Meeting Santa in Finnish Lapland: where, when and how

In Finland, Santa is Joulupukki. The name means Yule goat, a trace of older midwinter customs. On Christmas Eve, he still knocks on the doors of Finnish homes and asks, "Onko täällä kilttejä lapsia?" ("Are there any good children here?") For children who grow up in Finland, he is not a figure in a shopping centre. He comes to the house, after dark, with a sack over his shoulder.

Meeting him in Lapland can carry some of that feeling. By mid-afternoon in December, the light has gone, the snow has softened every sound, and a lit window in the forest is the only thing to walk towards. The visits children remember tend to be the quiet ones: one family, one cabin and time to talk.

You can meet Santa all year round at Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi. In December, you can also meet him privately, in a forest cabin away from the crowds. On our Lapland Christmas holidays, each family usually has its own visit, often reached by sleigh, with time for the children to talk and a small gift for each child.

Where does Santa live?

In Finnish tradition, Santa lives on Korvatunturi, a fell on the Russian border in Savukoski, eastern Lapland. The name means "Ear Fell", and the story goes that its shape lets Santa hear children's wishes. The fell lies inside Urho Kekkonen National Park, in a border zone that needs a permit from the Finnish Border Guard, so his home stays private.

Because so few people can reach Korvatunturi, Santa receives his visitors elsewhere. Rovaniemi, on the Arctic Circle, calls itself the Official Hometown of Santa Claus. At Santa Claus Village, Santa meets visitors every day of the year, and you can cross the Arctic Circle and send a card from Santa's main post office.

Where can you meet Santa in Finnish Lapland?

Santa Claus Village is the best known place to meet Santa, and the busiest, especially in December. Santa also welcomes families in quieter parts of Lapland, often in a cabin deep in the forest, in places such as Äkäslompolo, Levi, Ivalo and Ranua. Our guide to meeting Santa beyond Santa Claus Village compares them.

What happens at a private Santa visit?

Each visit is a little different, but most follow the same pattern. Your family is given a time, a guide takes you through the dark forest by sleigh or snowmobile, and Santa welcomes you into his cabin. The children share their wishes, ask their questions and leave with a small gift.

The visit itself lasts around 5-15 minutes, and the whole outing 30 to 45 minutes. The visit is short, but private. Around it, there is usually time for gingerbread decorating, Christmas crafts, sledging and games in the snow.

Can you visit Santa in Lapland before or after Christmas?

Yes. Santa is at Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi every day of the year, and visiting outside Christmas week is calmer. In the run-up to Christmas, the villages are busy with preparations; after it, the pace slows.

Before Christmas, our pre-Christmas holidays include a Santa visit, and Lapland Winter Magic offers the same private visit and fully hosted week as Christmas itself, earlier in December. Our post-Christmas and New Year holidays cover the days that follow, when Lapland is still deep in winter.

Can you see the Northern Lights at Christmas in Lapland?

It is possible, and the long nights help. In December, northern Lapland has only a few hours of twilight around midday, and in the far north the sun does not rise at all for several weeks.

The Northern Lights are often active over Lapland, but they need a clear sky, and December can be cloudy. Treat them as a chance rather than a promise, and give yourself several nights. If they are the main reason for your trip, see our Northern Lights holidays. Either way, staying away from town lights helps.

What else can children do in Lapland at Christmas?

Most days are spent outdoors. Families drive husky teams, ride reindeer sleighs, try ice fishing and go out on snowmobile safaris, with younger children riding in the guide's sleigh. On our tours in Äkäslompolo, children can also try snowmobiling on a children's track. Our article on Christmas in Lapland with older children has ideas for teenagers.

Back indoors, there is the sauna, a fire to sit by and long evenings with nowhere else to be. Temperatures can drop well below zero, so good clothing matters, and our winter clothing guide covers what to pack.

Our Santa holidays in Lapland

These are a few examples of the Lapland holidays we arrange around a Santa visit. Each is built differently, with its own kind of stay, way of travelling and route to Santa's door, so it is worth comparing them before you choose.

You can also browse the full range by travel style: small group Christmas tours with a tour leader throughout, independent Christmas holidays at your own pace, pre-Christmas holidays with Santa before the busiest week, and post-Christmas and New Year holidays.

On Christmas week departures, Santa visits usually fall on 24 December. In Finland, Christmas Eve is the main day of Christmas, and the evening Santa traditionally calls on families.

Planning a Santa holiday in Lapland

Christmas week is the busiest time of year in Lapland, so plan early. Our small group Christmas tours have a 50 Degrees North tour leader throughout, while our independent Christmas holidays let you travel at your own pace. To compare them, read which Christmas in Lapland tour suits you.

A private visit within a hosted week costs more than a day at Santa Claus Village. What you pay for is the time around it: no queues, a visit that belongs to your family, and the rest of the week arranged for you.

You can also meet Santa in Lapland, then spend Christmas itself in a Nordic capital, as our guide to Lapland Santa holidays before the crowds explains.

See all our Christmas and New Year holidays, or talk to our destination specialists about the right Lapland Christmas for your family.