Being able to meet Santa Claus is the dream of many children, while being able to cross the Arctic Circle is something adults will talk about for the rest of their lives. At the Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi in Lapland, Finland, visitors can do both every day of the year. These experiences have attracted hundreds of thousands of people from across the world to the area.
From Arctic Circle Ceremonies to Snowman Safaris
The Santa Claus Village’s main attraction is a visit with Santa Claus, but that’s just one of the attractions at the complex. Numerous activities are spread across the Village, but there are other things to see and do that extend beyond the Village.
One attraction that’s always available is the ability to cross the Arctic Circle, which is a circle of latitude that runs 66°33′45.9″ north of the Equator. It marks the southernmost latitude where the sun can stay continuously below or above the horizon for 24 hours to enable the Midnight Sun in the summer and the Polar Night in the winter. The Arctic Circle runs through Santa Claus Village, and visitors can even get a certificate confirming their crossing into the region.
A map of the village displays just how many different things visitors can do, and the numerous activities for visitors range from Arctic Circle ceremonies to snowman safaris. Visitors also have a ride pulled by reindeer or husky dogs, or go on a snowmobile safari through Lapland. At Santa Claus’ Main Post Office, visitors can arrange to have a Santa Claus Letter delivered, which will be sent by Santa Claus himself before Christmas. Every letter sent from the Post Office gets a special Arctic Circle postmark not available anywhere else.
These unique and varied experiences have had a major impact on the economy and culture of the area.
Capturing the Imagination of Visitors from Across the Globe
Bars, restaurants, hotels and shops are positioned throughout the Village and beyond. Visitors can stay in an Arctic TreeHouse or Igloo, while restaurants offer quality Lappish food, which ranges from reindeer pizza to traditional salmon cooked on an open fire.
To accommodate visitors that might only be in the city for a short period of time, the shops and stores of the Santa Claus Village are open every day. Products in them range from local handicrafts from artisans that have been working for decades in Rovaniemi to gift-ware that can be found across the country. The choice in giftware at these shops is both extensive and varied.
This economic activity is the result of how the Santa Claus Village has permeated the culture of the area. Billed as the home of Santa Claus, the Village has been able to capture the imagination of visitors in a universal manner. It’s something that Rovaniemi has been able to celebrate as well, since the city received the status as the Official Hometown of Santa Claus in 2010.
As an illustration of this appeal, the eyes of the world turn to Rovaniemi every year as Santa Claus declares the Christmas season open in Santa Claus Village. This impact all stems from what it means to visit the Santa Claus Office.
The Home of Santa Claus
The Santa Claus Office, located in the Santa Claus Village at the Arctic Circle, is the official place to meet Santa Claus. Hundreds of thousands of people from all over the globe have made their way to the Christmas House in Rovaniemi, where visitors can experience the Christmas Exhibition, which features Christmas traditions from different parts of the world.
That experience is secondary to meeting Santa himself, who’s available every day of the year. Visitors can get a personalized picture with Santa, as well as see the Rotational Speed Regulator. Programs like Santa’s Elf Club provide visitors with another way to engage with Santa, and provide the Village with a powerful way to stay connected with their audience.
There are of course countless places across the world that allow visitors to visit with Santa, but the endeavor to capture the true spirit of Christmas has turned the Santa Claus Village into something much more for the people that visit Rovaniemi and the Lapland region as a whole.
A Monument to An Area That’s Above Ordinary
Santa Claus Village is now Lapland’s best-known attraction and a resort in its own right. The notion of creating an attraction inside the Arctic Circle might seem far-fetched, but the Village has proven that taking advantage of the history or opportunities that are evident in a given location can lead to the creation of a timeless monument that can attract audiences from across the world.
