DO YOU BELIEVE IN SANTA?

Embrace the magic of Christmas at Santa Claus Village

WORDS BY LAURA COOP

Regardless of your standing on the naughty or nice list, there’s something magical about stepping foot in this remote village, nestled in the very heart of Finnish Lapland. Chances are, if you’ve ever sent a wish-filled Christmas letter to Mr Claus, it has most likely ended up here at the official residence of Father Christmas himself. Undoubtedly one of Finland’s most popular tourist attractions, the iconic Santa Claus Village is only a short ride from Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland which can be easily reached from Helsinki by boarding a double-decker night train, aptly named the Santa Claus Express.

Santa Claus Village

It’s Christmas year round here! Santa Claus Village is open everyday of the year, no matter the season, and goes far beyond a simple tourist stop. Post a letter at the main Post Office, which receives over half a million letters from around the world each year, attend the Elf Academy to graduate and become one of Santa’s little helpers, visit with Mrs Claus and even take a sleigh ride with one of Santa’s reindeer. Of course, no trip is complete without meeting the man himself!

Every visitor to the village also celebrates an unique achievement: crossing the Arctic Circle. Eager travellers can even get a certificate to commemorate the feat. Outlining the southernmost limit of the Arctic Circle, the area within experiences the unique phenomenon of the midnight sun (in summer) or polar night (in winter). This means that for any visitors to the Santa Claus Village on December 21st, the shortest day of the year, the sun won’t actually rise.

Juho Kuva and Santa Claus Village

MAIN IMAGE: Roman Babakin/Shutterstock.com