Christmas, Reimagined: A Journey to Finnish Lapland

Inspiration

Reindeer, husky sleds, and snowmobile journeys speed beneath winter skies that glow with the hypnotic dance of the Northern Lights. A trail of clues leads through a vast wilderness to a magical winter grotto. This is Christmas as a story, combining the excitement and anticipation of the festive season with the thrill of Arctic adventure.

Designed for the whole family, this bespoke Christmas holiday begins at home with a surprise visit from one of Santa’s elves, before continuing to Finnish Lapland for a meeting with Santa in a snowbound forest north of the Arctic Circle.

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The Christmas Story Begins

Elves, Reindeer and a private visit to Santa’s Grotto

For younger children, the anticipation of Christmas can be every bit as exciting as the day itself. So for this Christmas holiday, the story begins before you leave home… with just a sprinkle of festive magic. A few days before you embark, one of Santa’s elves arrives at your door in full costume, carrying an invitation to Finnish Lapland and a video message from Santa, thus signalling the start of a Christmas spent amongst snow-caked trees, reindeer, the dazzling aurora… and elves.

Choose from Levi or Rovaniemi, and from there, you’ll follow an exciting trail of clues through snowy forests to Santa’s secret hideaway, a charming wooden grotto strung with jolly decorations, a Christmas tree, and all the hallmarks of a festive home befitting Santa. Gifts can be chosen in advance, and we can pass on small details, like a best friend’s name or the family dog, so your family’s Christmas story comes magically to life, creating an enchanting first adventure for young children.

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christmas-in-lapland
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A Festive Adventure for the Whole Family

On The Trail of the Aurora in Finnish Lapland

Finnish Lapland’s vast wilderness and dark winter skies make it an extraordinary place to search for the Northern Lights. Winter here is icy and cold, with trees heavily draped and bent under thick blankets of snow. Log cabins glow with firelight amidst the dark as plumes of smoke vent from their chimneys. Herds of reindeer are just visible through the mist of a silent pine forest, and lakes are entirely frozen over, creating a captivating fairytale landscape. And the Northern Lights are, weather permitting, a vital part of the magic.

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Stumble into a view of the aurora from the forest, and you’ll witness slivers of green, red, or pink dancing in an otherwise black sky, a scene so stunning it brings everyone to silence, leaving only the whisper of the trees as a natural soundtrack. To give you the best chance of seeing the aurora, we’ll pair you with expert guides who will know where and when to look. The activities will be tailored depending on your needs and where you choose to stay, but can include snowshoeing the snow-white countryside, a husky-led adventure through pure Arctic wilderness: forest, river, and open landscapes where the vastness of nature dominates, and car-led explorations if the weather forecast dictates a need to travel further in pursuit of the aurora. We suggest a trip of no less than 4 or 6 nights to have the very best chance of seeing the Northern Lights.

If you’d prefer to dedicate your entire trip to the pursuit of the Northern Lights, then talk to your Travel Designer, and we can design a trip entirely around them: searching the Norwegian Fjords, Sweden’s Abisko National Park and the Glaciers of Iceland.

Deeper Into a Winter Wonderland

Reindeer, Huskies, and Sámi Culture

Reindeer are woven into everyday life in Finnish Lapland, and while you’ll certainly meet them, we think it’s worth getting a little closer to their world by learning about the people who care for them, too. During a private reindeer safari and Sámi experience, you’ll learn about the animals’ importance to life and culture in Lapland, spend time with their herders and travel by reindeer-pulled sleigh through the winter landscapes lit by a low winter sun — a fascinating introduction to traditions that remain closely connected to life in Lapland.

With a team of huskies, you can speed across frozen landscapes beneath a sky of twinkling stars, then head into dense forests, sublimely pretty in their winter finery of heavy snow and glittering ice. If you’d like, we can arrange for you to learn how to handle the sled yourself before heading out on the trail with experienced guides. And for something with a little more pace, there is the snowmobile: faster and capable of carrying you deeper into the landscape in pursuit of storybook villages, ice walls, aurora and endless fells. Each day can be tuned to your liking, your private guide modifying the route and pace, tailoring each moment to your family’s needs, with stops along the way — both planned and spontaneous — to take in the beauty of the Arctic.

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reindeer-huskies-sami-culture
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A Private Home in Lapland

A Luxury Chalet in the heart of the landscape

After days spent exploring the forests by husky, meeting with Rudolph’s friends and heading into the Arctic night in search of the aurora, you’ll return each evening to a cosy home of your own. A private chalet gives the family room to settle in and immerse in the local landscapes, with evenings spent beside roaring fireplaces, delicious breakfasts and dinners prepared by a private chef, and soaks in an outdoor hot tub beneath the stars. Extras such as thermal suits and boots can be supplied, while menus can be tweaked to preference, taking advantage of the location with desserts made with preserved cloudberries and campfire lunches in the forest.

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The best private chalets in Finnish Lapland are designed around a deep sense of Arctic seclusion and luxury, with generous living spaces — both modern and traditional — large view-framing windows and dedicated hosts to take care of the practicalities of exploring this incredible ecosystem. Your Travel Designer will help handpick the right accommodation for your needs: from characterful log cabins nestled into woodland clearings and lakeside homes with enchanting aurora vistas to contemporary villas with every imaginable convenience (think statement design paired with Lappish saunas and miles of unspoiled countryside) and enough space for the whole family.

From the first festive surprise at home to days spent exploring the snowy Arctic wilderness, your 360 Travel Designer will create a bespoke journey around your family’s every wish. From a private meeting with Santa, beautiful moments lit by the Northern Lights, and a handpicked chalet with everything you need — from dedicated hosts and drivers and traditional timber saunas to toboggans and panoramic landscape views from the window. Anything to make your family Christmas perfect.

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