Staff stories An enchanting day trip to Santas Lapland

Staff stories An enchanting day trip to Santas Lapland

Read about our marketing executive's fairy tale adventure to the snow-covered north.

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Newmarket Holidays

Newmarket Holidays marketing executive, Nathalie Jaeggle, ventured to Swedish Lapland during the festive season. Read about her fairy tale day trip in the latest instalment of Staff Stories.

I was really looking forward to a day in Santa’s Village in Lapland and this trip exceeded all expectations. Seeing the energy of the children and their families enjoying their time together was the highlight of a fantastic day.

Sleigh Bells ringing

My day started early in the morning at Birmingham Airport. I joined some excited children with their family and friends on a direct chartered flight to Pajala, a small town in the north of Swedish Lapland. After the short three-hour flight – involving plenty of Christmas carol singing! - we arrived in the winter wonderland of Lapland.

Newmarket Holidays marketing executive, Nathalie Jaeggle, in Swedish Lapland - the ultimate winter wonderland.
Newmarket Holidays marketing executive, Nathalie Jaeggle, in Swedish Lapland - the ultimate winter wonderland.

Everyone was eager to begin exploring, so it was great that our transfer between the airport and Santa’s Village was only 15 minutes long. We were joined on the coach by our knowledgeable Lappish guide, who shared her knowledge about Lapland and the locals with us.

A quick change

Once we arrived at the village, we slipped into warm thermal clothing and were placed into groups to experience all the activities without queuing. My group started with a reindeer sleigh ride through the forest, followed by the chance to learn about these majestic creatures from a local who cares for them in the village.

A reindeer sleigh ride through the forests of Swedish Lapland.
A reindeer sleigh ride through the forests of Swedish Lapland.

Next, we headed to meet the huskies for a different kind of sleigh ride. This was faster (and colder!) and we continued chatting with the locals who guided us through the snow-covered forest.

Lunch was served with hot berry juice in a cosy lodge twinkling with Christmas decorations. We ate a warming Swedish lunch of meatballs, potato mash and soup. Throughout the village, kids enjoyed sledging, building snowmen, and having snowball fights with newly made friends.

An exhilarating husky ride through the snow-covered forest.
An exhilarating husky ride through the snow-covered forest.

The man in the red suit

After lunch, it was finally time to find Santa in his forest cabin. The walk to the cabin can only be described as enchanting. As we followed a trail of lanterns through the forest, I felt as if I was in a fairy tale. I took my place in the little wooden stand near the cabin, where I handed out hot drinks and cookies to families on their way to meet Santa.

I was delighted to hear about the adventures of the Newmarket customers and see the excitement on the children’s faces when they finally saw the man in the red suit.

After a day of adventure in Santa’s Village, we got changed for the quick transfer to the airport. During this journey, our guide sang a traditional Swedish Christmas song for us, which was a fitting end to a fantastically festive day in Lapland.

Leaving with memories

We flew back to the UK with many wonderful memories. This was a picture-perfect winter day trip, particularly in the time leading up to Christmas. I’m sure Newmarket customers – both young and old – will enjoy this adventure as much as I did. It’s a holiday made for the whole family.

Great Winter Breaks:

Olden, Norway
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    11 days from £1,299 pp

  • Dates Available

    January 2026

  • Duration

    11 days

  • Depart From

    Southampton

  • Operator

    Fred Olsen

Santa holding a lantern and smiling, with a background of fairy lights
Lapland Santa Experience Day Trip
Lapland
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  • A magical walk through the woods to find Santa for your special private family meeting
  • A magical ride through the snow-laden trees in a traditional reindeer-drawn sleigh
  • An unforgettable husky sled ride through the snowy Lappish countryside
  • An exhilarating snowmobile experience in the frozen wilderness
  • 1 day from £649 pp

    was £749 pp

  • Dates Available

    December 2024

  • Duration

    1 days

  • Depart From

    12 airports

  • Meals

    2 included

Shot of Vienna's gothic city hall which has one tall clock tower and four smaller towers, two on each side, all with pointy turrets. The building is a gold colour and is in front of a bright blue night sky. In front, is a Christmas Market, showing strips of cabin-like stalls and a variety of lit up Christmas decorations, one in the forefront reading 'Merry Christmas' in Austrian. People can be seen, although blurry as they are moving around.
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Vienna Christmas Markets
Austria
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  • Free time to enjoy Vienna’s wonderful Christmas Markets
  • A guided city tour of Vienna
  • Discover the Slovakian capital, Bratislava, with its glorious palaces and churches on an optional excursion
  • 4 days from £756 pp

    was £889 pp

  • Dates Available

    November 2024

  • Duration

    4 days

  • Depart From

    6 airports

  • Excursions

    1 included

  • Meals

    3 included

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