Magical Lapland - Day 1 & 2

After a brilliant night in London we were up bright and early and down to the airport for our flight to Lapland. We checked in and excitement levels were building already as loads of other families all heading away for the same reason checked in and got ready to board. After a 3 hour flight full of Xmas cheer and music we landed in Kittila in Finland. This was the first time the girls had seen proper snow and there was plenty of it here, we had to stop then eating the snow in the car park of the airport, but we eventually got on our bus and headed for our resort. We were staying in an awesome little traditional log cabin , complete with its own loft sleeping area and sauna, this was fairy tale stuff.

The next morning we had a hearty breakfast in the brilliant restaurant not far from our cabin, to fuel up and start the journey looking for Santa and all his elves. The first stop on the journey was the Elves village where we got to see all the elves workshops and wee houses and play some fun games with the kids. Frankie not being a morning person was not overly impressed with the first stop on teh tour, but boy did things change from there.

Next stop was Mrs Clause's bakery where we net Noisy Nod and Mrs Clause - the girls sat in wonder as the elves and Santa's wife told them all about the sugar cookies they make and Noisy Nod got the crowd making music with the pots and pans lining the walls of the bakery. We decorated cookies and Frankie even made sure that Mrs Clause has a gluten free cookie for Granny Linda. It was just perfect to get everyone in the Christmas spirit.

We all got back on the bus and were off to our next activity - the one I had been looking forward to the most, the husky sledding. After a quick H&S introduction it quickly became clear that rather than riding along on a sled pulled by the huskies we would be driving the sleds ourselves, which I was thrilled about. Scarlett and I were on one sled out front and Joan, Granny Linda and Frankie were on the other one. We hurtled off through the forest on this sled with the cold wind whistling past us, the excited barks of the huskies filling the forest and the sound of the sleds being pulled is something I will never forget. It was a proper thrill. When we got to the end of the run we spent a few minutes with the huskies before heading into one of the tents for some warm berry juice beside the fire before a hearty feed for lunch.

Our last stop of the day was back next to Santa's bakery for a blast on some snowmobiles. The adults all got into groups and headed up the ski slope with a guide for a quick trip up the hill as the early afternoon mid winter light was fading. All the while the kids were well looked after by the elves while we were assured they would get their turn and boy did they get their turn. Just around the corner there were a couple of smaller snowmobiles tethered to a stake by a long rope, so the girls took turns going on the snowmobile, by themselves, tearing around the wee loop track - at first they were a bit hesitant but once they got the hang of how the machines worked, there was no stopping them. The look of pure joy and exhilaration on their faces was priceless. Just when we thought we were done we then headed up the hill for a bit of tobogganing to round out an absolutely epic day.

No sign of the big man Santa just yet but we were on his trail and we would surely find him tomorrow,

We ate in the little restaurant again that night and whispers started to circulate that the Northern Lights had been out that night - now this trip was 100% about the girls and making memories with them, but the northern lights was something Joan and I had always wanted to see and we talked about the fact that if we managed to see them while we were in Lapland, it would be the icing on the cake. We headed back to the cabin after not being able to see them outside the restaurant and by the time we got home the lights were out and were absolutely spectacular. We spent the next hour outside in the cold in absolute awe of one of the most visually spectacular things we had ever seen. We got to see the lights dancing across the sky and while the colours are not as vivid as the photos show, they were certainly there. We got hundreds of photos and could not have hoped for a better end to what was easily the best day on holidays we have ever had.

Simply incredible.Read more