Going to Lapland for the day - what to wear?

[saythatagain]

Tis very exciting (haven't told dd yet either). Was just wondering what to actually wear if anyone has been. TIA

Anybody.....please!

Having lived in Canada for 3 years and it gets to - 25 there

Wear lots and lots of layers

And obviously a warm hat

HAVE A DEFFO BRILL time

How old is DD?

We are going too- aparrently you get suits that make you look like a teletubby and boots, but the hoods are loose so a hat or even better a balaclava, gloves to go inside(though they said there'd be a big bin of waterproof outer ones),scarf and I'm putting us all in thermals vests and our slipper socks/ football socks-can't stand the thought of being cold.

Thanks for your replies. DD is 5 and a half. We daren't tell her just in case something riduculousy ludicrous happens (weather etc)! I had read about the layers - was wondering where to buy cheap thermal clothing.
Defineme - who are you going with?

I got kids thermals from Lidl or Aldi (can't remember which) and thermals for me & hubbie for M&S (purely because at the time i was buying that was where i could get them from).
Hubbie & I wore tracksuit trousers (warm fleecy ones) and layers on top half.
DD had tights and socks with thermals and trousers. DS just socks and trousers with thermals. Both had vests, t-shirts, jumpers, coat.

Layers a necessity but need to be able to look after them all as airport hot!

You'll have a fantastic time. The suits/boots/hats/gloves can all be worn over what you wear so you should be absolutely fine.

Do try to get your DC to warn you LONG before toilet required tho, as 1) there'll be a queue and 2) it'll take you ages to disrobe!

Thanks flatmouse especially re the toilet thing!
When you say -
'The suits/boots/hats/gloves can all be worn over what you wear so you should be absolutely fine'
...is that what they provide? If so, would you think it better to get your own (thinking of hygiene - saddo that I am!!)

Saythat - we went two years ago and we were dead hot!

The company provides you with snow suits, boots and gloves and socks if IRC. Put them on over jeans and a sweatshirt and take your own hat. Honest, those suits are brilliant and you'll be warm as toast.

Ok - thanks Doodlez. So, maybe not bother with thermal stuff then?

well I bought us all thermal tops and and leggings and we wore them under our jeans and sweatshirts but like I say, we were roasting.

That said, the thermal were bloody lovely to wear as pyjamas after the trip, so if you can afford them, get them and wear them on the day so you can be absolutely sure the children are cosy because you will get wear out of them afterwards anyway.

It's a lovely day (well, ours was) and it's ram packed full of lovely memories. Take loads of pics and a bit of video footage if you can.

I think DH and I got more out of it than the children in some respects but no way would I have missed it for the world!

Thanks Doodlez - I am so excited. I had been saving up for this for such a long time; booked in December last year! Will go ahead with the the thermal purchase. If I could ask just one more thing? What about money (I know its ?) but was wondering how much to take with us, bearing in mind we are not big on buying 'tat'!

Well we went with Esprite and then were NOTHING to buy! You get off the plane and on to a coach which takes you to the town. You change into all the gear (bit manic at this point as loads of people try to find the right sized clothing but staff were dead helpful).

Back on the coach for a few minutes and you get to the 'place'. We were given lunch at this point (included in the price). It was a bit hit and miss - my children were having nothing to so with the salmon and herring soup that came as a starter, so have a few snacks in your bag!).

Then we went sledging, ice cutting, ski-dooing, reindeer ride, drank mulled wine sort of stuff cept it was made out of berries.....all sorts of stuff. Then we went to see Father Christmas (he chatted to the kids and told them the most important thing in life is always to tell the truth - so, here's a bloke in a big, red suit and fake beard telling the kids he is someone he's not but not to lie - hands up, DH & I sniggered [blush}).

We were going to buy a coffee and hotchocolate from the little cafe area but as we were thinking it, sure enough, we were offered both (included in the price!). We finished on the huskie sledges (FANTASTIC!) and then back on the coach.

We spent a bit of money at the airport on food and drinks whilst we waited for flight and we could have bought 'tat' there but, like you, it's not really our thing.

So you won't need much is my short answer

Ask any questions - I'll do my best. I love having someone to talk to about it

Ok Doodlez!
Is there a private changing place or will I have to wear thermals on plane? - I am a very hot person normally!Think I might just go with warm trousers and big socks if it is actually too warm with thermalsill a snowsuit really fit over my duffle coat or should I wear a fleece and leave my duffle in the changing place?

I am going with Canterbury Travel.

I am slightly concerned that I'm going in 2 weeks and the weather says it's raining in Lapland today- if there's no snow I will be very very very sad!

How do 4 or 7 yr olds cope with getting up at 4.30 am to go to the airport?

My two were 6 and 4 years old at the time.

We didn't tell them anything until we woke them at 4am - then we said "Father Christmas wants to see us - we have to go now!". Man, it was exciting!

On the plane, ALL the children were fantastically well behaved....I mean, it was almost odd that so many excited children could be so lovely! On the way home, after what must have been the longest, busiest, most exciting day of their short lives, they were ALL well behaved as well. Tired and many slept, but even so, it was pretty remarkable.

On take-off, I was sitting next to a Grandad and his grnadson. As the plane threw us back in to our seats and climbed in to the sky, the little boy shouted "GRANDAD, GRANDAD....IT MAKES YOUR WILLY FEEL ALL TICKLY, DOESN'T IT?"

Re: Duffle coat - I wouldn't to be honest....too thick, heavy and restrictive. I'd wear a fleece. As for thermals, take them with you and change in to them if you prefer. There wasn't a 'private' changing place as such - communal scrummage really but there are toilets at the changing place, so just nip in there.

Dunno about the weather - we had snow and ice but oddly, it wasn't that cold. We arrived in daylight but within an hour, it had gone dark which is a bit disconcerting but adds to the atmosphere.

I reckon they'll have snow machines and such like though.

I'm trying to upload some photo's on to my profile for you to see the suits but me pics are a bit big. I'll try and re-size.

OK - couple of pics on profile. They're not brilliant because I can't get them brighter on here - give you a bit of an idea though!

Thank you! The pics are lovely. It will be ds2 talking about his willy. We have never taken them on a plane before either!

Defineme - we're going with Canterbury in 3 weeks! Do let me know how you get on.
Doodlez - I love the idea of waking up dd and saying 'father christmas needs to see us now'!

We went with Canterbury - it was fantastic.
It was also FREEZING and for our trip thermals were definitely required (strip off extra layers in coach).
Re Money, i forgot until the day before (it was big suprise for DH 40th and i was organising it all and had booked a year in advance!) so borrowed some euros from a neighbour.
We only spent money in the airport on way back because 1) we were in need of another drink and 2) they had some gorgeous xmas tree decs and we wanted to buy one as a memory of our trip (much discussion each time it's put on the tree!)
Apart from airport, hangar (where we got kitted up) and coach we were outside the whole time. We wore provided hats and gloves and socks over our own.
We did husky rides, reindeer rides (both obv sledge pulled by!) ice fishing .. lots of other things. Hot drinks and food were available and every so often would be half an oil barrel filled with burning logs to warm around!
We went in 2006, so DD was 3 and DS was 6. They still ask to go back.
Actually looking back at pics, we wore our own hats but used their gloves over our gloves.

A call to defineme! - Have you had your Lapland day trip yet? Remember to let us know all about it please!

Hi,
We got in very late last night.
It was really good and I think Canterbury were good.

It was -15 and snowing when we arrived. I found the Finnish meteorological website gave weather/snow depth for Ontiki airport.
We were 30 minutes late going out because it was touch and go if we could make it because of thick cloud ovber lapland.

The only time you need your own coats/shoes is for a 2 minute walk from the plane to the airport building-so if you can avoid falling over in the snow at that point then you don't need massive coats/boots of your own.

I nearly expired on the plane with my thermals on- so I would maybe put them on when I got there in the loo- and on the kids as they don't mind getting changed with hundreds of people. My husband was fine in my wooly tights and my dd wore her tights so long johns not necessary. We wore fleeces under the snowsuits they gave us and were boling, but you can always stuff them in your backpack. We had ski socks on but dh fine in thick socks and their boots.

We had to queue for boots/suits/gloves and helmets that came with thin balaclavas. Good to know everyones shoe size and the kids height in cm -but they are good at weighing you up. The getting changed bit is a bind (the kids get hot and annoyed in our case!)and there's hundreds of people but it is well organised.

The helmets were law for the sledge ride (pulled by a skidoo) to the village which was over frozen lakes and through dark snowy forests for about 20 minutes-magic, but the only time I was cold and thsat was only my nose!

I was glad we had our own gloves, took spare and their gloves because the kids dug in the snow and got snow inside all their gloves.
Santa was impressive (real beard), but the husky sledge ride was my favourite and the kids all thought the sledging and mini skidoos were the best thing-but mainly all the snow.

The cafe was ok but a bit crowded as we were a group of 7 so hard to sit together.Food was basic potatoes/pasta/pancakes but you
could go back all day.

The ice palace was serving hot choclate and ginger biscuits on tables of ice-much better!

We all stripped off our thermals back at the airport and that was the only place to spend money other than the one gift shop that we didn't go in and alcohol on the plane.

The plane was very delayed on the way back due to weather so that was the only pain-nothing to do with lapland itself.

It's made me want to go on a winter activity holiday even though I hate skiing-the sledging and snow is so much fun and the building snowmen in a dark pine forest is very surreal but magic!

We told the kids 2 days before cos ds1 doesn't handle suprises well and dd doesn't handle being woken up well!