Lapland

[chuckading]

I'm hoping to take my son for a short trip to Lapland this christmas. Looking for recommendations for travel agents to go with or those to avoid, as there seem to be a lot of websites that don't look too professional!
Also, any advice, those who have already been may have would be great please.
thank you

I was going to post this earlier but didn't get around to it, so following with interest!

Ooh I'm so following this. Very interested in doing this this year before my DC get any older!

I went with ds last Christmas. I booked a Thomas Cook package through local travel agent. We went to Levi in Finnish Lapland and would highly recommend.

It's a ski resort so lots of choice of restaurants, activities and excursions.
The set "trips" with Thomas Cook package were enough for ds as he just wanted to sledge. Sledges are plentiful!

There are lots of extra trip available, I'd advise to wait until you're there and book through local shops and tourist places.

I might even go again, it really is well worth it. Such an adventure

Thank you Heidi did Thomas Cook provide you with thermal winter clothing or did you have to buy your own?

I went in December through Thomson. We stayed at the snow elf hotel. All gear was loaned to us. It was just amazing. I could cry thinking about it!

We went twice with Iglu. Once when kids were little and still believed, once when they were older. Both times were amazing.

We went twice with Iglu. Once when kids were little and still believed, once when they were older. Both times were amazing.

The Baltic Travel Co are really good.

chuckading we were provided with outerwear. Snow suits were fab, I'd taken our own boots- I'm glad I did, theirs were fine just a bit heavy. Also took our own gloves and hats and thick socks although they are also provided. Ds wore a fleece balaclava with a woolly hat on top too.

Ds wore a ski base layer which tbh was enough although he did wear 2 layers under the suit on a night time. I wore 100 denier opaque tights, thick leggings, a vest and cotton polo neck(all from Primark!) under my suit. It was definitely enough.

Don't go for less than 4 days/3 nights, it would be too much squeezed into less.

Book it

We went a few years ago with The Magic of Lapland and stayed in Yllas. Probably a bit more expensive than the big tour operators but a much more individual experience. DSs were 3 and 7 when we went and so authentic was the experience that 5 years later at 12 years old DS1 still believes . We've now been back to Finland for winter sports 3 times since then as we love the country so much.

You will need to buy base layers, hats, scarves, gloves and thermal socks to go under the outer snow suits. I stocked up at Decathlon. We went one February so it wasn't as cold (-7) as it was in December (-20) but we needed all those layers.

Thank you everyone, that's all really helpful.

Another question... as I've been looking around I've realised there isn't one particular place to see Father Christmas, naively i actually thought there may just be one Father Christmas in Lapland!!

So where was the best place to meet Father Christmas?
thank you

On our package we went by coach to "Santas Village". It consisted of 5/6 "stations".
One of which was Santas cabin. All of the kids got a small gift and you could spend 5 minutes chatting to him.

The other stations were Mrs Claus house where she baked with the children and told them stories, a post office where his elves helped post letters and post cards home and they could also make tree decorations.

As part of the Thomas Cook package each transfer coach was assigned an elf who was basically a Finnish person dressed up. During the trips out they were very mischievous and helped the kids sledge and make snowmen and stuff. It was more authentic than I thought it would be and ds absolutely loved it