Lapland: Spending Christmas in Santa’s Hometown
拉普蘭:在聖誕老人的故鄉過聖誕
Picture this: It’s cold outside. Snow covers the earth, trees, and houses, and string lights shine magically in the dark night. Suddenly, there’s a jingle of bells and a cheerful “Ho! Ho! Ho!” Where else could you be but Lapland?
Lapland is a region that is mainly located within the Arctic Circle. It stretches across parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. Each country offers its own Lapland experience, but most visitors begin their trip by flying into Finland’s capital, Helsinki. From there, a 10-hour train ride on the Santa Claus Express takes them north. And where is their destination? The official hometown of Father Christmas—Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi.
Perhaps the biggest reason to visit Rovaniemi is the chance to see Santa himself. Every day, the jolly old fellow finds time in his busy schedule to meet visitors and hear their Christmas wishes. The village also has its own post office, where you can send Christmas cards to your friends and family. All cards sent from here are given a unique Arctic Circle postmark to show the special place that they came from!
想像一下:外頭天氣很冷。白雪覆蓋大地、樹木和房屋,串燈在黑夜中如魔法般地閃閃發光。突然間,有叮噹鈴聲響起,還有歡樂的「呵!呵!呵!」。除了拉普蘭,你還能在哪裡呢?
拉普蘭是主要位於北極圈內的一個地區。它橫跨挪威、瑞典、芬蘭和俄羅斯的部分地區。每個國家都提供各自的拉普蘭體驗,但大多數遊客會透過飛到芬蘭首都赫爾辛基展開他們的旅程。從那裡,搭乘十小時的聖誕老人特快列車將他們帶往北方。而他們的目的地是哪裡呢?聖誕老人的官方故鄉——在羅瓦涅米的聖誕老人村。
或許造訪羅瓦涅米最大的原因是有機會見到聖誕老人本尊。每天,這位快樂的老先生會在繁忙的日程中抽空會見訪客,聆聽他們的聖誕願望。這個村子還有自己的郵局,你可以在那裡寄聖誕卡給親友。所有從這裡寄出的卡片都會蓋上獨特的北極圈郵戳,以顯示它們特別的來處!
Other Christmassy activities to enjoy include getting up close and personal with Santa’s two- and four-legged friends. In the Elf Hat Academy, kids find out what it takes to be one of Santa’s little helpers and learn how to make Christmas toys. Meanwhile, guests can explore snowy forests on sleighs that are pulled by reindeer.
But Lapland isn’t all Santa and sleigh rides—there’s plenty to see and do even if you’re not in the Christmas spirit. The region is famous for its sauna culture, with many hotels offering private saunas. These are perfect for warming you up after long days out in the cold. And for another unique Lapland experience, why not book a night in an ice hotel, where the rooms are made entirely of snow and ice?
Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, Lapland is a special place to visit. So, if you want a truly unforgettable winter break, grab your hat and scarf, pack your warmest coat, and head off to Lapland for a vacation in Santa’s hometown. It may be cold, but the welcome is very warm.
其他可以享受的聖誕節活動包括近距離接觸聖誕老人的兩腿朋友和四腿朋友。在小精靈帽子學院,孩子們可以了解需要什麼條件才能成為聖誕老人的小幫手,並學習如何製作聖誕玩具。同時,訪客可以乘坐由馴鹿拉動的雪橇探索白雪皚皚的森林。
但拉普蘭並非只有聖誕老人和乘坐雪橇——就算你不想過聖誕節,還是有很多可看可做的事。這個地區以芬蘭浴文化聞名,許多旅館都提供私人芬蘭浴。這些非常適合讓在寒冷的外頭待了很久的你暖和起來。還有,如果想要另一種獨特的拉普蘭體驗,何不在冰雪旅館預訂一晚?那裡的房間完全是由冰雪製成的。
無論你是否慶祝聖誕節,拉普蘭都是一個特別值得遊覽的地方。所以,如果你想要一個真正難忘的寒假,那就拿起你的帽子和圍巾,打包最暖和的外套,然後前往拉普蘭在聖誕老人的家鄉度假。天氣可能很冷,但歡迎卻很熱情。