Day trips to Lapland

Not just for the young, for the young at heart too

Christmas is always a special time of year, especially for the children, they love the excitement, the magic, the anticipation and hopefully the snow. Well what if you could make this time of year even more special for them? What if you could give them memories that will not only last a lifetime, but be retold in stories to their children? What if you could take them to meet the man himself, in his home, in the Arctic Circle? Well it is easier than you think with day trips to Lapland, Finland, where you get to work with the elves and meet the most important man in the world…Santa Claus himself.

Flights to Lapland depart at around 7 am from airports across the UK throughout December, and usually return at around 9 in the evening. The fun starts as soon as you check-in and runs right through until you fall asleep, happy, exhausted and full of Christmas spirit on the flight home. This trip is not just for the young ones though, it’s for the young at heart too, and you don’t need to have children to go, adults taking Lapland day trips on their own are more than welcome to join in the festive fun, help the elves and still get to meet the main man himself. Depending on which day trip to Lapland you choose, you will be treated to reindeer or husky rides, sledging and snowmobile excursions, make snowmen and snow angels and listen to fascinating Christmas stories around the campfire. You can graduate from Elf School, learn to drive a snow mobile, decorate gingerbread biscuits, sample Mrs Claus’ cooking and, of course, receive your very special gift from Santa Claus in person.

Make this Christmas unforgettable for the whole family

The snow falls steadily in Lapland from October through to May and there’s usually a good thick covering in the run up to Christmas, making day trips to Lapland in December the perfect time to visit. Temperatures rarely rise above freezing point and can drop to anything from -7°C to a bone tingling -35°C so make sure you wrap up warm, a few layers of light clothing are better than one thick layer. Snow suits and boots will be provided for certain excursions if needed throughout the day, but don’t forget your hats and gloves.

As you are so close to the Arctic Circle daylight hours are limited to between 10.30 am and 3.00 pm, and unless the sun puts in a rare appearance the whole place seems to stay in a state of perpetual twilight, giving a truly magical feel to your Lapland day trip. If you are far enough north you might even be treated to the breathtaking sights of the Aurora Borealis, or stunning Northern Lights as they are otherwise known.

Currency in Lapland is the Euro so make sure you take plenty with you to last the day as there are some gift shops to buy your souvenirs from, however cash points here are limited. Remember, you might be too busy helping the elves to spend it though. One final tip for Lapland day trips… don’t forget your batteries, they don’t always last as long in freezing conditions and you don’t want to miss a photo opportunity on a day like this.