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.

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.

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.

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.