A White Christmas

There are many ways of visiting Lapland, we decided to spend our family White Christmas in a log cabin in the woods, complete with open fire and a Christmas tree! Our chosen resort of Levi was very festive and offers plenty of facilities and activities, both outdoor and indoor, important as it can be very cold at times inside the Arctic Circle. In fact, we were lucky with the weather, it was mild for the time of year with temperatures ranging between +3C and -5C but still plenty of snow!

A direct charter flight of approx. 3 hours and a 15 min coach transfer means the town is very accessible. And although it is only a small town, you will find modern and traditional accommodation in both self-catering apartments and cabins as well as hotels on half board basis.

Levi appeals to a range of visitors but is especially suitable for families as children are well catered for. We all had great fun in the snow and there are so many winter activities to do, reindeer sleigh rides, dog sledding, snow mobiling (young children are towed in a covered pod so they are safe and warm), ice fishing, skiing (both downhill & cross country) or simply sledging.

Of course Lapland is the home of Santa Claus and there is plenty of opportunity to see the Big Man himself, there are organised trips to his home and workshop or even a private visit to your accommodation, as we chose. Our boys were amazed when he arrived and asked to come inside and meet them!

Levi is one of Finland’s ski resorts and home to the World Cup Run. Whilst it is not a vast ski domain like the Alps, it is suited to beginners and intermediates and great for ‘family ski’. The pistes are not overcrowded, the instructors speak good English, and it is a novelty that the pistes are floodlit, as there is only around 3-4 hours daylight during the winter months.

Kids Land is one of 3 areas around the Fell (mountain) where it is free to ski, there are 2 lifts and 3 nursery slopes as well as a sledging slope, play area and children’s crèche.

Many potential visitors to Lapland are concerned it will be too cold for them. Appropriate warm clothing is required but if you don’t have your own and don’t want to invest, you can hire thermal suits and boots to keep you cosy. You can also warm up throughout the day by visiting a kota, a traditional teepee with an open fire. Inside, there is warm berry juice on offer and you can bring along some sausages to cook.

A short drive from Levi we visited the Snow Village and this was our family favourite! It is such an amazing sight and includes a restaurant and bar, a licenced chapel for wedding ceremonies and the beautifully carved Ice Suites. We didn’t stay overnight although you can, but we did enjoy a drink in the Ice Bar! With so much to do, our once in a lifetime trip will probably be repeated before too long! If you are interested in a visit Lapland too, please let me know and I can put together some recommendations for you!