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Childhood moves quickly. Those special years when children are old enough to appreciate thrilling adventures but still young enough to succumb to its magic are all but limited. When my youngest daughter was 6 and my oldest was 11, we decided to embrace the moment by taking a once-in-a-lifetime winter trip to find her. real Santa in his house above the arctic circle.

Beneath the snow-covered trees in northern Finland, you’ll find reindeer-led sleighs, elves, child-sized snowmobiles and glass domes built to view the Northern Lights. If you look closely you will also find Santa’s cottage.

From the moment playful (and sometimes mischievous) elves greet us in Ivalo, Finland, and lead us in Christmas carols on the bus ride through the Lapland region, this trip embraces all things Christmas in a way that even Ebenezer Scrooge would appreciate.

The trip to find Santa in snowy Finland was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for my kids – and one I will cherish forever.

If a trip to Finland’s Lapland region to meet Santa in person sounds like the kind of memory you’d like to make with your family, here are five things you need to know.

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It is breathtakingly beautiful

This part of the world can be remote, harsh and unforgiving, but it’s also truly magnificent in a way that takes your (still) breath away.

During the winter holidays, it never really gets bright, but the midday twilight shining over the blanket of white snow is something straight out of a storybook. You have to see it yourself.

Whether you go in search of Santa or want to experience a place that feels so magical you’ll find it hard to believe it’s real, you’ll love exploring this part of the Arctic.

We found it every bit as mesmerizing as we had hoped. From reindeer sleigh rides to dog sledding, we saw and did things that took us out of our comfort zone… well. It was like living in a fairy tale with fur and elves.

You can visit on your own or through a packaged tour

It is possible to visit one of the towns or villages that Santa often visits without being on an organized tour of the Lapland region of Finland. However, if you want to push the easy button on planning, a tour may be the easiest solution.

We went together Santa’s Laplandwhich offers three and four-day trips from the UK to Finland.

These packages are very expensive – prepare yourself for sticker shock before you price it out. However, the trip includes charter flights from the UK, accommodation and ground transfers in Finland, all meals (except for a few lunches), use of thermal snow gear and some winter activities (such as dog sled rides, reindeer sled rides). and snowmobiling). Most importantly, you will also get a chance to hunt down Santa’s hidden house.

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You can book some add-on activities like Northern Light-viewing excursion and snowshoeing to enhance your experience. Given how busy your trip will be with all-inclusives, you can avoid packing your visit with too many extra adventures. We added several activities to our trip; They were enjoyable, but if I were to do it again, I’d only face a few hours of skiing sessions because the slopes are close.

While prices vary, our three-night “Santa’s Aurora” cruise cost about $7,000 for two adults and two children before we add extra activities; It costs between $30 and $130 per person. To cut costs a bit, consider choosing one of the more affordable two-day packages, which start at around $1,300 per adult and reduced rates available for children.

If spending thousands of dollars for a package doesn’t sound like the right option for you, know that planning your own adventure is also an option. This is what I will do next time to save money.

Instead of booking a package, I would probably connect via Helsinki and target Rovaniemi, Finland as our final destination.

Like last time, I will be using All Nippon Airways miles to travel business class to Europe and back for 88,000 miles per ticket. You can transfer miles from American Express’s Membership Rewards program to ANA, which makes this option possible for cardholders. Platinum Card® from American Express.

If you should decide to take this route, then you can hop aboard overnight Santa Claus Express Train To complete the 12 hour journey from Helsinki to Rovaniemi. While there are more budget-friendly standard seats available, I suggest paying a bit more for the cabins because they have beds. (Some also offer private bathrooms.)

Once in Rovaniemi, you can pursue whatever winter activities appeal to you the most. Several operators are available for dog sledding excursions, northern lights outings and more. However, they can fill up quickly, so be sure to schedule your preferred activities as early as possible.

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The experience is unlike anything else

If you decide to buy a package to see Santa in Finland, be prepared to really go for a few days. From the moment you arrive to the day you depart, you’ll know what time of year it is and who you’re in town to see.

Transportation

When we boarded the included Jet2Holidays plane for our charter flight from the UK to Finland, it was clear that this was far from an ordinary flight. The lightning on the plane was a deep red, and Christmas carols were sung at 36,000 feet.

When we landed in Finland and headed to baggage claim, we saw mischievous elves laughing and circling the baggage carts as they stealthily sent our bags onto the belt and out of sight.

In the coming days, they would throw snowballs, mess with people’s hats and cause a lot of trouble — but he was always in good spirits. As long as you lean into this Christmas chaos, you’ll enjoy the experience to the fullest.

residence

Our package included a hotel Star Arctic HotelA higher-end option you can also book yourself.

It’s a bit far from the city but right on the slopes of Saariselka – Europe’s northernmost ski resort. Star Arctic Hotel is an ideal destination for outdoor types.

There are a few different accommodation options, two of which we tried during our stay.

The first night of our visit, we slept in a stunning aurora glass cabin with lots of windows to view the northern lights. Luck was not on our side, as the Northern Lights were not visible to us, but we still enjoyed waking up to an uninterrupted view of the snowy landscape.

After our brief stint in a cabin, we moved to a suite with a sauna for the rest of our stay. It was a little tight for the four of us, but it did the trick. The private sauna inside our suite was a great place to relax after an active day in the cold.

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Dog sledding and snowmobiling

When I first heard that our package included dog sledding, I assumed we would be passengers tucked under blankets with an experienced guide at the helm. Wow, was I wrong.

Instead of driving like you would in upscale winter destinations like Aspen or Vail, Colorado, we were in the driver’s seat … literally. After a brief lesson, I took the reins and led myself and my daughter down the snowy roads. It was equal parts terrifying and exhilarating.

The other activities here are also incredibly immersive, making them even more fun (and wild) to participate in.

For our snowmobiling adventure, we didn’t go full-size snowmobiles, pulling the kids along in a separate cart. We had the opportunity for my 6 year old to get in on the action and ride a miniature snowmobile attached to a pole. It was a bucket list experience I’m sure my daughter will remember for the rest of her life.

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food

Because we booked Santa’s Lapland package, all our meals (except some lunches) were included. Everyone was served buffet-style.

Overall, the food was good, but not the highlight of our trip. While kids can have chicken nuggets and french fries for most meals, expect most of the options to be more traditional Finnish dishes. Hopefully, you like salmon, because it’s a regular on the buffet.

If there are picky eaters in your crew, double-check the menu beforehand, pack snacks and maybe run a grocery store to make sure they have everything they need to be satisfied at mealtime.

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A shared experience

Booking a packaged tour means you’ll be around other families for several days. So, build some patience and understanding, as you may encounter a strong personality or two in your group.

For the most part, this wasn’t a big deal to us, as we were thrilled to be somewhere so special.

Regardless of what language our companions spoke or where they came from, it was clear that everyone understood what a unique opportunity this trip was. They were eager to taste the same experience as us.

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You will meet the man of the season

A trip to Finland’s Lapland region will not only bring you closer to Santa’s home. You will also get a chance to see Santa for yourself.

At the end of our last full day reindeer-led sleigh ride through the snow, we met some elves in a red hut hidden in the trees.

The welcoming experience in his cozy cottage in the middle of the snowy forest was great.

He was as gracious as you would expect. Somehow, he had the letters the kids had sent him the week before — a personal touch that added some magic to an already magical experience.

It’s really, really cold in the Arctic

While Santa’s cottage is warm and cozy, the outside is different. Despite the abundance of snow depicted in the photos, you don’t realize how cold it is until you set foot in northern Finland.

Temperatures hovered around 0 degrees Fahrenheit during our visit in late November. It was so cold that a two minute walk across the parking lot to the restaurant in the reception area was the most we could do without full thermal gear.

While you may worry about all the gear you need to stay warm, know that some essentials will be provided once you arrive (if you book an organized tour).

Be sure to pack good base layers and comfortable clothing to wear under the clunky thermal suits your tour guide will provide. You’ll also want to bring glove liners, hats, thick wool socks, and neck warmers.

Even with the gear provided plus layers brought from home, it’s still really cold at times (especially when the wind blows) — but don’t let that stop you from having fun. Once bundled up, the temperature was manageable from time to time – even for my 6 year old.

However, be aware that your hair and eyelashes will look frozen (and may look that way in photos), as anything exposed for any length of time will cool down seriously quickly.

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The bottom line

we have done Skied in Canada, visited Alaska and even explored Norway, but nothing compares to the experience of meeting Santa in his snowy home in the forest.

Every family trip is special and memorable in its own way, but a visit to the Lapland region of Finland was so different and unique that it is forever etched in our collective story banks.

Of course, you don’t have to travel to the Arctic to find holiday magic. But if you decide to make the trip, whether on your own or through a package tour, you’ll walk away with memories to last a lifetime.