A guide to Christmas in Lapland

With its snow-blanketed landscapes, expansive pine forests and roaming reindeer herds, Lapland is simply the perfect place to spend Christmas. Tourists can choose from activity holidays, which can include anything from cross country skiing to dog sledding and watching the northern lights; ski holidays; Santa visits; and even Christmas shopping breaks.

For children, of course, the first priority will be to see Father Christmas. Most people agree that Lapland is the home of the ‘real’ Santa, and there are plenty of package and independent holidays which allow you and your kids to meet him. Traditionally, Finns believe that Father Christmas lives in Korvatunturi Fjeld in Savukoski, a beautiful area of frozen lakes and deep snow in the heart of Finnish Lapland. This is probably the most magical place to meet the man in red, as well as visiting his elves’ workshop and taking a trip to his post office; but other resorts such as Rovaniemi and Saariselka both have authentic Santas who fit the bill well enough.

Once you’ve shaken hands with Father Christmas, there are plenty of Lapland activities to take part in. Adrenaline-fuelled fun includes husky-sledding, reindeer sleigh-rides, toboganning, snowmobiling, reindeer-lassoing and kick-sledding, while the less energetic tourist can relax in one of the area’s steaming spas. For children, a private meeting to see Santa can be combined with a visit to the Elf School, or a magical troll-hunting trip in the Finnish forests.

Keen skiers will also be able to combine Christmas fun with an excursion to one of Lapland’s attractive ski resorts. These cater for everyone from beginners to experts. One of the greatest attractions of skiing in Lapland is that you needn’t restrict yourself to the winter months: The resorts inside the Arctic Circle stay open until as late as June.

If you’re considering visiting Lapland this Christmas, then remember to wrap up warm. Temperatures can drop to as low as -20 degrees, so it’s important to take your thermals. Bringing small children to the areas is discourages, so those with kids under four may want to check out a site like Alpine Elements to find a Christmas holiday further south.  If you come prepared, though, a Lapland Christmas could turn out to be the most magical of your life.