LapLand
We're considering taking the kids on a trip to Lapland later this year. 10 years ago we took my older two on a winter wonderland day trip and it was amazing, magical. We would love to take our younger two this time, so they can have the experience.
Although, last time we did a day trip (3-hour flight early in the morning and 3-hour flight in the evening), this time we're thinking of doing a mid-week visit, or at least 3/4 days. The day trip was amazing and I would do it again, but we would love to be able to relax and take our time and enjoy the whole experience.
When we were there we tried reindeer meat (meatballs), we drank in the ice bar, where everything was made out of ice, including the stools we sat on. We crammed in a lot that day - sledging, snow tubing, kids skidoo through the forest, meeting Santa of course, and some arts and crafts.
When we arrived the first thing we did was join the queue to see Santa (even though the queue was big). The kids hadn't stopped going on about meeting him, and we were so lucky we did see him first thing, as we watched families leave it to much later in the day to join the queue to see Santa, and some ran out of time and they actually didn't get to see Santa - could you imagine, going all that way and not seeing Santa.
For us when we visited that day 10 years ago, it was total magic from start to end, and a trip of a lifetime for the kids. And, I want to give my youngest two the same wonderful experience their older siblings had; to visit the wonderful Lapland and to step inside a fairy tale book, to given them the magic into their lives.
Lapland is so picturesque, we drank hot mulled wine in the snow-filled forest, and although the day was compact and slightly hurried, it was amazing. We would, however, love to return, but in a far more relaxed manner, staying in Finland, for 4 days or more.
So 2017 winter we are considering organising a holiday to Lapland, to experience and to see the beautiful snow-topped fells, snow-covered trees, meeting huskies and reindeer and a relaxed day in Father Christmas’s house; baking festive cookies and enjoying the festive cheer!