This winter, families from across the world will head north on a quest to find Santa Claus. Not at the North Pole, however, but in Finland's Lapland region. Ever since 1927, when a radio host proclaimed to have discovered Father Christmas's hometown in the Finnish mountains, Lapland has been the de facto home of the world's most elusive gift-giver, with Christmas villages and amusement parks set up each year to celebrate the festive season. But with cross-country skiing, pine trees and huskies, the opportunities for adventure go well beyond Christmas markets and grottos.
Here we pick out some of the best festive package holidays to Finnish Lapland and what activities are available if you head north this winter.
Magical Interlude with Santa Claus Trips
This three-night, four-day excursion from the aptly named Santa Claus Trips offers a large array of activities, including a 90-minute husky adventure, snowmobile experience, a journey to a Magical Post Office, a visit to the Elf House, and a "private meeting" with the big man himself. Based in the remote village of Luosto in Pyha-Luosto National Park, the trip includes full-board accommodation, flights and connections. Flights from Gatwick, Manchester and Stansted. From £1,455 per adult and £1,355 per child; santaclaustrips.co.uk
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Santa's Magic with Santa's Lapland
A magical experience with Santa's Lapland is available to book for two or three nights and guests can choose between five great hotels to sleep in before heading off to meet Santa and his elves. Highlights include a "Revel in a Sleigh Barn" show, a festive dinner, see the elves perform in a magical igloo, and follow Santa's glow trail he's left behind by a snowmobile sleigh before a private meeting. From £1,199 per adult; santaslapland.com
Santa's Aurora short break with Lapland Experiences
If you want the perfect spot to view the Northern Lights, then the Arctic Star hotel may just tick all the boxes. On a "Santa's Aurora" short break with Lapland Experiences, guests will get to stay at this stunning luxury hotel located at the top of the fell in Saariselka. An exciting programme of activities include husky rides, dinner in the wilderness, a snowmobile safari to search for Santa and reindeer rides. Two nights from £1,209 per person, based on two adults and two children sharing; laplandexperiences.co.uk
Santa short breaks with Magic of Lapland
Luxury tour company Magic of Lapland has crafted something quite special with its range of Santa short breaks. The village of Yllas, near the border with Sweden, offers guests a truly wild corner of Lapland, far from the more touristy centre of the region. With fully chartered flights to and from Lapland with British Airways, the trips have many inclusions, such as accommodation with meals on a full-board basis, husky dog safari, snowmobile and reindeer sleigh ride to Santa's cabin, and individual family visits to Santa in Lapland. Other highlights include tobogganing, tandem skiing, snowshoe walking and kick-sledging; magicoflapland.net
Santa in Lapland Harriniva break with Best Served
Coming with all the amenities a well-heeled Arctic explorer could wish for, the activities on a Santa in Lapland Harriniva break with Best Served are wonderfully festive. As well as meeting Santa, activities include husky sledding, puppy playing, reindeer feeding, snowshoeing, ice fishing, tobogganing, lasso lessons and maybe even spotting the Northern Lights; best-served.co.uk
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