Christmas is one of the best times for the family to come together and at Activities Abroad, we think there’s nothing more special than creating shared memories with your children on a holiday to Lapland. A winter holiday gives you the opportunity to experience once-in-a-lifetime activities together as a family, and of course, that all important meeting with Father Christmas.
Here are our top 5 Father Christmas holidays for 2018:
1. Saariselkä - Aurora Cabins and Finding Father Christmas
The Northern Lights Village in Saariselkä, Finland is true to its name. Situated in prime Aurora viewing territory, you won’t want to take your eyes off the night sky. Luckily, you won’t have to as you will be staying in your very own cosy Aurora Cabin with glass roof for the entire holiday! Children will love the excuse to stay up past bedtime if the Northern Lights are dancing above your room.
The real highlight of this three-night holiday, however, is the magical encounter you and your family will have with Father Christmas. You’ll start your adventure by baking gingerbread with a friendly elf before going on a short reindeer sleigh ride. Next, it’s time for your exciting search for Father Christmas’ cabin in the snowy forest, travelling in a sleigh pulled by the guide’s snowmobile. Once you find his cabin, you’re invited inside for a personal meeting with the man himself. The children can tell Father Christmas all about their wish list and they’ll even receive a gift to take home with them.
Departure dates: 13 December – 03 January 2018
Price: From £1325 per adult and £855 per child.
Includes: Flights, transfers, three night’s stay in Aurora Cabin, half-board meals and search for Father Christmas activity.
View the full itinerary for this holiday here.
2. Ranua - Father Christmas and Arctic Animal Encounters
In Finland, the main festive celebrations take place on Christmas Eve and on your holiday to Ranua you’ll take part in this tradition for a day to remember.
On this five-night holiday, you’ll kick off the festivities by searching for the perfect Christmas tree in the enchanting wintery forest that surrounds Ranua. Adults will have the thrilling opportunity to travel by snowmobile, whilst children will be safely whizzed along in a sled.
Next, it’s time for the main event – your own meeting with Father Christmas! You and your family will spend quality time with the man in red talking about his wonderful life in Lapland and your experiences here too.
Though Christmas Eve is the big day in Finland, we still make your Christmas Day extra special. You’ll have your own guided tour through Ranua Wildlife Park and you’ll meet over 50 different types of animals, including polar bears, wolves and the Arctic fox!
Departure dates: 21 December 2018
Price: From £1595 per adult and £1075 per child.
Includes: Flights, transfers, 5 night’s stay in apartment, full-board meals, snowmobile search for Christmas tree, meeting with Father Christmas, Christmas festivities, guided tour of the Wildlife Park with animal feeding and access to Ranua Wildlife Park throughout your stay.
View the full itinerary for this holiday here.
3. Kuusamo – A Magical Search for Father Christmas
Kuusamo is known for its natural beauty and this four-night holiday completely makes the most of it.
Not only do we offer amazing experiences to explore the landscape such as husky safaris, snowmobile-pulled sled rides, and snowshoeing, but we also keep your meeting with Father Christmas completely natural too.
In a truly memorable experience, you and your children will get to spend time at Father Christmas’ house. Here, you’ll help Mrs Claus with some baking and enjoy a delicious meal as well as learning songs and hearing stories from Mr Claus, something that is sure to make this encounter a magical moment the whole family will cherish.
Departure dates: 08 December – 15 December 2018
Price: From £1955 per adult and £1365 per child.
Includes: Flights, transfers, 4 night’s stay in winter cottage or apartment, full-board meals, husky safari, meeting with the reindeer, snowmobile-pulled sled ride, snow sculpting, feeding the winter animals with the elves, snow fun with snowshoeing and kick sledging, Angry Birds Activity Park entrance for one day, snowshoe search for Father Christmas, a meeting with Father Christmas.
View the full itinerary for this holiday here.
4. Jeris – Christmas in a winter cottage
Imagine coming in from a day exploring a winter wonderland to your own cosy cottage and relaxing in front of the log fire.
Jeris, situated in the north of Finnish Lapland, is a winter wilderness of lakeside settings and deep snow, and these winter cottages are the perfect home away from home.
What’s more, we’ve organised some great experiences for the whole family. Parents will love the afternoon spent at the spa pools with magnificent views of the frozen lake, fells and forest. Whereas the dog-sledding is an adventure the children will love.
This seven-night holiday takes place over Christmas itself so you’ll celebrate with your family in true Finnish style on Christmas Eve.
Of course, we’ve arranged for you and your children to meet Mr Claus himself to really complete your festive holiday. You’ll visit Father Christmas one family at a time to ensure your meeting is a personal and special one.
Departure dates: 23 December 2018
Price: From £2395 per adult and £1395 per child.
Includes: Flights, transfers, 7 night’s stay in winter cottage, full-board meals, treasure hunt, snowmobile safari, cross-country skiing, Christmas crafts, snow fun, afternoon spa, search for the wishing tree, an audience with Father Christmas, husky safari, reindeer farm and sleigh ride, visit a winter village.
View the full itinerary for this holiday here.
5. Ranua – Festive Family Adventure
The run-up to Christmas is more often than not, a stressful time. During this four-night family adventure in Ranua, however, you’ll swap the stress for some truly unforgettable experiences.
From visiting the Arctic animals at Ranua Wildlife Park to a dog-sledding adventure along the snowy trails. Going on an exciting snowmobile search for the Northern Lights and, of course, meeting Father Christmas himself – this lead up to Christmas is certain to bring the festive cheer!
Departure dates: 17 December 2018
Price: From £1785 per adult and £995 per child.
Includes: Flights, transfers, 4 night’s stay in superior apartment, full-board meals, entrance and guided tour of Ranua Wildlife Park (including feeding the animals and meeting the polar bears), husky safari, reindeer sleigh ride, Northern Lights snowmobile safari, Father Christmas visit.
View the full itinerary for this holiday here.
Here at Activities Abroad, we’re passionate about providing holidays that are all about quality family experiences. We’ve carefully designed our itineraries to ensure you make the most of your time in these incredible destinations but more importantly, you do it together.
These are trips that the whole family will talk about for years to come, and we can’t wait for you to start making your cherished memories. Talk to one of our Travel Experts today on 01670 789 991 to plan your Father Christmas holiday 2018.
Image credit: Markku Inkila, Hotel Gulo Gulo, Vastavelo, Antti Pietikainen
Travel Website Development
