A Magical Christmas in Levi, Lapland
We decided on a one week holiday over Christmas Day, so we could have a white Christmas. It was amazing and so cold! Minus 14 degrees on arrival! It took a while to get used to the temperatures but if you’re dressed right you'll be fine. We stayed in a beautiful self-catering log cabin in the woods, the cabins were huge with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a huge wood burner in the lounge (free wood provided) and even our own sauna. I took my own fairy lights to put up too to make it more Christmassy. I think you were even able to pre order a Christmas tree at an extra cost! The cabins also had floor to ceiling glass, to look out into the snowy woodland and we were fortunate enough to look out onto the reindeer pen, where the girls would feed the reindeer each day.
Everything was in walking distance (or sledging distance I should say) as this seemed to be the preferred method of transport with all the kids! Most hotels have sledges laying around for everyone to use, the kids love this! All the ski slopes are flood lit with tobogganing areas at the bottom for the younger ones. They have to be as daylight is only around 5five hours a day and even then it is more like dusk. There are even dedicated areas for kids where they can toboggan and practice skiing using a mini ski (rope) lifts. There’s also a hut where you can help yourself to hot berry juice and sit around the fire to warm up and dry out or even toast a sausage!
Ski schools are available for the kids. My five year old, Emily tried her hand at skiing and my eight year old, Bella took to snowboarding. By the end of the holiday, never having skied before, they both came down the top of the mountain with me! They loved it.
Away from the slopes there are also many activities that you can enjoy. These were our highlights;
Husky sledding
Wow, what an experience! It’s scary at first but so much fun! They are so fast and you have to control them whilst the kids and other adult sit behind in the sled. The dogs are so excitable at first, then once they get going and we head into the open, it’s stunning, the scenery is amazing and it’s so silent and peaceful. Wrap up extra warm though and be sure to take hand and feet warmers for yourself and the kids.
Snowmobile Safari
Again this was amazing, myself and my husband shared a snowmobile (the kids were pulled in a sleigh behind the tour guide). He drove the first half to the reindeer farm and I drove back. The reindeer farm was lovely. After arriving we met with the local Lappish women who took us inside and warmed us up with hot chocolate, before feeding the reindeers. They were very friendly and hungry - the reindeer that is!
Santas Workshop and the Elves cottage
What a fab day trip with the kiddies. It was dusk when we arrived at the Elf village and everything was all lit up with fairy lights, it looked so magical. We met our Elf, Mimi who took us on a tour around the elf village by toboggans and sleds. We looked in the elves cottages, went through snowy woodlands and even played football with Elves, it was lots of fun. Afterwards we went into Santa’s Workshop, the kids had hot berry and mum and dad had mulled wine! We then made Christmas decorations and cookies with Mimi. Then to top the day off, we met the man himself! The kids actually got to sit on his lap too, as did mummy (must have been the mulled wine!)
The major highlight of our trip was that we saw the Northern Lights! Of course you can never guarantee this, I even went on a Northern Lights snowmobile safari late one night with a group of others, but after searching for three hours in -35 temperatures we saw nothing. It was only when we were walking home after dinner one night we saw them, right there and then, above our heads dancing in the sky and changing from blue to green. It was the most incredible sight we'd ever seen. It lasted for 30 minutes then they were gone as quickly as they had appeared. I feel so lucky to have seen them and they've definitely made me want to go back for more!
I can’t recommend Lapland enough - it is definitely a once in a life time experience especially if you have young kids. You get to meet the real life Santa! Now that's got to be worth it!
If you’re interested in a similar holiday for this year or next, then please get in touch, I'd love to help. Don't leave it too long, Santa’s very popular!