Location: Santa Clause Village, 8km northeast of Rovaniemi, Finland
As I was growing, I always thought that Santa Clause was someone you see in the mall or on TV at Christmas time. I did not know that there was such a place as Lapland and Santa's hometown until a few years back when chatting with a colleague at work about places we have been too. Since then, Lapland was on my list of places to visit if ever I find myself in Finland.
Though it was not winter when we got here, with a little imagination, you could still feel the magic in the atmosphere. The place was not overtly crowded. We had a pleasant morning walking around.
Up to 1985, Santa's home was further up north at the village of Korvatunturi in Finland. Since 1985, Rovaniemi became Santa Claus' 'official' hometown.
