Santa Claus Village (Joulupukki Village)
Santa Claus Village (Finnish: Joulupukin Pajakylä) is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Finland. And it’s no wonder: it’s where the world-famous Father Christmas lives – not in a fairy tale, but in reality. Finns call him Joulupukki (Joulupukki), in English-speaking countries he is known as Santa Claus, and in Russia it is none other than everyone’s favorite Ded Moroz. From Finnish, the name of the place where he lives literally translates as “Joulupukki’s workshop village.”
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The official residence of Santa Claus is located 8 kilometers from Rovaniemi, the twelfth largest city in the country and the largest by area on the Old Continent. However, the village itself is quite compact and is a magnificent amusement park. It is administratively part of Lapland, the northernmost province of Finland, and at the same time, thanks to the local folklore, the most famous in the world. And the geographical location of this object is unique: the village of Santa Claus is completely inside the Arctic Circle.
Video: Christmas in Santa Claus Village, Rovaniemi, Finland
.” title=”YouTube video player” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” allowfullscreen> Contents- How did Joulupukki decide to get closer to people
- Santa Claus receives visitors all year round
- How rich is the Christmas Father’s estate?
- Fairy elves invite you to “Santa Park”!
- What else is there to see in Santa Claus Village
- Merchandise for all tastes and wallets
- How to get to Santa Claus Village?
How Joulupukki decided to get closer to people
The Laplander began to tell the whole neighborhood about what he had seen, which worried Joulupukki, who did not want anyone to find his home. Then he decided to move closer to people, so that everyone could see him alive, tell about their dreams and just relax, walking around the neighborhood. So on the map appeared not a fairy-tale, but quite real Santa Claus village. With its own address and zip code. And with an entertainment infrastructure that beckons travelers from all corners of the planet.
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The post office is open to everyone. And it is completely free of charge. The only thing that will cost you money, and quite a decent amount, is a souvenir photo with its owner, which will be taken by the gnomes. Once inside, you will see the melted earth crust under your feet. But don’t be afraid to step on it: the hut is equipped with suspension bridges and passages. They also help visitors to squeeze through the gears of the fairytale clockwork. And then there is Santa’s office, the door to which is usually closed.
Santa Claus receives visitors all year round
.Some believe that the magical Finnish grandfather can only be visited on New Year’s and Christmas holidays. Others think that he receives guests all winter and then rests. Neither the former nor the latter are right. You can get an audience with Santa Claus at any time of the year. There should be no language barriers, as he speaks many languages. Including Russian, although it can not be said that he speaks it well. Having got to his reception, you can receive a gift from his hands, and near the residence – ride on reindeer.
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Every day, Joulupukki receives many letters from children from all over the world asking for presents. The correspondence is sorted by the funny gnomes in the office. From the sparkling village you can send a letter to a child (your own or, for example, your godson), which will arrive on behalf of Santa Claus at any address with a special seal of the Arctic Circle. There are 11 language versions of the letter, and there is also Russian. The same seal is also put in your passport, and if any of your friends or colleagues do not believe that you were here, show them the document.
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What are the Christmas Grandfather’s possessions rich in?
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All winter long, the center of the village, which is not particularly small, is decorated with a magnificent Christmas tree. Every year, to the delight of adults and small visitors in the possession of the Finnish Santa Claus appears a lot of new things, and what is already there, changed and improved. The Arctic Circle line passing through them is marked on the terrain, which prompted a funny ritual among tourists (Germans especially like it). After standing on its “southern” side, they jump to the “northern” side, after which they open the champagne.
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Santa Claus wouldn’t be a generous Christmas Santa without organizing free shows just for Christmas. The first of them gathers the audience in the twenties of November, that is, a month before the holiday. The second one takes place on the day when the master of the village goes to give presents to all the children of the Earth and he is equipped for the road – this is December 23. During this period, the attraction “Snowman’s World” beckons guests, and you can ride small snowmobiles and, of course, reindeer. These rides are not open during the off-season.
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Fairy elves invite you to “Santa Park”!
The underground Santa Park is an amazing place! It was opened in 1998 a kilometer from the village and works, unlike it, only in winter and summer. It is home to many fairy tale characters, the most famous of which are the hard-working elves. In addition to Joulupukki’s private office, the park has a post office, its own candy shop and an exciting playground. And this is not a complete list of what visitors will discover…
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Santa Claus’ office The amusement park’s holy of holies. Behind a heavy wooden door, in a candle-laden room, the good-natured Finnish grandfather is at work. Sitting at a desk, he receives both adults and children who hand him a list of their fondest wishes.
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Ice Bar. Located in the Ice Gallery, the ice and icicles are as large as the apartments of the Snow Queen herself. After viewing the ice statues, you can cheer yourself up with a cool drink served in an exquisite handmade glass.
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What else to see in Santa Claus Village
Joulupukki’s office The heart of the Finnish Santa Claus’ residence, this is where he comes every day. Everyone can have an audience with him by walking down a long corridor, and it’s completely free of charge. The office is open every day from 10:00 to 17:00, in summer from 9:00 to 18:00. There are always long lines in December and early January.
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Merchandise for all tastes and wallets
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How to get to Santa Claus Village?
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The town has its own railroad station. From the center to the domain of the fairy-tale grandfather regularly runs shuttle bus number 8 (“Santa’s Express”). The price is 3.80 euros, travel time – 20-30 minutes. You can take a cab, but it is more expensive – about 25 euros.
.Real adventurers often choose a reindeer or dog sled, which literally immediately helps to immerse yourself in the local exoticism.
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