It was a cold and dank day, but the sheer excitement in my tummy made the day feel bright, warm and delicious. My whole body felt like a bottle of coke that was on the cusp of having a peppermint thrown into it and was about to explode.
The letter in my hands was curling at the edges from my excitement. I was surrounded by my family outside of the airport. Where were we going? What was about to happen? I didn’t have a clue because I was told only to pack some warm clothes, but also some swimwear, and they would do the rest. Could it be somewhere cold? It was mind-blowing, that as soon as I tore that beautiful envelope, I would know, and the magic would unfold like a present under the tree on Christmas morning.
Inside, was a key. A magic key. This key was about to take us on an adventure that would make this christmas more magical than ever before.
We were about to make our descent. From above, the ground was pure dusty white.
Snow glistening on the treetops as if the North Star had shattered into a billion pieces.
Crisp white snow and dusted pine trees surrounded our home, which would be ours for the next few days. The cottage was wooden and covered in snow, as if someone had picked me up and placed me into a postcard. It was bitterly cold outside, minus 23 already and the sun was beginning to set. I walked inside and it was toasty warm, the smell of roasted chestnuts and cinnamon welcomed us inside. We lit the open fire and took off layers and layers of special snow gear; a snowsuit from head to toe, and special snow boots to stop us from slipping and sliding across the icy paths. I sat down having emptied my case of special goodies, and relaxed on the balcony with a nice hot mug of tea, and Finnish chocolates from Santa himself.
The following morning we awoke to darkness, as the sun is only awake for a few hours of the day in Lapland. The sun appears at eleven in the morning and descends at about two in the afternoon. It barely rises above the horizon, spreading a golden glow through the trees, and onto the snow, making the surroundings sparkle like crystals. We dressed ourselves in thermals, long johns, snow socks, snow boots and our all-in-one snowsuits before heading out into the cold. I must admit – it was bitterly cold but it was clean and fresh, it felt comfortable in our special gear. We walked down the hill cautiously to a bus that was taking us somewhere. Somewhere I didn’t know, everyone else knew except me.
We drove through the mountainous land, passing snow filled trees, quaint cottages and icy lakes. We made our way over a frozen river, I heard that it had been frozen for a couple months since the cold weather started and would stay frozen till March or April when spring would begin. I looked up through the window of the bus to see two tall white candles, we were on Candle Bridge, and somewhere I had only ever dreamed about.
The bus came to a slow and steady halt and we appeared on an icy road surrounded by trees dusted with generous amounts of snow and ice. The journey hadn’t been long but I still felt the need to get up out of my seat, to stretch my arms up into the air and gaze outside of the window. The door opened and I could already feel the bitter cold whizzing through the carriage. I prepared myself for the cold and stepped eagerly out into the woods. A gap in the trees highlighted a path of clean fresh snow with only a few footprints that led us towards a steep downwards slope and it was time to get on our bums and slide ourselves down the mountain edge! My uncle had come prepared. With his yellow bum board in hand he placed it underneath him, fixed on his hat and swooshed down the icy slide at record speed. The children all laughed and giggled and ran circles around him as he clambered back up.
Through the frosted trees led an open space, lit with small, yellow candles. It was still dark but the sun was slowing coming up towards the horizon. To my left and my right the candles led the way through the snow. As we got further into the area I could see something in the distance, something moving. Huskies! I had never seen a pack of huskies together before! They looked so excited! There were two leading the pack at the front, and they were trying their hardest to get the others to go for a run. They were panting with excitement and I could see their breath fogging up in the cold air. Behind them was a beautifully crafted, wooden sleigh that connected to the huskies by small loose reigns, which would take them on an adventure through the snowy forest. The next adventure they would be going on would be with us. I was so excited to get on the sleigh and venture out through the trees and bends we could see around us. At close, the sleigh was an orangey glazed wood, with fine carvings along the side of the panels. It looked as if it had been hand made by the hard working Finnish people living here. The lifestyle in Lapland is very much based on the outside; farming, building and crafting, and you could tell that someone’s heart had really gone into crafting this magnificent sleigh. I slowly climbed onto the sleigh; it is quite difficult to get into specific positions when you are wearing a huge puffy snowsuit that encompasses your whole entire body. I placed my feet at the front and my family perched behind me all eager to experience what it is like to ride along the crispy white snow. The owner of the huskies was ready at the front of the pack, he spoke something in Finnish and off we went! The huskies were hungry for the run and couldn’t have bounced off any faster if they had tried. Suddenly we were headed off into the forest of white trees and glistening fine snow. Around us, there was simply nothing but trees, the glow of the sun on the land and furry waggling tails. I tried to take my time to absorb everything around me but we were whizzing around corners like a car on ice. The trees were there, and then they were gone. It was time to clamber off and step out once again, onto the fresh dry snow. The chill of the air against our faces was so cold I could barely feel my nose anymore. We watched the huskies depart once again and walked across the open space to get a drink of hot berry juice; a specialty in Finland.
Once we had finished slurping our juice we trudged back through the white fields and up towards a charming little hut hidden beneath the trees. From the outside it was completely covered in frosty blue snow, which stood out against the landscape. As we drew closer we could feel the warmth drawing us in closer to a gap in the front where a little door lay and would lead us inside.
From the floor to the ceiling there were old wooden panels leading towards the sky and flowing out with plumes of smoke from the open fire. We drew our hands in closer and felt the warmth slowly working its way back into our fingertips. After several minutes I could move my hands freely again, and I perched on a ledge beside the crackling fire. The flames were hypnotic, they came bursting upwards in all shapes and sizes, whisking their way outwards in yellows, reds and oranges. There were only about four other people in the hut and we all drew closer. I picked up a stick from the side of the ledge and pierced it through a juicy Finnish sausage and roasted it over the hyperactive flames. I gazed around the small but toasty hut and was thankful that it was so warm and cosy. It had been getting colder and colder throughout the day and my eyelashes had only just begun to melt next to the warm fire. Time passes so quickly when you are enjoying a rest from the cold, but it was now 2 o’clock in the afternoon and the sun was once again sinking below the horizon. A sheet of darkness was heading towards us and it was time to retreat back to our little cottage.
That night we ventured out once again into the deep forest. Only this time we went further afield, to a farm; a reindeer farm. This was no ordinary reindeer farm. The farm here had been carried on through generations of family and was still running in the typical Finnish way. We met the owner, who was feeding the reindeer and preparing them for an adventure through the woods. He had created a selection of leafy greens and mushrooms to keep them strong and energized. As we drew closer to the reindeer I realised that these were nothing like the reindeer I had ever seen before. These were real reindeer. Their fur was soft but slightly bristled, with longer threads on their chins to keep them warm. In Lapland there are over one hundred thousand reindeer and they stay together to keep each other safe from the bears and wolves that lurk in the woods. The reindeer that I was stood closest to was called Nepero; he had three white hooves and one black. He stood tall amongst the rest and would whisk his head to and fro to show off his magnificent antlers. I had to make sure to stay away from them because they were incredibly sharp. Whilst gazing at Nepero, the other reindeer were being prepared with reigns and sleighs that would take us on an adventure through the dark woods and frozen lakes that encompassed the farm. The sleighs were hand crafted by the owner’s great grandfather over 100 years ago, and placed on top of them were warm, furry blankets to make for a comfortable journey.
The night air was extremely cold and it had started to snow. The woodland was incredibly dark but I could still see the land and the trees around us. The snow on the ground was so white that it created a sheet of light that reflected the moon and stars and made the grounds around visible to see. As we began, the reindeer gracefully journeyed through the paths and frozen rivers that fringed the forest. I held the reigns tightly, and carefully held on.
The following morning I couldn’t stop thinking about Nepero and his family of reindeer. How they were so real and yet I felt like I had dreamed it all. I was in awe at how magical the whole experience was, and yet today, I was about to embark on a journey into the Arctic Circle, to the home of Father Christmas. It was like walking into a postcard. Trees decorated with brightly coloured lights, and elves dressed in velvet green from head to toe. The night had left a fresh layer of snow over the rooftops and window ledges. I could see the warm glow of light peering out of the windows and the excitement inside me was building. As I looked around there was magic everywhere. Lanterns stood tall amongst the grounds and lit the surroundings. Outside the elves were playing around making snowmen that were as tall as the rooftops. A carrot for the nose and the biggest scarf I have ever seen wrapped around his icy middle. I waited outside with nervous, sweaty palms, eager to meet the man himself. As I peered through the grand, wooden door I could see toys of all kinds and candles lighting up the room with a warm and friendly glow. There were presents already building up in piles around the room ready to be delivered by sleigh on Christmas Eve. The walls were coated in red and detailed with carvings in gold’s, greens and yellows. In the middle were bookshelves stacked with books of all the children in the world who have been naughty or nice.
There, in a grand, wooden chair, he was. In a royal red velvet gown, covered by his silky white beard down to his waist. His boots were black and shiny, polished so well that the light sparkled off them. His hat was warm and toasty, it covered his head and ears in the same materials as his magnificent gown. Around his waist lay golden buttons and a big black belt that he rested his arms upon, and then he welcomed me in. His face was warm and welcoming, he had such a friendly smile that lit up the room. He was old and wise and asked me what I would I like this year for Christmas. I thought about it, I hadn’t really thought about what I would like. Then I realised that actually, all of my dreams and wishes had come true. That in fact, I already had my present.
The sun was slowly rising once again, and a glow was set upon the land. There was one more place I really wanted to visit before I left the Arctic Circle, and that was, Santa’s post office. Where every year millions of people write to Father Christmas about how good they have been this year and what they would like to be delivered on Christmas Eve. The post office was set inside a small little lodge; you wouldn’t have been able to tell it was the post office from outside. It looked so small. Yet, when I walked inside it was like magic, the space was surprising large, even though I still couldn’t understand how all of the letters were nestled inside here.
There were elves in their green velvet gowns pottering around the place, sorting letters into the countries from where they have come from and placing them into sorting boxes for the man himself to read. At the back of the room was a small little hatch, which once the boxes were sorted, would disappear down. I couldn’t help but wonder where they went. Is there another room below? Is it a magic flume that takes the letters to Father Christmas? One elf told me that it is believed to enter a magic vault. This is where all of the letters are read, and sorted into the naughty and nice piles. Very few elves know of this room, and only the man himself is allowed to enter.
It was the last day of our adventure and there was one last wish I could have asked for. To see the Northern Lights, or ‘Aurora Borealis’, as it is called in Finland. Between 11pm and 2pm most nights the sky lights up with flares of different colours. We waited on top of the mountain near to our snowy cottage with all of our warm clothes on from head to toe. We waited, and waited and waited. Looking up at the sky for just one glimpse of the magic in the sky. Staring upwards looking at the stars just waiting. Threes hours passed and it was now 2 o’clock in the morning. We couldn’t wait any longer. I stood there, looking back up at the sky and imagined that for one second what it would be like to see them, the colours across the sky, lighting up the ground around us.
I felt like I had realised the true meaning of Christmas. I didn’t need all of my wishes to come true, not all in one adventure. There would be many more to come. I am sure that one day, I will have the chance to see those magic lights ignite the starry sky.