Christmas & New Years
A Nordic Christmas moves at a different pace. Short days, long light, snow that quiets everything. Most of our festive journeys are in Finnish Lapland, the home of Santa, with a few in Swedish and Norwegian Lapland, from glass igloos beneath Arctic skies to log cabins in the forest. They are for travellers who would rather feel the season than rush through it. Meeting Santa is still the moment families remember most, and it lands best somewhere calm and unhurried.
We work with multi-generation families and small groups, on both small group tours and independent journeys that you travel at your own pace. Either way, the experiences are chosen to suit different ages and expectations.
The core Christmas dates fill early, and they are the busiest and priciest time to travel. Where it suits you, we suggest going just before the peak period: flights are often better value, the destinations are quieter, and the Santa experiences and festive feeling are much the same. New Year is another good time to visit, with fireworks and local celebrations across the region.
Our Nordic experts can add a city stay at either end of your trip. Helsinki and Tallinn both do Christmas well: markets, ice skating, and the slow business of festive shopping.
Many of our holidays come with a private cabin or apartment that is yours alone, and activities run in small groups, so the experience stays relaxed and authentic.
To explore further, you may also enjoy reading:
- Which Christmas in Lapland Tour Suits You?
- Think Santa Lives Only in Santa Claus Village? Think Again
- Other travel articles on Nordic Christmas
- Our festive booklet for summaries of our main Christmas and New Year trips
Destination
Season
Duration
Tour Standard
When is the best time to visit Lapland for Christmas?
Children will of course prefer the actual Christmas dates, with Santa and the big day itself. But for many families the week or two before Christmas is the better time to go. The core Christmas dates are the busiest and most expensive, and they sell out first. Travel a little earlier and the snow, the Santa experiences and the festive feeling are much the same, while flights are better value and the destinations are quieter. See our pre-Christmas journeys, or consider New Year, with fireworks and local celebrations across the region.
Where in Lapland do your Christmas tours go?
Most of our festive journeys are in Finnish Lapland, the home of Santa, with a few in Swedish and Norwegian Lapland. You stay in places chosen for a real sense of winter, from glass igloos to log cabins in the forest, rather than large resort hotels. Our guide to which Christmas in Lapland tour suits you walks through the options.
Will we see the Northern Lights?
The Northern Lights are possible across Lapland through the winter, but they are a natural phenomenon and can never be guaranteed. The further you are from town lights and the clearer the sky, the better your chances. Several of our tours include time in dark, open locations to improve the odds.
Are your Christmas tours suitable for families with young children?
Yes. We plan a lot of multi-generation family travel, and many itineraries are built around children, with Santa visits, husky and reindeer sledding, and activities paced for different ages. Some winter activities have minimum ages, so it is worth checking the details of each tour or asking us.
Do we meet Santa, and is it private?
Meeting Santa is part of the Finnish Lapland tours, and on several of them each family has its own private visit rather than a queue. It tends to be the moment families remember most, and it works best somewhere calm and unhurried. If you want the quieter version, there is more to Santa than the village in Rovaniemi.
Can we travel as a family at our own pace, or with a group?
Both. Our small group tours travel together with a 50 Degrees North tour leader, while our independent journeys are set itineraries you travel at your own pace, adjusted to suit you. Either way, activities run in small groups and many holidays come with a private cabin or apartment that is yours alone.
How far ahead should we book?
As early as you can. Lapland has limited festive accommodation and it fills months in advance, especially over the core Christmas dates. Booking early gives you the widest choice of dates, cabins and flights. If you are weighing up when to go, our full range of Christmas and New Year journeys is the place to start.