Say a big hello to Santa – at home!
AS a lad in the 1970s a visit to Santa usually meant a trek on the bus to Walsall where a grotto would have been fashioned in some festive corner of Woolworths.
But today’s want-for-nothing children can experience the things that dreams are made of.
Now it really is possible to go on the adventure-of-a-lifetime to meet the real Father Christmas in his icy Lapland home.
And, thanks to flights to Finland from Birmingham Airport, it’s even easier for Midlanders with St Nick being just three hours due north.
For grown-ups too the chance of experiencing life just inside the Arctic Circle, even on a short three-day break, offered huge excitement.
We travelled with holiday firm Espirit via a BMI airbus to Rovaneimi, which boasts the world’s most northerly McDonalds and is supposedly the largest city in the world, by area.
It can get so cold in Lapland, which is an area of Finland which stretches into Russia, that most normal ski wear won’t cut it.
In January it goes down to -30 C and in December, even though it was quite mild when we went, it was well below freezing all the time.
On arrival we were whisked away by coach to be kitted out in our cold weather gear.
We were loaned an all-in-one waterproof zip-up quilted romper suit affair, huge insulated boots, thick socks, a woolly hat and seriously warm gloves.
Armed with our clothing we were taken to the place we were staying, about 20 minutes from the airport, to a lovely cosy and well-appointed chalet which had a sauna built in to the bathroom, a small kitchen and dining area, two beds downstairs and a small double bedroom upstairs.
We were staying full board and meals were provided in the large restaurant a short walk away and included a well-stocked buffet for breakfast and evening meals.
The next day saw my wife, myself and two very excited children, Theo, 10 and Max, six, being taken to meet the man himself in a snow-covered woodland.
The day, being guided by helpful elves, involved being transported around on sleds pulled by reindeer, drinks of warm berry juice heated on open fires, a visit to elf control (where letters are sorted from all over the world) and then a jaunt into the forest to an isolated log cabin.
We were greeted by another lovely, friendly elf who guided us to Santa’s inner sanctum.
My little son’s eyes were like saucers as he approached. The letters both children had posted up the chimney a week before were magically in Santa’s gloved hand.
After a kindly chat about whether they had been good and a souvenir snap they were both given gifts of cuddly toys and we were whisked away to elf training school to make decorated ginger bread biscuits.
The highlight for us adults was an amazing trip around a frozen lake on a husky sled.
Pulled by nine enthusiatic dogs we whistled along at about 25mph with me standing precariously on the back runner and family snuggled up in the sled.
After that there was a break for a hearty lunch and then playtime fun with the children having goes on a snowmobile, sledging, or mooching around the little elf-run shop.
The evening saw a trip to an attraction called Santaland with a meal and a brief show from some talented song and dance elves.
The next and final day gave us all a bit of free time after breakfast in the dark Finnish morning (the sun comes up at about 11am in December to herald five hours of light) with the children playing outside on sledges while we packed ready for the journey home.
Being in Lapland was a truly surreal experience. The place looks like a Christmas card and the people obviously adore Christmas and are proud to have Santa as its most famous resident.
At times it was so overwhelming I don’t think our children have really taken in, or fully appreciate, what they have experienced.
I used to think the shopping centre grotto was fantastic, but now the bar had truly been raised and I hope we have given them memories they will treasure forever.
FACTFILE
Esprit Santa’s Lapland offers a two night stay at the Ounasvaara Cabins in Rovaniemi from £679 per adult, £408 per child including return flights from Birmingham, b&b accommodation, a snowmobile safari and private family meeting with Santa, reindeer and husky rides.
Book with Esprit Santa’s Lapland on 01252 618300 or visit www.santaslapland.co.uk
