Santa Claus Village in Lapland.

November 5th, 2008 → 10:43 am @ Kasatka

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Santa Claus Village in Lapland.

As Christmas time approaches, thoughts of children turn to Santa Claus. Around the world Santa Claus is known under different names. Jultomten (Christmas Elf) in Sweden, Julenissen in Norway, Saint Nicholas in central Europe.

In Finnish Santa Claus – Joulupukki literally means Christmas goat. Long time ago he visited families in his grey fur and with wooden stick. Goat has always been a symbol of prosperity. Finnish Santa has little helpers – Christmas elves.

Children believe that Santa Claus lives in the cold snowy country and travels on reindeer-drawn sledge. Thus Finnish Lapland became a perfect place for Santa’s motherland.  It is believed that the official residence of Santa Claus is ear-shaped mountain Korvatunturi (The Ear Fell) in Finnish Lapland close to the russian border. The story tells that with this “ears” Santa Claus can listen children wishes from all over the world. 

Finns have combined myth with reality and in 1985 opened Santa Claus Village in Rovaneimi, the capital of Lapland province. The Village now includes Santa Claus’s house, his workshop, post office and variety of shops and restaurants. Rovaneimi city has airport and can host large jets.  As a result today Santa Claus Village receiving visitors from all over the world, offering not only Santa Claus Village attractions, but also reindeer-drawn sled rides, Sámi culture (Sámi – ethnical minority of the northern European countries) and fascinating  scenery of snowy Lapland. 

Visit Santa Claus Village website  http://www.santagreeting.net

 

These are Finnish fairy-tale books with astonishing illustrations on myths, history and folklore of Christmas and  Lapland: 

The Bearer of Gifts  by Kenneth Steven, tells about how Santa Claus came to Lapland

Tarlena, the Elf-Gir  by Elina Karjalainen,  is  a story about Tarlena’s adventure in Santa Claus land.

A Glimpse of Sámi Earth Spirits. Is a collection of old Sámi stories which tell about earth spirit and other mythical creatures of Sámi folklore tradition .

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