So you’ve secured your adventure to True Lapland with us and are counting down the days to your departure…
What can you do to get into the spirit? Enhance your upcoming winter holiday by reading a book, watching a film or trying a craft that evokes this magical location.
Here, we’ve selected a few of our favourite stories and activities that bring to mind the vast snow-blanketed landscapes, Nordic reindeer or festive Finnish traditions you’ll soon experience authentically deep inside the Arctic Circle.
READ or WATCH: A Boy Called Christmas
Books and films about Santa are a great way to get into the Christmas spirit – especially as you’ll be meeting Father Christmas in his time-honoured home on your trip!
Bestselling author Matt Haig has captured the essence of the season along with the magic of Lapland in his Christmas trilogy.
When he began writing the first book, A Boy Called Christmas, he decided to set it in northern Finland because it’s the traditional home of Santa. Haig was also enchanted by the Finnish names for people and places there.
His story follows a young boy named Nikolas raised in a remote village in Finland. He goes in search of a fabled land called Elfhelm with his talking pet mouse. During the journey, Nikolas befriends a reindeer named Blitzen and two elves… ultimately discovering – through hardship, hope and perseverance – that his destiny is far greater than he ever imagined.
In 2021, A Boy Called Christmas was adapted for the big screen starring Henry Lawful, Toby Jones, Sally Hawkins, Jim Broadbent and Maggie Smith – and much of the filming took place in Lapland! Scenes were shot in the northern Finnish locations of Kilpisjarvi and Jeris – which we visit on our Dashing Through the Snow and Sleigh Bells Ringing holidays, respectively.
Director Gil Kenan wanted to use real landscapes to make Haig’s book and its fantasy elements feel more genuine. The film showcases Lapland’s wintry wilderness so stunningly – complete with the Northern Lights, polar skies, pastel dawns and glowing sunsets – that you can almost feel the biting chill and crunch of snow underfoot!
In an interview with Film in Finland, Kenan recalled, “My first trip to Lapland was in December, and the wonder of the landscape (and the cold!) hit me like a shock. I will never forget the first sunrise when I stepped out of my room. A deep rich band of colours stretched across the sky in soft pinks and purples. I had never seen such colours.”
The film and book for A Boy Called Christmas provide a glimpse of the snow-covered terrain, frozen lakes and vivid skies that define this amazing place you’re about to visit… as well as convey wonder and the feeling that joyful things will happen when you believe!
READ, WATCH, LISTEN or SING: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Rudolph – and all of Santa’s reindeer – have become iconic symbols of Christmas. With your Lapland visit on the horizon, his heart-warming tale may feel even more special as you’ll soon be surrounded by real reindeer that will bring it to life in a whole new way!
Created by Robert L. May in 1939 as a booklet for customers of former American department store giant Montgomery Ward, it tells about the ninth and youngest of Santa’s reindeer… the one whose glowing nose saved Christmas Eve.
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The famous song was written about a decade later by May’s brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, and recorded by singing cowboy Gene Autry. It became a stop-motion animated television special in 1964 that is a beloved to this day. In fact, you could say all these versions of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer have gone ‘down in history’!
Native to Arctic regions, Lapland is one of the few places where reindeer are living, breathing companions to people. They are still herded by the indigenous Sami people as part of their livelihood and tradition.
Of course, on your trip you won’t spot any luminous red noses… but you will get up close to the real ‘gentle giants’ of Lapland and experience something far more authentic as you glide through the frozen wilderness on a reindeer-led sleigh!
DRINK: A steaming mug of glogi (or a hot mixed berry drink)
Imagine being immersed in a real-life snow globe. That’s what visiting Lapland can feel like, especially when you’re out on your excursions with the snow falling… and then there’s nothing quite like coming inside and being handed a mug of glogi. It’s comfort in a cup!
Throughout winter, the people in Lapland warm their bodies and hearts with hot beverages. Glogi is among them. It can contain wine and spices or be a simple hot fruit drink without alcohol – perfect for all ages to enjoy.
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Glogi is Finnish for the Swedish word glogg. Both terms describe the spiced mulled wine popular in Nordic countries, and similar to German gluhwein. Glogi arrived in Finland from Sweden in the late 19th century. Along with spices like cinnamon, sugar, clove, cardamom and orange peel, you’ll sometimes find raisins and almonds are added to give the flavour a bit of nuttiness.
Sipping a hot drink like glogi is a wonderful way to get into the spirit before your trip to Finnish Lapland. Mulled wine is the closest British equivalent, and for children hot blackcurrant squash is fruity and warming so also imparts the cosy winter atmosphere!
BAKE and EAT: Gingerbread biscuits
If you’re looking for a taste of Lapland – and Christmas – before you pack your bags, prepare a batch of piparkakku (the Finnish word for gingerbread)!
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You’ll find classic spice-laden Finnish recipes for piparkakku online. The shapes tend to be simple like snowflakes, hearts, trees or scalloped circles – without fancy icing or over-the-top decorations.
Few things bring Christmas to life like the smell of gingerbread drifting from your oven. (And note, if you've no time to bake, picking up gingerbread from the shop is just as good for getting into the spirit of the season!)
These biscuits will make a nice accompaniment to your mug of glogi. Enjoy them now as a tempting preview of the delights awaiting for you in Finnish Lapland!
MAKE: A Yule Goat
Rooted in ancient tradition and folklore, a goat is part of Finland’s winter solstice celebrations. Over time it also became associated with the spirit of Christmas. You may see straw figures of the Yule Goat in the windows of homes, shops, hotel reception areas and village squares when you visit.
Feeling crafty? Try making your own Yule Goat from straw – after soaking it in water for several hours so it’s pliable. Or if straw isn’t easily available, use something like dried wood wool, corn husks, raffia ribbon or even kraft wrapping paper. You’ll need scissors and some ribbon, typically red, too.
We’re not experts at this, but below is a rough outline to get you started... just add whatever cutting, twisting and tying it takes to make your Yule Goat stand proud!
To start: Take about 20 to 25 pieces of straw (or your alternative), bundle them together, trim the ends so they are even, and secure the middle with a ribbon.
The back end: Secure it again at the three-quarters point to create the torso. Divide the remaining quarter at the far end into three groups to create the back legs and tail. Bend three pieces of straw in one direction and plait them to form the tail. Then bend the rest in the other direction, dividing them in two groups and tying ribbon around them for each leg.
The front end: Moving on to the other half, follow the same process for the front legs – however, they may need trimming as they’ll be longer than the back legs. Add on extra pieces of straw (about 10) to the remaining three to form the neck and head. Fold these extra pieces in half and tie them on around the middle. Then bend everything together and upward securing this group at about one-eighth distance from the end. Bend that segment forward to form the head, and pull back a few pieces to plait for the horns.
Finally, put your Yule Goat on display in your window or by the Christmas tree to add cheer to your home... and get ready to spot many more when you arrive in Lapland!
We hope these treats and little things help you pass the time until your Christmas adventure begins. Before you know it, you’ll be touching down in the far North to celebrate a festive season like no other and create unforgettable memories. We can’t wait to welcome you to True Lapland!