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Magic, Mystery And Mayhem
In The Land of Elves
As I watched the crimson sun setting over ancient snow covered forests, I noticed a flash of blue amongst the trees. Perhaps it was my imagination? I returned to my own thoughts. We were comfortably travelling on a warm coach as we passed through the Arctic Circle on a family quest for find Santa in Finnish Lapland. But then another flash and another.
“It’s the elves playing tricks on us!” exclaimed our guide.
Several elf looking creatures crept out from behind trees to greet our passing coach. Four of them to be precise, all different and all very mischievous. Shrieks of glee encircled us as the children on the coach scrambled to glimpse the first scintilla of magic they would experience on our four-day Christmas Lapland experience.
Check out the Best Santa Experiences In Finnish Lapland!
Educational Insights
Winter Wonderland
We were on a coach destined to arrive in Luosto to begin a quest to find Santa in Finnish Lapland. Situated above the Arctic Circle, Luosto is about a 90-minute drive north of Rovaniemi in Finland. Set on the edge of the mountainous Pyhä-Luosto National Park, the area is renowned for its hibernal beauty. According to traditional folklore, Santa’s origins are rooted in Finland so we decided to search for the legend in his homeland. We travelled as a family with our son who was six years old along with another family. Our son was old enough to doubt the existence of Santa. His desire to believe though, along with his insatiable curiosity, rapidly overcame his logic.
Canterbury Travel, winner of the British Travel Awards three years running arranged the tour. This was a four-day adventure to search for and hopefully find the real Santa in Finnish Lapland. Whilst there are many tours going to Santa Village in Rovaniemi, I chose a tour through Canterbury Travel as I felt they would offer a more authentic experience. Ultimately, I wanted something more remote where we could search for Santa in his natural habitat. We chose the four-day Magical Interlude adventure rather than a shorter trip so we could enjoy other activities such as tobogganing and dog sledding. Travelling a week before Christmas maximised the Yuletide spirit.
Kitting Up
Upon arrival, an excited elf bustled us into a coach and we stopped en route to our cabin to get kitted out with snow boots and arctic-rated thermal snowsuits. It is advisable to bring hats, gloves, socks and thermals to be more comfortable. The Arctic temperatures average around -6° celsius in December with lows of -9° celsius although it can get a lot colder. The three hours of sunlight each day and the crisp icy air were so different to anything we had experienced before but the thermal suits kept us nice and toasty.
As this is north of the Arctic Circle, daylight at this time of year is very limited. Sunrise is generally around 11am and sunset around 1:45pm. It does wreak havoc on your body clock but you very quickly acclimatise as there are so many distractions to enjoy. The biggest difference we noticed is from the incredible change in the nature of light. The sky takes on a reddish-yellow colour tinged with various shades of pink unlike any place on earth. We noticed everything around us was bathed in an unimaginably warm, ethereal light. The effect was breathtaking and my son said it felt like we were in the pages of a fairytale. Once we collected our gear the coach deposited us at our accommodation but not before getting another glimpse of those mischievous sprites!
Santa’s frozen forest istock.com/Alexandrite
Early Preparations
Prior to the trip, our son sent his Christmas wish list to Santa with great anticipation. We brought with us a wrapped gift from our son’s Christmas wish list as requested by Canterbury Travel. The purpose of this was so Santa could give him his desired gift during their magical encounter. Upon arrival, one of Santa’s elves discreetly whisked the gift away before I could blink.
Accommodation
Charming cabins to book in Finnish Lapland.
One option is to stay in the main building which is like any comfortable nondescript hotel accommodation with a variety of rooms on offer. This places you in the same building as the dining and the indoor swimming pool, avoiding walks through the cold and sow in the evenings. Alternatively, you can also stay in charming log cabins set in the woods, a short walk from the main building which have varying decor as they are individually owned.
Cabin Charm
We opted for one of these traditionally built log cabins laid out in a lovely open plan style. The cabin provides a very comfortable bunk bed sleeping area with two double beds on the lower level and two singles on the upper level. There is also a small seating area, genuine log fire, TV, kitchenette, shower room with sauna and drying cupboard. All the open plan cabins are about 10 minutes walk away, a note for those who may struggle to walk through the snow. Much to our son’s delight, every log cabin comes with a small toboggan which was great for getting to and from the main building.
Interior Log Cabin
Although simply decorated, our cabin provided a warm and cozy welcome after our activity-filled days in the Arctic cold. There is nothing quite like curling up in front of a warm log fire and letting the flames gently lull you to sleep, your thoughts filled with Santa and his sprites. As there aren’t many of these charming cabins on the property, they are quite spread out so you never feel crowded, offering a more traditional experience.
Dining
Whilst meals are included, we recommend trying the restaurant across the road called Ravintola Vaisko. This charming place has a very chic wooden interior and serves up some delightful fare which includes reindeer and a variety of wines at reasonable prices.
Yummy Reindeer stew with raw currant loganberries on almond potato mash istock.com/BeyondImages
Christmas Magic
Lapland is more idyllic than you can imagine. Just picture those winter scenes in films and multiply that ten times over. There are fir trees dusted with glistening snow as far as the eye can see and spectacular sunsets that rival those of warmer climes. Sparkling fairy lights twinkle wherever you look and each panorama is more beautiful than the last. This was our first day of our quest to find Santa in Finnish Lapland.
Our days were filled with the search for the elusive bearded man with the assistance of mischievous elves and a plethora of activities. This was offered as a well-developed narrative supported by a unique and enthusiastic theme song, complete with dance moves.
A couple of mischievous sprites.
During our first experience, we clambered over a gently undulating bank, walking through snow-covered conifers under the golden glow of the moonlight with only our lanterns guiding our way. A glow of light appeared through the woods as shrieks of joy announced we had reached our destination. A small rustic cabin stood in front of us. As we approached, a vision of elves appeared, busily sorting through Santa’s post and catapulting letters in complete mayhem.
One of the elves extracted an envelope addressed to Santa from the mountain of letters and pressed it against the glass so we could read it. As I looked at my son’s face I suddenly understood the magic of the place. An elf selected the letter our son had written back in November and pressed against the window! The look of utter disbelief mixed with euphoria took my breath away. It was at that moment our son really believed in the magic of Christmas and I believed in the magic of Lapland.
Arctic Activities
The real highlights on this quest to find Santa in Finnish Lapland are the splendid outdoor excursions. These include tobogganing with elves, northern lights safaris, dog sledding with Arctic huskies, reindeer sledding with a local herder and snowmobiling to name a few. All this was enhanced by opportunities to dance with elves in the woods. In addition, there were endless shenanigans from the sprites who seemed to pop up at various times during our travels.
The magic of tobogganing with Santa’s elves.
Dogsledding with Huskies.
We went to visit Santa’s reindeer herd and even glimpsed a flash of red amongst the trees as we heard the man himself comes to inspect his reindeer frequently. Read more about our reindeer experience here. Our days were filled from morning to evening. We returned to our delightfully cosy log cabin and threw some logs on the fire. It was incredibly relaxing to sit back and recount the day’s activities with a hot chocolate while getting toasty in front of our burning log fire.
The thrill of being pulled by Rudolph.
One evening, by special request, Mrs. Claus came to read a bedtime story to the children. As nighttime arrived, I have never seen children change into their pyjamas so quickly. A successive rat-tat-tat a the door and a few excited squeals later, Mrs. Claus had the children soundlessly mesmerised as she read a book about the mysterious elves we had been encountering. She even left a signed copy with a personal message for the children to take home, a book they will cherish forever.
Mrs. Clause reading to children.
Searching For Santa
The grand finale of the trip was a journey to find Santa’s cabin in the woods. With the assistance of frolicking elves, we were loaded onto sleds piled high with cosy blankets and pulled by a team of energetic Arctic huskies. We felt the power of these huskies as they whisked us away. This magical journey took us through a stunning ancient forest filled with thousands of pine trees glistening with snow. We felt we were in a fairytale except there really were elves around us and we really were going to find Santa.
As a large rustic wood cabin loomed into view, the feeling of anticipation in the children was stellar. They were awestruck into silence not knowing what magic to expect next. Each family was led into the cabin independently to have their personal experience. Countless elves were busy entertaining those waiting their turn.
The Magic of Mrs. Claus
After numerous snowball fights and making snow angels with elves, our turn had come. We gingerly made our way up to the cabin through the blanket of snow, pausing only to side step our team of huskies. Upon arrival, an animated elf ushered us inside to wait in Santa’s living room.
This room contained all of Santa’s paraphernalia, exactly as you might expect to see. A globe to pinpoint the location of every single child on the planet sat haphazardly on a table. A well-worn desk in the far corner was scattered with countless lists of children’s wishes. An aged ink pot and a quill pen sat near a lukewarm half-empty mug and a handful of candy canes.
An elf led us to the top floor to meet Mrs. Claus. Animated and friendly, she chatted with our son for a while and led the conversation onto Santa. As the air of anticipation grew, she turned slowly around and pulled out a large feather. Waving it in a rhythmic motion and murmuring some ancient magical words, she took one step forward. Only a gentle hum interrupted her incantations. The far wall seemed to vanish while a set of stairs pointing down into the darkness appeared before our eyes. A look of utter excitement and disbelief flashed across our son’s face. Our quest to find Santa in Finnish Lapland was reaching its zenith.
Gazing through Santa’s telescope with Mrs. Claus..
The Man Himself
We made our way down the seemingly endless stairs, and finally came to a door surrounded by elves dancing euphorically.
“It’s Santa, it’s Santa!” they exclaimed.
The whir of excitement was now feverish and our son was bursting with joy. One of the elves opened the door and in we went. The idyllic image of Christmas unfolded before our eyes and our quest to find Santa in Finnish Lapland was coming to an end.
The room sparked from every corner with a glorious glittering tree and shiny wrapped packages. Waiting inside for us was the legend himself looking picture perfect. Greeting our son by his name, he pulled out the letter our son had sent him and discussed some of the gifts listed. After that, he then presented our son with his gift. It was this experience that sealed the deal. Our son was a believer! Throughout the encounter we never felt rushed in any way. We had a very personalised experience with a tremendous amount of fun and excitement thrown into the pot.
Finnish Perfection
We are absolutely thrilled we chose Canterbury Travel for our quest to find Santa in Finnish Lapland. We were able to enjoy the genuine experience (about as genuine as you can get!). The entire adventure was highlighted by an inventive character-led narrative which kept children mesmerised throughout. This is one of the most memorable experiences that children will ever do and it sparks their imaginations like nothing else. It helps them grow in a very creative way. Most of all, it helps them believe magic exists in a world filled with the harsh realities of daily life.
You might like our Family Travel Guide To Finnish Lapland.
From the ages of 4 to 8 years old, children’s imaginations are primed to accept the magical lure of fairytales. It was a perfect time to take our son to Lapland and achieve maximum educational benefit. Fairytales and fantasies fuel imaginative play and this is a small window of opportunity before school guides them onto more academic paths.
Arctic teepee in Lapland istock.com/ihorga
Warming Up in an Arctic teepee.
It’s incredibly difficult to imagine anywhere more beautiful or perfect than this mystical land of darkness. Above all, Finnish Lapland for Christmas is everything we imagined it to be and so much more. Our first time group activity holiday will be hard to beat. Searching for Santa will be impossible to forget.
As Christmas is the time of giving, a journey to Finnish Lapland at Christmas is a wonderful gift of imagination and magic your children will cherish for a lifetime. And who knows? You may even be lucky enough to tick off a bucket list adventure of your own and catch a glimpse of the dazzling Northern Lights!
Idyllic Winter Nights with Aurora Borealis istock.com/borchee
Recommended Reading
There are some lovely books about Santa available to both children and parents. Here are some more fun and interesting reads to get everyone into the spirit of the season.
The Night Before Christmas by Clement C Y Moore is a lovely re-telling of the classic story suitable for 3-5 years old.
Elf On The Shelf is a wonderful way of starting a new Christmas tradition. Children get their own elf who appears around Christmas along with a story book. Our son’s Elf on the Shelf magically turned up in Lapland during our visit with Santa which made the experience even more magical.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickins is a classic to capture imaginations which includes an introduction to the author’s life, a summary and plot analysis. Suitable for older children.
The Story of Santa Claus by Joseph McCullough covers the genuine historical origins of St Nicolas.
How To Talk To Your Child About Santa Claus by Sonia Leal is a helpful guide to parents on how to approach this delicate subject with children.
Maybe The Truth About Santa by Amy Powell Zalewski (US) is a charming book suggesting the giving spirit is in all of us.
The Details
Canterbury Travel offers a four-day Magical Interlude trip, with flights available from Gatwick and Manchester. Prices are from £1380 per adult and £1280 per child (age 2-11). The price includes return flights, full room and board, all transport and all activities.
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