Your Upcoming Trip
Useful Information
Sending Your Child’s Letter to Santa
To make your visit with Santa as magical as possible, we can arrange for him to have your children’s letters when you meet him in Lapland. There are two ways to make sure the letters reach him:
Option 1: Send the letters to us in advance
You can post your children’s letters to us before 15th November.
Please send them to:
Magic of Lapland, First Floor, 1 Des Roches Square, Witan Way, Witney, OX28 4BE
- Include a cover note with the following details:
- Your 5-digit booking reference number
- Date of travel
- Your full name
- Your child or children’s full name(s)
Please ensure the correct postage is used, as letters with insufficient postage may not reach us in time.
Option 2: Bring the letters with you
If you prefer, you can bring the letters with you to Lapland. Please place them together in an envelope clearly labelled with your family name and booking reference number, and hand them to your guide when you arrive in Lapland.
Each child will receive a personal invitation from Santa to visit Lapland. These letters are posted in unbranded C5 size beige envelopes and are addressed to the lead booker.
Invitations will be sent out between mid-October and early November. If you have not received your letter by mid-November, please get in touch with us so we can look into this for you and resend if needed.
Jounin Kauppa is the main supermarket in Äkäslompolo and is a useful place to pick up anything you may need during your stay. As well as a wide range of groceries, it stocks local Lapland products, souvenirs, clothing and everyday essentials. The surrounding shopping area also includes useful services such as a pharmacy and ATM. The supermarket is usually open until the evening, including Sundays, although opening hours can vary on public holidays and at different times of the season, so we recommend checking before you visit. You’ll also find a handful of smaller shops around Äkäslompolo selling souvenirs, gifts, local handicrafts and outdoor clothing if you would like to have a browse during your free time.
There is a pharmacy in Äkäslompolo, although opening hours are more limited than those of the supermarket and can vary during the season, so it is worth checking before you go. In Finland, medicines such as paracetamol and ibuprofen are generally sold through pharmacies rather than supermarkets, so we recommend bringing a small supply of any everyday medication you may need, particularly children’s medicines such as Calpol. Please also remember to bring all prescription medication with you, as it may be difficult or time-consuming to obtain replacements locally. If any medication is essential, we strongly recommend carrying it in your hand luggage rather than packing it in your checked suitcase.
Äkäslompolo is a great place to see the Northern Lights if conditions are right. They most often appear in the evening, and the village’s dark skies and surrounding wilderness make it easy to see them without booking a separate safari. If the aurora appears during your stay, you should usually be able to see it simply by stepping outside your accommodation and looking up. Clear skies and stronger aurora activity will improve your chances, but sightings can never be guaranteed. It is worth checking the sky from time to time in the evening, particularly on clear nights, as displays can sometimes appear quite suddenly and may only last for a short period.
Both cross-country and downhill skiing are available in Äkäslompolo and around Ylläs. If you would like to go downhill skiing, you generally do not need to pre-book equipment; you can simply go to the ski resort and hire skis, boots and helmets when you arrive, although equipment can also be reserved online in advance. Ski school lessons are available for both downhill and cross-country skiing, but these may need to be booked in advance, so we recommend waiting until your itinerary is confirmed on arrival or on your first morning before arranging a lesson. December temperatures range between -2°C and -35°C. For this reason, it is not always the easiest place for complete beginners to spend long periods learning to ski, particularly with young children, so we would suggest deciding based on the conditions during your stay.
Dressing in layers is key to staying warm and comfortable in Lapland, particularly as winter temperatures can vary considerably. The number of layers you’ll need will depend on the conditions each day, and it’s important that clothing isn’t too tight so a little air can remain between layers to help trap warmth. We provide Arctic outer suits, gloves and boots for both adults and children. For full guidance on what to wear and how to layer, please see our Arctic Layering Guide below.
Top Tips
- Layers are much easier to adjust than one very heavy outfit, so you can add or remove warmth as conditions change.
- Hand warmers can also be useful in gloves or boots (always follow the manufacturer’s instructions).
- For exposed skin, a simple oil-based barrier such as Vaseline or an unscented balm can be applied to cheeks and noses to help protect them from the cold and wind.
Fireplaces in Finland operate differently from those commonly used in the UK. In most cabins, the fireplace flue must be opened before lighting the fire, and in some cabins the kitchen ventilation system must also be switched on.
As Finnish cabins are very well insulated for winter conditions, it can sometimes be difficult to establish the correct airflow and get a fire to light safely. On the afternoon or evening of your arrival, one of our guides will come to your cabin and show you how to light and use the fireplace correctly. Please wait for the guide before lighting your first fire.
Improper use of the fireplace can cause smoke or fire damage to the cabin and may result in serious injury or, in extreme circumstances, death. Please also consult the fireplace instructions or manual provided in your accommodation and, if you are unsure about anything, ask one of our guides for assistance.
Never remove hot coals or embers from the fireplace or dispose of them outside. Even in Arctic conditions, they can remain hot enough to start a fire.
Sauna
Please shower before using the sauna and sit or lie on a towel while inside. Avoid applying body oils, lotions or other skincare products before entering the sauna, as these can transfer onto the benches and surfaces. Avoid using the sauna immediately after a large meal, do not drink alcohol before or during use, and make sure you stay well hydrated. Leave the sauna if you feel unwell or light-headed, and follow the instructions provided in your villa.
September/October
Getting Ready for Lapland
You’ll receive further information to help you prepare for your holiday, including our Arctic layering guide, local area information, menus and other useful pre-departure details. We’ll also ask you to submit your passport information at this stage.
End of October
Santa Invitations Are Sent
Children’s invitations from Santa are sent between the end of October and the first week of November . They are posted First Class in a beige C5 envelope addressed to the lead booker, so please keep an eye out for it.
November
Receiving Your E-Tickets
Once British Airways has confirmed the final flight times, we’ll issue your e-tickets and send them to you by email.
December
Have a Magical Trip!
We hope you have a wonderful trip!
A Magic of Lapland representative will be available at check-in at Heathrow as well as on arrival at Kittilä Airport. After passing through immigration and baggage reclaim, your guides will be waiting for you in the arrivals hall.
Once you are in Lapland, you will receive your confirmed itinerary together with contact details for your local Magic of Lapland guides.
Passports
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most frequently asked questions about our Lapland breaks. If you can’t find the answer you’re looking for please do not hesitate to call or email us.
You’ll receive your confirmed itinerary once you arrive in Lapland. Please note that times and/or the order of activities may differ from the sample itineraries online, so it’s important to follow the information provided by your guides once you arrive. A sample itinerary is available on the short break page.
Our itineraries are carefully planned in advance and, unfortunately, cannot be changed either before departure or during your stay. December is an exceptionally busy time in Lapland, and fixed timings allow us to ensure that every family can enjoy all of the included activities without affecting the experience of other guests. The welfare of the animals is also very important to us, so their designated rest periods must be carefully built into each itinerary.
Yes. Once you arrive in Lapland, you’ll be given a list of optional activities that can be booked locally, so there’s no need to arrange these in advance. Typical extras include cross-country ski school, ice fishing and a reindeer safari.
To drive a snowmobile, you must hold a valid full car driving licence and have it with you at the time of the safari. Snowmobile trails operate like roads and are monitored by police, who may carry out random breathalyser tests. Children do not drive snowmobiles and instead travel safely in sledges pulled by the guide’s snowmobile. On Santa Day, children will usually have the opportunity to try specially designed children’s snowmobiles under supervision.
All activities are entirely voluntary, and you’re welcome to opt out at any stage if you feel uncomfortable. In very cold temperatures, we may adjust some activities for safety reasons. This most commonly affects the snowmobile safari, as it involves longer periods outdoors without the opportunity to warm up and can feel particularly cold for children. In these cases, children are usually given the option to stay indoors while adults take part in the safari — and you are, of course, welcome to stay with your children if you prefer.
You’ll be given the mobile number of our local guides when you arrive at your accommodation. They’re on hand to help with any questions about your itinerary or to provide general help and assistance during your stay.
Please note that this is not a 24-hour contact line, and calls or messages are not routinely monitored after 20:00. If you have an urgent emergency at any time, please call 112, the general emergency number for fire, police and ambulance services in Finland.
Due to strict alcohol laws in Finland, our catering company is not permitted to sell alcohol, and the local Alko shop may not be open on certain days. We do provide a welcome basket on arrival, which includes a bottle of red wine and a bottle of white wine. If you think you may want any additional wine or other alcoholic drinks during your stay, we recommend purchasing them in duty free before arrival.
Daylight in Äkäslompolo is very limited in December. At the beginning of the month, there are around 2-3 hours of daylight, but by the middle of December the area enters polar night, when the sun does not rise above the horizon at all. Even during polar night, it is not completely dark all day – there are several hours of soft blue-grey twilight around the middle of the day. By the very end of December, the sun begins to return, with around an hour of direct daylight again.
The currency in Finland is the Euro. Card payments are widely accepted in Äkäslompolo, including in shops, cafés, restaurants and at the ski resort, so you are unlikely to need much, if any, cash during your stay. Contactless payments are also commonly used. You may wish to carry a small amount of euros as a backup, but there is no need to bring a significant amount of cash with you. There is also an ATM at the supermarket if needed.
We recommend travelling in your normal winter clothes rather than wearing all of your Arctic layers for the journey. Airports and aircraft can be very warm, so dressing too heavily can quickly become uncomfortable. You’ll spend very little time outside between Kittilä Airport and your transfer to the accommodation, and once you arrive you can change into your thermals and additional layers as needed. A warm coat, hat and gloves are sensible to have easily accessible for arrival.
For Euro Traveller (Economy), the standard British Airways allowance is 1 checked bag up to 23kg per person. You can also take 1 cabin bag up to 56 x 45 x 25cm and 1 smaller handbag/laptop bag up to 40 x 30 x 15cm on board per person.
For Club Europe (Business Class), the standard allowance is 2 checked bags per person, with each bag weighing up to 32kg. Club Europe passengers can also take the same 1 cabin bag plus 1 smaller handbag/laptop bag on board per person.
Baggage allowances can occasionally vary by ticket or route, so the allowance shown on your e-ticket should always be treated as the final confirmation.