Our children are now 10 and 14, and whilst the 14-year-old has ceased to ‘believe’, we knew this trip would be something we would remember as a family forever.
The trip begins at home, when the children receive a magical parcel containing a Lapland snood, backpack, activity pack, drinking bottle and a special signed invitation from Santa to come meet him in person.
We arrived at Gatwick Airport and joined a community of fellow travellers, easily identifiable in the festive wear and backpacks. We flew with Jet2 and all the staff did everything possible to kick off the adventure, with games and songs on the flight. Our favourite game was passing the toilet roll from the front of the plane to the back without tearing it! Everyone also received a snack bag with cheese sandwich, juice, crisps and a cake which was much needed after our early start.
Upon landing, you are greeted by Elves who help you into thermal suits and boots – a smooth process which completely removes the need to spend lots of money buying your own equipment and lugging it about. All we needed to take were the gloves, hats, thick socks and scarves, though I would recommend snoods so you don’t trail anything behind you on rides.
We hopped into a wooden sleigh filled with reindeer skins and blankets and flew through the beautiful icy landscape pulled by a snowmobile. In the distance, fires and elves began to appear and we knew we had arrived in Santa’s village! This was my favourite moment. The scenery on the ride was breathtaking and seeing Santa’s village just appearing on the horizon was truly magical.
You book a slot to meet Santa when you arrive, while the children enjoy a hot berry juice and then you are free to go and explore. None of the activities are timed so you can meander at leisure enjoying a wide range of snowy treats.
Our first stop was a quick ride in a reindeer-pulled sleigh, with glowing lampposts giving off a very ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ atmosphere.
It begins to get dark almost immediately when you arrive but there are beautiful fires and twinkling lights all around so you feel completely safe and contained in the village.
The children made a beeline for the sledging hill and we all flew up and down for some time. The younger children had a chance to try a child-size snowmobile which was harnessed to a pole so they could do large circles. Adults who presented their driving license could also use a full size snowmobile, following a guide in a larger loop. This was something I had never done before and the children were allowed to ride on the back which was great fun. The children also loved skidoo and toboggan rides, the latter of which saw them fly down a steep slope and onto the thick icy lake below.
After a while it was time to warm up. There is a restaurant in a log cabin which serves non-stop pasta with meat or vegetable sauce, soup, potatoes and pancakes with whipped cream and jam. You can head here any time you wish for a hot chocolate or more food.
The timeslot came around for our visit to Santa. We crossed a frozen lake in a sleigh, a private trip for just our family. When you arrive at Santa’s log cabin, with warm lights in the trees and firepits to warm you, you are greeted by an elf who already knows your names and ages. Santa was calm, warm and read the children’s personalities quickly which made us feel like this was the real deal. We sat with him and chatted before the children were given a present each, a cuddly toy reindeer with ‘Lapland’ on, a nice keepsake from the trip.
The two activities we saved for last were the husky ride and visiting the Ice Castle. My daughter loves animals and she absolutely loved watching the huskies barking and rushing through the snow. It was hard to believe how strong they were. The Ice Castle is a giant structure built only from ice with intricate carvings on the walls and soft coloured lighting. We were greeted by another elf who handed us gingerbread which was a lovely touch. There was seating made of ice inside with opportunities to pose for a photo.
As the day drew to a close, we paid a visit to the small log cabin gift shop. We picked up a pair of woolly socks to remind us of our adventures but you can also get Christmas decorations and other Lapland trinkets.
At the end of our day, we took a brief and merry bus trip back to the airport. We felt a deep sense of comradery with those who had also experienced this magical day which wrapped us in a warm feeling.
As we sleepily got off the return flight, the children put their hands in ours and said without prompting – “that was the best day ever”. Our job was done.
Travel facts
The lead-in price for Enchanting Lapland is £729 per person for 2026 - https://www.canterburytravel.com/lapland-holidays/enchanting-lapland/
6. Contributed
A snowmobile ride is so much fun for children and adults too Photo: Submitted
