Fun and magic in Santa Village
THE main purpose of my trip to Finland this autumn was to see the Northern Lights. However, visiting Santa Village turned out to be an equally memorable experience. Replete with magical stories, the place inspires adults to be more childlike and have faith in everything that is good.
In the 19th century, Harper’s Weekly magazine popularised the idea that Santa lives in the North Pole. To this, the Finns said, “North Pole is too cold for Santa’s reindeer. Rovaniemi is the furthest north they can be.” In 1950, when only wilderness existed in the region, a cabin was constructed for Eleanor Roosevelt’s visit. This initiated local tourism, a sign of hope in the context of post-war scarcity, and Santa Village grew around Roosevelt Cottage.
To reach Santa’s office, visitors cross the Arctic Circle to enter the northern polar region. The line indicating that one is 67 degrees north of the Equator and warrants a photo, with a foot on each side. The ritual is complete with a certificate affirming that you have ticked off this bucket-list item.
Walking through Santa’s workshop, busyness was palpable. Cartons of gifts were being categorised by the recipient type: those who were good this year, those who weren’t, and the “so-so”. There were wrapping instructions for trainee elves and “Elf of the half-day” posters to keep up employee motivation. Photos of celebrities posing with Santa adorned the walls — from Pranab Mukherjee to Spice Girls. There was an elaborate machinery labelled “Time regulator” — used by Santa to slow down time around Christmas, to undertake his global journey without rush.
Finally, it was our turn to meet the Man himself. He asked where we were coming from, and my mother told him that from Chandigarh to Rovaniemi, via London, we had taken five flights. “Next time, I recommend you ride a sleigh. That’s how I travel to Bengaluru and Chennai,” he responded.
The next stop was the post office, from where postcards can be sent to loved ones, to be delivered before or on Christmas, stamped with Arctic Circle postmarks. About 5,00,000 letters from 200 countries arrive annually, with elves having read 2,00,00,000 wishes. A funny souvenir said: “Santa is wanted by the police for breaking and entering, blackmailing, false promises, violation of child labour laws, illegal import and export, unauthorised aviation and stalking”!
A box of child pacifiers piqued our curiosity. Toddlers who are to be weaned off them are told by their parents that Santa has asked for their pacifiers. Not wanting to annoy the bearer of presents, kids willingly deposit the pacifiers. These are sprinkled in the forest, for use by baby reindeer.
Santa conversations continued on our Aurora hunt. The guide shared that Finns deliberately keep the mystery around Santa alive. Ask them his age or if his beard is real, and you’ll get different answers each time. It’s possible to meet Santa every single day. Is it the same man? What about vacations or being sick with the flu? We’ll never know — and it’s best that way.
