
• Cult status: In Finland, every mother has the Moominmamma mug and every father has the Moominpappa mug.

Every mug tells a story

The beauty of the Moomin mugs is that they don’t simply show characters. Every mug captures a moment from Moominvalley—a scene from Tove Jansson’s books and comics. Anyone holding a Moomin mug is holding a little piece of history.

For example, the Family Time mug shows the Moomin family as they look out at the Moominhouse—the design comes from a comic from 1955. The festive Gift of Love series tells a story from the comic “Moomin and the Golden Tail” from 1958. And the Love mug shows Moomintroll and Snorkmaiden—one of the most popular scenes of all for 30 years.

Each character has its own personality: the caring Moominmamma with her handbag, the adventurous Moominpappa, the cheeky little My, Snorkmaiden with her sense of romance, and Snorkmaiden’s Snorkmaiden with her harmonica, the freedom-loving wanderer. Many people see a bit of themselves in one of these characters—and that is exactly why almost everyone has their own personal favorite mug.

Why the Moomins make people happy

The Moomins live somewhere in Finland in Moominvalley—no one knows exactly where. And perhaps that is precisely their secret: Moominvalley is a place where everyone is welcome, where you are allowed to be different, and where friendship, family, and nature take center stage. The characters are thoroughly positive and radiate joy of life.

You can feel this too when you have your morning coffee. A Moomin mug brings a smile to the breakfast table—for children as well as for adults who grew up with the Moomins.

A brief history of the Moomin mugs

Arabia and Tove Jansson worked together as far back as the 1950s. At that time, there was already tableware with Moomin motifs, but the collaboration fell dormant again. The big comeback came in 1990: In autumn, the first four mugs in green, blue, pink, and yellow went on sale—first in Sweden, and in Finland shortly before Christmas.

The shape comes from the tableware series Teema by Kaj Franck, once an Arabia series, today under the Iittala umbrella. For over three decades, the motifs were drawn by Tove Slotte until she retired in 2022. By now, more than 150 different Moomin mugs have been released.

Arabia is now a brand of Fiskars, the rights to the Moomins are held by Moomin Characters, the family-run company around Sophia Jansson, Tove Jansson’s niece. Since Fiskars and Moomin Characters entered into a closer partnership in 2021, the collection has been growing noticeably: There is a larger Christmas collection, and special scenes continue to appear throughout the year.

New scenes every year

In Scandinavia, it is tradition to bring something new to the table or the tree every year—in Denmark, for example, the Christmas plates by Bing & Grøndahl, which have existed since 1895. It is similar with the Moomins, only more cheerful: New scenes from Moominvalley are added every year.

At Christmas, there is a special collection and the Christmas ornament with the year. And sometimes there are special occasions: 2025 celebrated the Moomin world’s 80th birthday—Tove Jansson’s first story was published in 1945—and 2026 will be all about love because the Love mug will turn 30. You can read more about the Christmas scenes in my post Christmas in Moominvalley.

Moomin fever in Finland

In Finland, the Moomins are cult. It is said there: Every mother has the Moominmamma mug and every father has the Moominpappa mug. There is even an annual mug that is only available in Finland and is only on sale for a short time. Dutch-Finns have told me that it is often sold out after just one day.

Iittala has many of its own stores in Finland, and new series are advertised there in a completely different way than here. When the Taika tableware was released, there were advertisements on television, on the radio, and on house walls. There is a simple reason for this: Finland is a small market. If it is the main market, the quantities simply have to be distributed there. But the Moomins have long been cult not only in Scandinavia, but also in Japan.

The Moomins in Germany

For a long time, we only had a dedicated fan base. I sold Moomin mugs by Arabia in my shop in Paderborn, which I had until 2010, and for many years after in my former online shop scandinavian-lifestyle. By now, the Moomins are becoming increasingly well-known here too: Moomin by Arabia is being deliberately built up outside Scandinavia as well, and some time ago the Fiskars sales team contacted me and asked if I would like to carry the collection again. In 2026, the Literaturhaus München will even dedicate a special family exhibition to the Moomins.

This is partly due to the fact that the Moomin world is brought to life by many partners. At my shop alone, in addition to Moomin by Arabia, you will also find Moomins from Muurla, Klippan, and Dsignhouse.

New from Moominvalley at Nordlichttraum

You can find the latest scenes in the Moomin New Arrivals, festive items in Moomin Christmas, and the entire Moomin world in the Moomins category. I tell the story of how Tove Jansson created her characters in my post The Moomins: How a Little Troll Family from Finland Conquered the World. And why the mugs are so robust, you can read in my guide Porcelain Is Not All the Same.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do the designs on the Moomin mugs come from? From Tove Jansson’s books and comics. Every mug shows a scene from Moominvalley.

Since when have Arabia Moomin mugs been available? The mugs available today have been around since 1990. However, Arabia and Tove Jansson worked together as far back as the 1950s.

Which Moomin mug is the oldest that is still produced? The Love mug from 1996. It will celebrate its 30th birthday in 2026.

Are Moomin mugs dishwasher and microwave safe? Yes. They are made of Vitroporzellan, the designs are fired in, and they contain no metal.

Conclusion

Arabia Moomin mugs are more than tableware. Every one tells a little story from Moominvalley, new ones are added every year—and they all have something in common: They radiate joy of life. I felt this in my shop in Paderborn, with my parents—and I still feel it today.

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About the author: Andreas Walther is a graduate engineer in glass technology and ceramics and has been associated with Scandinavian manufacturers for over 25 years. At Nordlichttraum, he personally selects every product.