Magic of Christmas

December 22, 2024 Arrival day
To reach your holiday destination, you fly from Helsinki to Kajaani airport. For a more climate friendly option, choose train travel to Kajaani. Travel time is around 6 hours and we can book you a comfortable family compartment for the train journey through a wintery landscape.​

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Family compartments offer you a peaceful place to travel with kids. There’s plenty of room to play, read and eat snacks. The compartment has four seats and two stools for children and there is space for a carry cot on the floor for napping. It also offers free WiFi and power sockets for charging your devices. An accessible toilet downstairs  comes with a baby care table, potty and bottle warmer and a carriage with a play area is conveniently located close to the family compartments. You can pre-order food to you cabin or visit the cafe on board to purchase snacks & drinks.

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Upon arrival in Kajaani, transfer to the hotel. After check-in enjoy welcome drink and dinner at the hotel restaurant.

December 23, 2024 Christmas Fairytale begins

After breakfast it is time to explore the outdoors - try some tobogganing, kick-sledding, making angels in the snow or building snow lanterns - or visit and feed the two resident reindeer. Then it is back inside to warm up with lunch and maybe a little rest before the next exciting activity.

Later in the afternoon we gather around to pay a visit to Santa Claus. This Santa is the real Finnish 'Joulupukki'. Understandably he is quite busy this time of the year but he has taken some time off  to warmly welcome kids who have travelled from afar and are keen to meet him to share their wishes and secrets with him.
 

Back at the hotel warm up in the sauna or hot tub before dinner at the hotel restaurant.

December 24, 2024 Christmas Eve
In Finland the main day of Christmas is December 24, the Christmas Eve. So today after breakfast the preparations begin.

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First we make a magical journey across the snowy landscape to find the perfect Christmas tree which is then brought inside for the kids to decorate. When the tree has its festive outfit on, we move onto to baking gingerbreads together. After the treats are baked we enjoy lunch including traditional Christmas rice porridge. In Finland we hide an almond in the porridge and whoever finds it will be blessed with good luck. You'll get a little prize today, if you are the lucky one and find the almond.

 

On Christmas Eve we also pause to remember our loved ones who have passed. All around Finland people take time from their busy Christmas preparations to visit their local cemetery to place candles on their loved ones' graves. A sea of flickering candles against the snow is a beautiful sight. This afternoon you have the opportunity to be part of this tradition when we make a visit to the local cemetery where we have a spot for you to light a candle to remember your loved ones far away.  

 

Back at the hotel you can have a sauna or enjoy a relaxing time in a hot tub before the main event of Christmas Eve. In Finland Santa Claus comes in person to visit families on Christmas Eve and today is no exception. If you want Santa to give presents to your kids, please leave them at the reception clearly marked (1 present/child).

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After Santa's visit we enjoy a traditional Finnish Christmas buffet dinner. Later in the evening transfer to a local church for Christmas Night Mass for those ones of you who want to take part in the Christian tradition of Christmas.

December 25, 2024 Christmas Day
In Finland Christmas Day is for relaxing, enjoying your Christmas presents, indulging in more Christmas foods and enjoying the company of your family.

 

We enjoy a Christmas Day brunch and then head out for a leisurely snowshoe tour through snow covered forest with a wilderness guide. Small children can come along travelling in toboggans or they can stay at the hotel with a babysitter.

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Today you also have the opportunity to try the traditional Finnish smoke sauna. The most obvious difference between a normal wood heated sauna and the smoke sauna is that there is no chimney in the smoke sauna. Instead the smoke of the fire is trapped inside when the sauna is heated with wood. After the sauna is hot enough, the smoke is allowed out through the door so that the air is clear before the sauna-goers enter.

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As you can imagine, this gives the Finnish smoke sauna a completely different atmosphere, and makes it a truly unique experience.  The moist heat and steam rise from the stove, mingling with the scents of smoke and tar and birch leaves from the traditional sauna whisks. The walls are dark as they have been stained by the smoke during the years and with dim lighting, the ambience in the sauna is calm and relaxing and perfect for quiet contemplation.

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Alternatively you can enjoy the saunas and hot tubs at the hotel before dinner is served at the restaurant.

December 26, 2024 Boxing Day
In the olden days in Finland, Boxing Day was the day when people got out and about visiting family and friends and particularly going on joyful horse sleigh rides. After breakfast your kids can enjoy a short pony carriage ride to celebrate this tradition.

Today is yours to spend at your leisure. If you are not one for resting, there are optional outdoor activities on offer
and babysitters available should you need some 'me time'. 
 

Lunch is served at the restaurant and as per usual you can relax at the hotel sauna or hot tub before dinner. You can also book a massage or a special herbal bath in the hot tub.

Tonight Santa Claus has invited us to enjoy a farewell dinner with him at his local residence. 

December 27, 2024 Farewell
Breakfast at the hotel. Then it is time to say good bye to your hosts and newly made friends.

Transfer to Kajaani airport or private transfer to Kajaani train station.