Magic mix of Santa and Lapp dancing
Husky rides, reindeer, snowy forests, an ice park... Aine O'Connor finds her child quickly warms to northern Finland
The reindeers pulling the sleigh behind are tame and sometimes catch up to say hello, while the huskies take you on a ride which is fast, fun and over too soon
IT was a warm December day in Lapland, a balmy -4C. Our guide, dressed in local thermal wear, was well prepared for any cold-weather event, and having collected a coach-load or two of Santa- hunters from the Dublin flight, was bringing us to get changed into our own thermal suits and boots. The Lapland visit, per se, was just beginning, but the day was well advanced. Time had taken on an odd surreal tinge, we'd got up at four o'clock in the morning for a flight at seven. My seven-year-old daughter was entranced to see that, according to our check-in counter, we were heading for the North Pole.
It was dark when we took off but bright for most of the nearly four-hour flight to northern Finland. A full breakfast and Christmas-themed sing-song proved very popular with my companion, who insisted her sleepy mother join in with every line of Silent Night. After the brightness of being in the sky, the dusk that greeted us upon arrival in Rovaniemi seemed odd. Especially because it was one o'clock. They're two hours ahead, our body clocks were thrown into complete disarray, but then time is hardly the most important thing when you're off to visit an icon.
Suited and booted, our first stop was a reindeer farm designed for visitors. There were plenty of activities there, for which we were divided into groups. Being surrounded by snow is pretty magical anyway, but as what little light there was faded quickly, it was completely dark by three, and we found ourselves in a snowy forest at night. During the day. The kerosene lights burning along the edges of the pathways sank deeper into the snow and along with the braziers that burned around the place, the reflections, smell and shadows, the whole effect was entrancing.
Despite the alleged mildness of the day, -40C wouldn't be unusual, and the snow was too frozen for either snowball fights or snowmen. Our first activity was to visit Santa in his log house. His elf, complete with pointy ears, guided the children to sit in a circle around the fire. Santa spoke to them and gave them each a gift of a fluffy toy husky. My child was one of the few to refuse to have a souvenir photo with the star of the show.
Next, the husky ride. We went on a short circuit in a sled pulled by eight dogs. The huskies smelt as you'd expect huskies to smell and the ride was fast and fun, over too soon for mother and daughter.
Lunch was a choice of familiar food, all but some drinks were included in the price, and the warm food and beverages were very welcome, as cold brings hunger. We went out to see the reindeer and went on a convoy sleigh ride. It was snowing a little by then, very beautiful, exotic and cold; gloves and scarves are an absolute necessity. The reindeers are extremely tame, the ones pulling the sleigh behind would occasionally catch up and come up to say hello.
There were toboggans, which proved very popular with my daughter, and it was nice to be moving rather than sitting. They got us moving again with a traditional Lappish dance and there was a brazier at the end where one of the guides was brewing up strong sweet tea, there was shortbread too which we thought was dusted with icing sugar, but was, in fact, covered in flakes of snow.
We went then to see an example of a traditional Lappish home, where a Sami lady told us the story of the four winds which explains the traditional four-pointed hat of Lapland. We tasted reindeer milk and she marked our foreheads with ashes, if we kept them on for a day we'd be certain to return to Lapland.
Back on the bus then to go to Santa's Village -- which was as touristy as it sounds, but not tacky. Some shops, an ice slide, giant snowman and the neon line that denotes crossing into the Arctic Circle. Here, most things had to be paid for, in the Ice Bar and museum and the tiny ice fun park where we slid down ice runs on rubber rings. We really enjoyed that and it's great to see an ice bar and bed and sculptures through the first-time eyes of a child.
There were some shops that didn't seem too overpriced and the shopping in the airport is limited, so anyone looking for their Lappish souvenirs should buy them in the village.
Once you've paid the price of the trip there are few costs on site. It was very enjoyable. There's a very short window when kids are of an age for the magic, it would be wasted on very small children, I suggest, but seven was the perfect age. There were firsts for both of us and it is the making of a lifetime memory that we were extremely lucky to get the chance to experience.
- Aine O'Connor
