For those, like myself, who dream of a winter wonderland where you get to stay in a cosy snow-dusted log cabin, visit reindeers and get to drink mulled wine by a warm fire, Lapland should be the destination at the top of your list.
December in Lapland is all about Christmas and that is no surprise considering how they celebrate the festive season – they even have a hotel named “Hotel Santa Claus”. Unlike here in the UK Christmas Eve in Lapland is quiet, as families spend time at home altogether, which results in a lot of places being closed. However, they all open back up on Christmas Day and Boxing Day to let the fun begin. Every day there are new activities to take part in, new food to try and locals to speak to. From husky sledding, reindeer sleigh rides to snow hockey there is tons of fun to have in Lapland this time of year – you can even have a meet and greet with Santa himself!
In Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland, they have the Arctice Winter Wonderland complex, where there are igloo-style bars, where everything is carved out of ice and Ice Princess cocktails are available all day. While you enjoy an ice-cold drink you can sit and enjoy the fantastic animal sculptures surrounding you. Then you can enjoy some outdoor skating, snowtube slides and head over to Santa Claus Village.
Lapland knows how to celebrate Christmas the right way; enjoy a festive meal in a dining room surrounded by beautiful Christmas decorations, cosy up in front of the log fire with a groggy-mulled wine with a little brandy and decorate gingerbread after a short husky ride in the snow.
Feature Image Credit: Vincent Guth from Unsplash