Lapland - best ages?

[LangittleClegabbage]

Is a trip to Lapland still magical if one or more of the kids do not believe in Santa? Our eldest will be 9 this Christmas, and our youngest will be 2. I’d like to take the eldest whilst he still believes, and I’m guessing this will be the final year (if he lasts till then!). But have read that under 5s will have a crap time because they’ll get too cold, however much you layer them up.

Am wondering whether to consider taking just the older kids, and leaving 2 year old with GPs, or whether to just wait till they are all older. Thoughts gratefully received.

Anyone?

I took DS when he was 5 and it was a great age.

I would leave the 2yo at home and take them when they are older. I saw a lot of younger children there that really couldn't cope with the cold, they were constantly sobbing. They say it's best for 4 years and over.

Sorry, I meant take the older kids and leave the 2yo at home.

When we went there was a family with a teenager who was having a fab time - it's so much fun! I have a half-baked memory that it wasn't advised to take children before 3 but more to do with not having the snow suits for them. We took my daughter when she was 6 and she loved it! I loved it!

We went on an extended family trip when the 5 DC ranged between 3 and 11. We did have to be conscious of the cold for the 3 year old, and he wasn't able to get involved in some of the activities - Ice fishing, reindeer ride, huskies, snow mobiles etc., but he enjoyed playing with the husky puppies, and meeting Father Christmas. There were certainly no tears from the cold.

All of the DC believed in Father Christmas at that point (we had to tell DS that he wasn't real after that particular Christmas), which was certainly part of the magic.

Maybe go this year, and again in 4/5 years when your youngest can enjoy the experience fully.

Mine were 5 and 2. The two year old was cold all the time. She would play a bit but she didn’t love it.

I’m not sure how important believing is. The trip we went on (tui) was 4 days and we spent 15 minutes with the big man. He wasn’t mentioned much more than that.

If you are only going once I would wait a
Couple of years for the small one by then the big one can share creating the magic for with 4/5 year old whilst being in the know.

I’ve accepted we’ll go again for this reason!!!

Thanks, I do feel tempted to try and go this year, leaving the littlest with GPs.

Is it weird explaining why Santa is in Lapland, instead of the North Pole?

Which are the nest activities for under 10s?

*best

I told DD that it was too cold for us to visit the North Pole so Santa met people in Lapland. She was 7. We both loved it. She was old enough to enjoy it and we will remember it forever.