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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

What's the best age for seeing Santa in Lapland? 7 too old, 4 too young??

17 replies

NameChange30 · 03/12/2023 01:10

I want to take my children to Lapland while they still believe in Santa and find it all magical. I think that means going next December when my oldest will be 7 (a few months away from turning 8) as it'll be too late after that. The thing is, my youngest will only recently have turned 4. Is that too young?

The age gap makes it slightly tricky as I don't want to take them when my youngest still believes and my oldest doesn't...

OP posts:

DustyLee123 · 03/12/2023 01:42

I took a teen and a younger one, and they both loved it. It’s a whole experience, you don’t need to believe to enjoy it.
If you go just for the day it’s a long day, and the 4 year old might find it too much.

MargaritaHargitaysLittleSister · 03/12/2023 01:53

Took my DC when they were 7 and 5. Absolutely loved it. As Dusty says, it's a whole experience and will be magical for them.

Silkiefloof · 03/12/2023 02:42

I would normally say 5 plus due to extreme cold, some of the under 5s struggled. The day trip is a seriously long day. The 3 night one is better. I wouldn't worry about them not believing it's quite magical. Mine were 5 and 7 and we did 3 nights over Christmas.

Newuser75 · 03/12/2023 07:22

I think 8 will be fine. We took our eldest when he was almost 5 and he loved it but he doesn't seem to feel the cold 🤷‍♀️.

Our youngest is 4 nearly 5 now but we are holding off for a year or so because he really feels the cold and is much smaller than our eldest at the same age.

We are planning to take him next year or the year after.

Original poster

NameChange30 · 03/12/2023 07:31

Thanks all. So maybe we should wait until Dec 2025 when DC1 will be 8 and DC2 will be 5.

I definitely want to do 3 days and not the day trip - more time to enjoy the experience and the place. I was hoping to get a glimpse of the northern lights as well 🤞I'd actually love to go for a week but that would no doubt be even more expensive!

OP posts:

InTheRainOnATrain · 03/12/2023 07:35

That age gap does it tricky for all the ‘Christmas magic’ stuff but there’s so much more to Lapland than Santa! I think 5 would be better than 4 for the cold and stamina, so I’d be inclined to say wait a year, and if the eldest no longer believes then it doesn’t really matter because there’s so much other cool stuff to do that he’ll love.

Newuser75 · 03/12/2023 07:47

I would say 8 and 5 will be great. Definitely stay for as long as you can. Honestly you will love it. We did skiing, sledging , husky ride, reindeer sleigh, snowmobile. It's fab!

notahappybunny7 · 03/12/2023 07:55

I took my daughter at 5 and it was slightly too young, 6 would’ve been better. To say 7 is too old is absolutely ridiculous.

Original poster

NameChange30 · 03/12/2023 07:58

notahappybunny7 · 03/12/2023 07:55

I took my daughter at 5 and it was slightly too young, 6 would’ve been better. To say 7 is too old is absolutely ridiculous.

I don't think 7 is too old, no, but if I wait until DC2 is 6, DC1 will be 9 nearly 10, and would still enjoy it I'm sure, but as I said in my OP, I was hoping to take him while he still believes. However, based on everyone's advice, I think 4 will be too young so I'll go for 5 and 8. I guess I'll have to take the risk that DC1 no longer believes.

OP posts:

Adropofink · 03/12/2023 08:31

We went last year at 8 and just turned 6. Youngest still really struggled with the cold and freezing toes but by day 2 we got the hang of how to keep him warmer and it was better. I think they’d love it even more this year at 9 and 7. There were plenty 10 year olds on our trip loving it too.

Original poster

NameChange30 · 03/12/2023 14:10

I'm so excited now and have to wait 2 years dammit

OP posts:

Tiiredofthiss · 03/12/2023 14:22

Do 7 year olds still believe in santa? When I was in school everyone knew santa wasn't real from about year 1-year 2 but also understood it was a ruse you played along with for the magic of Christmas / to get more presents. Lapland will still be magical and fun at 7 years old either way though.

Silkiefloof · 03/12/2023 14:32

My DD was 7 when she went and she had worked out Santa wasn't real though lots hadn't but she said Lapland made her a re-believer! I think its magical anyway, Father Christmas is just a tiny part of it. The temp can vary - ours was -27C but some people have had it much milder. With the age it depends a bit on the child, my youngest was almost 6 and loved it but we had to take him to warm up in the restaurants whilst other waited in the queue but he's quite sensitive (asd). DD is much tougher and probably would have been fine at 4 but I tend to say 5 as a guide. There were quite a few who looked 3 and under crying due to cold.

Original poster

NameChange30 · 03/12/2023 14:46

Yeah she's 3 now and I definitely wouldn't have taken her this December. She is quite hardy so I do wonder whether she could manage it next year. Probably shouldn't risk it though.

OP posts:

notahappybunny7 · 07/12/2023 07:53

NameChange30 · 03/12/2023 14:46

Yeah she's 3 now and I definitely wouldn't have taken her this December. She is quite hardy so I do wonder whether she could manage it next year. Probably shouldn't risk it though.

She will manage it just fine, the reason I said mine was slightly too young is that she didn’t appreciate it. Don’t worry about the cold, if she is wearing appropriate clothes she will be fine.

poolviewthanks · 07/12/2023 21:07

I would go for longer if you can. Santas village is expensive but the rest of Lapland is much nicer and much cheaper in my opinion. If you want to do a week maybe investigate just doing a couple of days at Rovaneimi and then go out further afield for the rest of the time

TeamGeriatric · 09/12/2023 22:24

We went with Canterbury travel on the 3 night trip in 2018 when mine were 4 and 7. We all loved it. Cost an arm and a leg though. The older one, now 11 no longer believes, but still asks if we can go again. It can be very cold, it was just below freezing when we went, but it can equally be highs of -16 which feels a lot colder. If you go on one of these Santa holidays they give you all the gear you need and the snow boots, and you are on and off coaches between activities so you get a chance to warm up. Fabulous memories, it's a trip that definitely makes you feel the magic of Santa.

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