Chapter 1: The Big Secret and The Journey North

December had arrived, bringing with it the biting, wintery cold. It was only a matter of time before the first snow would fall. People in the street were already rugged up in thick hats, heavy coats, warm gloves, and snow boots. The days felt incredibly short; we would wake up in the pitch black and walk home from school in the dark. Nearby, the trees stood bare. Squirrels, birds, and hedgehogs scrambled for their last bits of food before taking shelter to wait out the frost. Everywhere, Christmas preparations were in full swing. The streets were bustling, everyone had places to go and people to meet, and a festive sense of excitement hung thick in the air.

One evening, Mummy and Daddy sat at the dinner table looking like they were bursting to tell Verity and me a secret. Their eyes were wide, and smiles stretched from ear to ear. The steam rising from our bowls of pasta gave their faces a warm, rosy glow.

“What is wrong?” Verity asked, narrowing her eyes.

We knew something major was happening, but we couldn't guess what. Verity and I looked at each other, hunting for a clue, but found nothing. Finally, Mummy couldn’t hold it in any longer. She blurted out, “We are going to Lapland!”

“Lapland?” I repeated. “Where is that? And why?”

Daddy explained that we were travelling to a place called Rovaniemi in Finland. He told us it was the official home of Santa Claus and a magical winter wonderland. Mummy assured us we would get to experience incredible things like the Northern Lights, pristine Arctic nature, and ancient Sámi culture. It was a lot to take in, and we didn't understand all of it. But the moment Mummy said the word “Santa,” Verity and I erupted into cheers. Mummy started jumping up and down with us, and we knew right then that what we were about to do must be exceptionally amazing.

The next day at school, Verity and I couldn’t wait to tell our friends. Naturally, many of them asked the exact same questions: “Why?” and “Where is that?”

Our teacher, Miss Trees Are Green, overheard our chatter and decided to pull down a massive world map. She labelled it “Our Holidays.” Every student got to write a custom label and pin it to the map to showcase their travels. For the first time, I could actually see where Lapland sat, right up on the Arctic Circle. The whole class loved comparing our holiday destinations and discussing how close or far they were from the Equator, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, and the Antarctic Circle. Miss Trees Are Green also suggested we create a "Postcard Wall" so anyone returning from a trip could add a card to the display. We all thought it was a fabulous idea, and I looked forward to sending one back from Lapland.

Back at home, preparation shifted into high gear. Daddy marched down from the attic carrying two large backpacks and two smaller ones.

“We are travelling differently this time!” he announced determinedly, dropping them onto the living room floor. “No suitcases!”

Verity and I stared at the bags, openly wondering if they could possibly hold all our bulky gear. Mummy began sorting through the piles, neatly rolling thermal clothing into the bottom of the packs. She hung our heavy snowsuits up to air and made us try on our winter footwear. Verity and I tried to shove our feet into our old hiking boots, but our toes rammed right into the front—we had already outgrown them! Daddy grabbed a notepad to make an official list of what we needed to buy and exactly how to pack to maximize our limited baggage space. This was definitely going to be a unique travel experience.

As the departure date drew closer, the house turned into a comedy show. Mummy and Daddy packed and unpacked those backpacks at least a dozen times trying to make everything fit. Mummy would literally sit on top of a backpack, crushing it down, while Daddy pulled at the zips with all his might. Then, they would strap the heavy packs on and practice marching around the house to get used to the weight. Verity and I couldn't stop laughing.

The night before our adventure, nobody could sleep. Not even Mummy and Daddy! Giving up on rest, Daddy decided to get up at the crack of dawn to make a giant batch of pancakes and a fresh pot of coffee. The delicious aroma drifted into our bedrooms, and soon we were all gathered around the dining table. Daddy thought it was best to get an early start, and within no time, we were all dressed, zipped up, and ready to leave the house.

Our neighbour, Mr Fitzgibbons, runs airport transfers during the holiday periods, so it was lovely to catch his minibus—affectionately known as the "Butter Box"—to the terminal. The bus was packed with early-morning travellers pushing their heavy luggage into the racks. Everyone was chatting dynamically about their destinations. Most people seemed to be fleeing the cold and heading for sunny beaches.

When we proudly announced, we were heading to Lapland, the whole bus went quiet in amazement. Once again, someone asked, “Where is that? Why go there?”

Verity couldn’t help herself. She beamed and blurted out, “We are going to see Santa!” The entire bus erupted into smiles.

Arriving at the airport was a shock to the system. It was pure bustle and chaos, as if the building never slept or stopped. Daddy navigated the queues to check our bags and arrange our seats while Mummy grabbed some last-minute snacks for the flight. Suddenly, a crisp voice over the loudspeaker called our flight to the departure gate. Mummy started jumping up and down again, and Verity and I did the same.

Onboard, a flight attendant greeted us with a big smile and pointed us down the aisle to our seats. The captain made an announcement that we would be airborne for about three hours, inviting us to sit back, relax, and enjoy the food and inflight entertainment. Verity and I quickly figured out what he meant when we were handed headsets. We could plug them into the screens built right into the backs of the seats in front of us to watch movies and play games. The cabin crew brought around hot and cold drinks, followed by a delicious meal tray with various small compartments to explore. To top it off, they handed us a cookie and a chocolate bar.

The time flew by. Verity peered out the window, but it was pitch black outside. Mummy explained that while Lapland experiences the Midnight Sun in the summer—where it is daylight all day and night—it also experiences the Polar Night in the winter, where it is twilight or darkness all the time. She warned us that experiencing total twilight during the day might feel a bit strange at first but reassured us that we would quickly adapt.

Before landing, Mummy and Daddy did one final review of our travel plan together. As the plane touched down, we stepped out into Helsinki Airport. It was an energetic maze of crowds, with announcements echoing in Finnish, Swedish, and English. We kept hearing people say "Hei!" which sounded exactly like "Hay." We quickly gathered it meant "Hello!"

Chapter 2: Magic in Helsinki and the Santa Claus Express

Daddy had arranged for an old friend to meet us at the arrivals gate, and we were staying the night at his house. The Korhonen family lived in a beautiful, modern home that seamlessly blended sleek design with traditional Finnish wood. Mrs Korhonen and her three children greeted us at the door with open arms. Waiting for us on the counter was thick hot chocolate and a tray of fresh Joulutorttu—traditional star-shaped Christmas pastries filled with sweet plum jam. Everyone was incredibly excited to be together.

Outside, the temperature was freezing, and the ground was completely buried under a beautiful white blanket of snow. Because of the Polar Night, it looked pitch black outside, and Verity and I had absolutely no idea of the time. It felt like it should be bedtime, but it wasn’t! The Korhonen family were keen to make the most of our short stay, so we all bundled up in our layers and ventured out into the crisp winter air.

We took a short, snowy walk into the heart of the city, stopping in front of the famous Stockmann Christmas Window. The children explained that it was a beloved Helsinki tradition for the department store to create an intricate, moving fairy-tale display every single year. We  stared in absolute awe at the mechanical scenes. "Kiitos!" Verity and I said proudly, practicing our best Finnish to thank them.

As we continued, we marvelled at the historic, glowing festival streetlight displays stretching across the avenues. The lights were so bright and cheerful they made the dark afternoon feel warm and magical. When we arrived at the bustling Helsinki Christmas Market in Senate Square, we stopped for a warm drink and some food. Daddy took us on the famous, historic carousel, which spun gracefully under the glowing lights of the towering Helsinki Cathedral. While we rode, Mummy and Mrs Korhonen browsed the local craft stalls, buying small, handmade gifts. It felt wonderfully cozy and festive.

Suddenly, the Korhonen children began jumping up and down, chattering excitedly in Finnish. Not knowing what was going on, Verity and I simply followed as they led the way out of the market and through a maze of smaller streets. The narrow lanes suddenly opened out onto a massive, glowing ice-skating rink. Popular music was pumping through the speakers, cocoa and hot dog stands were bustling with customers, and people were swirling gracefully across the ice.

We all laced up a pair of skates and joined the crowd. Luckily, Verity and I had been ice skating before, so we could join right in on the fun. We held hands with the Korhonen children, laughing as we weaved in and out of the skaters. It was at that exact moment that we all truly became fast friends.

When we returned to the warmth of the house, we played board games and shared a wonderful dinner. Mrs Korhonen cooked a comforting batch of spaghetti bolognese, followed by a traditional Finnish Christmas cake. Eventually, Mummy and Daddy spoke about heading to bed, as we needed to be completely rested for the big train journey ahead. They sat down with Mr and Mrs Korhonen to review the maps and itinerary for the next part of our trip.

As the Korhonen family listened to the plans, Mrs Korhonen had the exact same reaction as Mummy—she started jumping up and down with excitement! Verity and I looked at each other and smiled. Mrs Korhonen and the children turned to Mr Korhonen, speaking incredibly fast in Finnish. We didn't need to understand a single word to know what was happening; they were begging him to let their family join our adventure!

Mr Korhonen looked hilariously overwhelmed, holding up his hands before leaving the table to make a few quick phone calls. The next thing we knew, the Korhonens had marched up to their attic, hauled down their own massive backpacks, and dropped them right onto the living room floor to start packing!

Verity leaned over and whispered softly, “I guess they are coming too!”

Everyone pitched in to help with the midnight packing. Mummy proudly demonstrated her secret technique, showing Mrs Korhonen how to sit flat on top of a bulging backpack so Daddy could pull the zips closed. Once packed, Mrs Korhonen strapped the heavy pack on and practiced marching around the kitchen. The children cheered and clapped when both Mr and Mrs Korhonen successfully managed to walk around the house with their gear.

Finally, we all tried to get some sleep. We shared a bedroom with the Korhonen children, but they wanted to whisper and talk rather than rest. Time no longer seemed to exist; because it was dark outside all the time, we couldn't tell if it was midnight or morning.

Suddenly, Mr Korhonen rang a bell to wake the house. He told us to get dressed quickly, announcing that we would eat once we were safely on the train. Verity and I looked at each other, entirely unsure if we were preparing for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! We simply giggled and went along with the happy chaos.

A short taxi ride through the snow brought us to Helsinki Central Station. Daddy arranged the tickets for our sleeper cabin, while Mr Korhonen successfully booked a cabin right next door for his family. We proudly boarded the train, and within minutes, heard the familiar clickety-clack of the wheels moving away from the platform. We were finally on our way!

Once Daddy and Mummy had secured our heavy backpacks, we all walked through the moving carriages to reach the dining car. It was incredibly warm and cozy inside, filled with the murmur of happy travellers chatting over steaming mugs. Mr Korhonen suggested that we try a traditional Finnish feast. We started  with bowls of hot, creamy salmon soup served with dense rye bread, followed by juicy meatballs and fluffy mashed potatoes. Daddy and Mr Korhonen tried the traditional glögi (mulled wine), while Mummy, Verity, and I stuck to comforting cups of milky tea. The eating didn't stop there! Over the course of the journey, we feasted on freshly baked oat rolls topped with cheese, flaky croissants with jam, ham baguettes spiked with local Finnish mustard, and sweet, spiced vanilla buns. Later on, the chefs served up piping hot cheese omelettes, cooked perfectly fluffy. In between our snacks, we played card games with the Korhonen children and stared out the large windows.

As the train sped further north away from Helsinki, the landscape transformed entirely. We stared out at endless, vast miles of pine and birch forests, their branches weighed down heavily by thick, pristine white snow. Frozen lakes and winding waterways looked like giant, flat white plains dusted with fresh powder. Every now and then, the train would rumble through a small subarctic town. We could spy colourful, traditional wooden houses decorated with brilliant Christmas lights that glowed beautifully against the dark twilight.

Suddenly, it became pitch black outside. Because we were now far away from the city lights, the sky opened up into an incredibly clear, starry night. Mummy let out a loud, sudden gasp. We all whipped around to see what was wrong. “Aurora Borealis!” she whispered dynamically, pointing out the glass. We all pressed our faces against the cold window. There, stretching across the sky, was the legendary Northern Lights. It was a spectacular, breathtaking display that completely illuminated the Arctic night. We watched in awe as a brilliant wave of pink, blue, green, and red rippled and swirled like a glowing curtain dancing through space.

Mr Korhonen explained the science behind the magic, telling us that it happens when tiny particles from the Sun collide with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere. As they crash together, they release energy in the form of beautiful, vibrant colours. Daddy quickly snapped photos, whispering that it would be a memory we would keep forever. We eventually tried to get some sleep in our sleeper berths before arriving, but I think everyone was far too excited thinking about the adventure ahead.

As the train finally slowed down and rolled into the Arctic city of Rovaniemi, we looked out to see a vibrant, modern city surrounded by wild, untouched nature. Mr Korhonen explained that the city was actually redesigned in the shape of a reindeer's head after being destroyed in World War II!

As we stepped off the train, the friendly platform manager greeted us. He proudly told us that despite Rovaniemi being a bustling city, you could walk for ten minutes in any direction and find yourself in a frozen winter wilderness. He kindly pointed us in the direction of our hotel. Daddy strapped on his backpack, chuckled, and said, “Let’s just make sure we don’t end up lost in the forest!” Everyone laughed and cheered as we stepped out into the deep Lapland snow.

Chapter 3: Meeting Santa and the Magic of the Reindeer Farm

We easily located our hotel and checked in. The lobby was beautifully warm, and the staff were incredibly friendly. The hotel receptionist suggested that our very first stop should be the Arktikum Museum. She informed us it featured a magnificent 172-metre-long glass tunnel that stretched out towards the frozen river, educating visitors about Arctic nature, climate change, Lapland's history, and the Indigenous people. Mummy thought it was deeply important for us to learn about the Sámi people, and Mrs Korhonen passionately agreed.