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Dreaming of a white Christmas ... in Santa's Lapland

Lapland, Europe

Reindeers, huskies, tobogganing, lots of snowy activities - ice fishing, snow hockey and riding mini skidoos, elves around every corner, spectacular shows and a sleigh ride venturing deep into the forest to visit Santa’s secret hideaway for an unforgettable private visit at his workshop. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas …this is Christmas in Santa’s homeland, Lapland.

Most Christmas tours will take you to Rovaniemi, where you’ll find Santa Claus’ Village, if you travel a little further north to Saariselka you’ll discover a little less ‘touristy’ yet still all the ingredients for a truly magical white Christmas experience.

Four or five nights is a good time to spend in Lapland, allowing you to enjoy all the activities and increase your chances of seeing the Northern Lights too. In December there is approx. only two and a half hours of daylight – it takes a bit of time to acclimatise to the constant dark skies.

As part of your Lapland experience you will be provided with the appropriate thermal snowsuits and outdoor boots as well as woollen socks and thermal mittens you’ll need to keep warm in the below zero temperatures, so you don’t need to worry about your suitcase being full of all the bulky stuff!

The lead-up to Christmas is the most popular time to visit Lapland - you will need to book early (at least a year in advance), this also includes pre-booking your activities. Alternatively, if you’d like a little more flexibility and pay slightly lower prices, you can still enjoy your Lapland ‘Christmas’ in late November/early December, instead of travelling at Christmas itself.

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Chanel Gray

House of Travel Palmerston North: The Square

From a young age I dreamed of taking adventures and exploring the world, and my passion has continued to grow the more places I have visited.

I love sharing my knowledge and experience with clients, and helping them plan their dream trips.

I'm a passionate traveler & always look forward to planning the next trip, whether it's for my clients or myself.

So far I've visited over 33 countries & experienced many types of travel including independent, small group tours, coach touring & cruising.

Chanel

Alison Jenkins

House of Travel Hamilton East (formely Calder and Lawson)

Having a love of travel, I completed a Bachelor of International Tourism Management in 2013.

After a 6 month stint working at Walt Disney World in Florida I returned to NZ and started my career in the travel industry.

After three years I was feeling the itch to travel again so I decided to embark on my second OE and moved to the UK. Living and working there allowed me to travel Europe extensively and my favourite country to date would be Poland. I returned to NZ in 2020.

Alison

Shaunice Bray

House of Travel Hornby

Since 2016, I’ve been helping travellers like you design unforgettable journeys – backed by my own travel experiences across Europe, Southeast Asia, the USA, the Pacific Islands, and Australia. I’m not just passionate about travel – I live it, and I bring that energy to every itinerary I create!

With a calm approach under pressure and a sharp eye for detail, I make sure no moment of your trip is left to chance. But most importantly, I take the time to truly connect with you, so every adventure feels personalised, seamless, and stress-free.

Let’s plan something incredible together.

Shaunice