I visited Lapland - the home of Christmas - on a TUI family trip of a lifetime - this is what parents should know

It was still dark when my six-year-old and I headed to Gatwick airport for our TUI flight to Lapland. It was his first time on an aeroplane and, despite previously revealing he felt scared about flying, he seemed cautiously optimistic as we headed into the airport.

However, if there were any nerves still lingering, they were washed away when, at TUI's check in, we were greeted by Santa's elves excitedly welcoming us to join them in the big man's winter wonderland.

It didn't feel like long before we were up in the air and heading for Finland. Children were handed Christmas activity booklets, including a page to write a letter to Santa - the three-and-a-half hour flight just flew by (no pun intended) and before long we had touched down at Kittila Airport, surrounded by snow and fir trees.

Stepping out of the plane into the -17C air was more of a thrill than a chill, having dressed appropriately for the weather, and was just the first of many, many 'wow' moments in this festive paradise.

The TUI Lapland packages are a slick operation - once luggage is collected, one of Santa's elves (they really are all over the place here) guided us to where we pick up our snowsuit, boots, and gloves - provided to keep children and adults toasty in the sub-zero conditions - before being whisked away to the hotel.

And if you're wondering whether the scenery is the same as in the movies, well, it isn't. It's even better. Trees seemed to stretch on forever, the landscape covered in a blanket of snow, as we made our way through the quiet roads which wended their way through the landscape. Simply breathtaking.

The Saaga Hotel in Yllas was a welcome sight after an early start. Situated above the little town, it is flanked by ski slopes, cable cars and gondola. And while temperatures outside were approaching -20C, the resort's interior was positively toasty.

Our next 'wow' moment came upon entering our room to discover the view from the window covering the entire back wall, looking straight out into the snowy landscape. A glass door also offered us direct access to a patio which lead out to the winter wonderland where the twiggy fingers of fir tree shoots pushed their way through the cold white blanket covering them.

Day one was all about getting settled and having time to relax after our journey. Downtime is not an option though with an awestruck six-year-old in tow, so out we went for snowman building, snowball fights and practicing the art of making snow angels. It's enough to make even a worn out mum feel like a child again.

The following day we had an exciting itinerary ahead of us including meeting Santa himself in Kittilä and a snowmobile adventure. So, after a hearty buffet breakfast at the hotel, we were collected by the pre-arranged bus and met our guide for the week - another of Santa's elves - Lapland legend, Figgy Pudding.

Now, with a fair bit of travelling to various activities on the cards, my only minor concern ahead of the trip had been that bus journeys might get slightly tedious (especially for youngsters). But that was before meeting Figgy - an expert in turning bus travel into a highlight of every excursion.

The rap music-loving F Pudz, as he's known to his friends, chatted, joked, sang, ran quizzes and generally kept a bus load of children and adults of varying ages constantly entertained. TUI promises to add "a sprinkle of magic to every moment" but I hadn't expected that to include the 25-30 minute bus rides, but Lapland is just full of surprises.

Our visit to Santa began with a snowmobile sleigh ride through the forest to the man in red's log cabin. With a fire blazing outside, hot berry juice on tap and a good supply of gingerbread biscuits, waiting your turn wasn't a problem.

Invited in by another festive elf, this mother and son were equally awestruck to finally meet Santa Claus himself. And he had quite the presence, with a truly magnificent beard, huge boots and a zen-like demeanour putting little ones at ease, my little boy was more than happy describing the toy he wanted in minute detail - just to make sure there were no mistakes come Christmas eve.

After, we enjoyed a taster husky ride, sledging, biscuit decorating and took a look around the Snow Village - rebuilt each year from scratch, it features an exhibition of sculptures all carved out of snow and ice. This year's underwater world theme saw us walking through blue-tinged tunnels marvelling at glowing jellyfish and seahorses, turtles and coral.

Quite a bit to pack into one morning but after a pitstop back at the hotel for a buffet lunch, we were off again for snowmobiling. I was a little apprehensive about this experience beforehand as, requiring a full UK driving licence to take part, it clearly requires some level of skill and road-savvyness. However, I decided earlier this year to be less anxious and more adventurous and this new approach to life is really paying off.

There was, of course, nothing to worry about. We were given clear safety instructions and walked through how to use the snowmobile which was, being an automatic vehicle, essentially on and off, stop and go. Younger children were loaded into a trailer pulled by our guide's snowmobile, while older children rode pillion with their parent, and we were off into the forest.

It's worth noting that around this time of year, there are only a couple of hours between sunrise and sunset (sometimes even less) which means for a large chunk of the day the world has a beautiful pink glow as the sun hovers just below the horizon. The fact that you do many of your activities when it's dark outside only adds to the magic - it feels like you're off on a night time adventure, glowing lights illuminating snowflakes as they fall. 100% winter wonderland.

And so it was for our snowmobiling. The woodland was shrouded in darkness, lit only by our headlights and the glow from the snow. We rode out to an open spot and enjoyed more berry juice and gingerbread biscuits under the stars. Did I mention this place was magical? Then we reluctantly headed back, children and adults full of chatter about the latest snowy adventure.

A buffet dinner finished the day off perfectly. Special mention must go to the amazing array of food provided at the Saaga Hotel. Every mealtime you arrive to a fully stocked buffet with a wide variety of delicious food. There was never an issue in finding something you'd enjoy, even fussy kids are catered for. In fact, I mostly wanted to try everything, which I admit I may have opted for once or twice. Thank goodness for elasticated waistbands.

The following morning we headed out to meet the huskies, including a litter of puppies, and a rescued arctic fox. It was fascinating to hear from the experts about what it takes to look after these athletic canines and their knowledge and passion for their pups was apparent in every word they spoke and everything did. We even got a chance to stroke the dogs and be nibbled by the baby fluff balls too - we could have stayed all day! However, after warming up in a cosy log cabin with more hot berry juice we headed back to the hotel for some free time.

With no excursions booked the following morning we made a beeline for the pistes right on our doorstep. While some chose skiing, a few of us opted for sledging instead. If someone had said to me a few months ago I'd be climbing onto a sledge at the top of a snowy slope, I'd have said they must be joking, but the new adventurous me didn't think twice.

And I'm so glad. With my little boy tucked firmly between my knees, laughing, and screaming, his socks off as we whizzed down the slope, it was yet another really special moment. The cafe next to the slopes gave us a chance to warm up with - you've guessed it - more hot berry juice, before heading back in for lunch ahead of another bucket list activity - a reindeer excursion.

The perfect activity for an afternoon in Lapland, we were in darkness once again with lanterns lighting our way and snow falling all around. To everyone's great delight, before our ride on a Santa-style sleigh, we got to enter a pen with some of the female reindeer and feed them their favourite food - lichen. The stuff of dreams.

It was then time to head off on what can only be described as a breathtaking journey through snow covered forests and across a frozen lake. It was a peace unlike anything I've ever experienced before. With the thick snow absorbing sound, at times all there was to hear was the soft plod of reindeer hooves and the gentle ringing of a bell somewhere in the distance. Magical, magical, magical.

As it was our last night we celebrated our trip of a lifetime at the Festive Finale show. Offering a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings and a raft of entertainment to keep both young and old amused it was the perfect way to bid a fond farewell to this amazing adventure we'd all been on.

So, it was with heavy hearts we arrived at breakfast the following morning, joined by the many lovely friends we'd made over the last few days, to share memories that will last a lifetime.

The look of wonder in my son's, and all the children's eyes, over and over again during this trip was priceless. And for parents, perhaps already feeling the pressure of the festive season, it's a tonic which lifts your spirits and reminds you of the things that truly matter. My one piece of advice for parents: it does you good to act like a child every once in a while - so lie down and make snow angels, hop on that sledge and sing along to those Christmas songs on the bus - it's practically medicinal.

Now, I'm off to try and source me some of that hot berry juice…

TUI holidays to Lapland

TUI offers three and four-night holidays to Lapland which include flights, accommodation, transfers and a wide variety of winter excursions and extras. Families can take on an adventure to explore the magical winter wonderland that is Lapland, hassle free, with a fully formed itinerary before they arrive.

There are a variety of destinations with flights heading to four different airports across Lapland; Kittila, Rovaniemi, Ivalo and Kuusamo. You can choose from hand-picked hotels in destinations that offer a variety of experiences with options for your stay including ‘Christmas magic’, ‘winter sports’, ‘shops and nightlife’, or ‘traditional picture-perfect villages’.

TUI offers a four-night holiday to Ylläs, Lapland staying at the 4T Lapland Hotel Saaga on a bed and breakfast basis from £1027 per person. Price is based on two adults and two children sharing a twin room with flights departing from London Gatwick on December 3, 2025 with 20kg hold luggage per adult and transfers. To find out more about this holiday or to book go to tui.co.uk, visit your local TUI holiday store or download their app.

All prices quoted are correct to the particular product package at the time of TUI issuing the price package/packages to the publication. Price was quoted on 11/12/2024. Prices provided are subject to change and have limited availability. Terms and conditions apply.