Lapland Christmas in Rovaniemi at a glance
Mid November to early January is the strongest season at Santa Claus Office, and December is the peak. Most things stay open over Christmas, with a few exceptions such as Arktikum on 24 December 2026. This page puts the dates, hours and prices in one place so you can plan your days.
If you want to book something for December, start with the Lapland tours from Rovaniemi and the SantaPark tickets. The free parts of the Village need no booking, but the busy days need an early start. Prices on this page are 2026 prices.
Rovaniemi in December: the holiday calendar
Hours for the main places. Times are local time.
| Place | Dates | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Claus Office | 30 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 | 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., every day |
| Santa Claus Main Post Office | 1 December 2026 to 6 January 2027 | 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
| Arctic Circle Tourist Information | December | 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., every day |
| SantaPark | 1 to 23 December | Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., weekends 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| SantaPark | 24 to 31 December | 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., every day |
| Snowman World | 6 December 2026 to 6 January 2027 | 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
| Arktikum | 1 December 2026 to 28 February 2027 | 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed on 24 December |
For most families, the days from 6 December onward are the easiest to plan, because Santa Claus Office, SantaPark and Snowman World are all open then. Check the current timetable before you go, because each business sets its own calendar.
Our pick: a Christmas day at SantaPark
Elf school, the show and the Magic Train make this an easy fit for a Christmas trip with children.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Christmas tours and winter trips from Rovaniemi
Reindeer, huskies, northern lights and family days, with live prices and availability.
Meeting Santa at Christmas
The visit is free. The queue is the part that needs a plan.
The entrance time
On very busy days you collect a free entrance time at the red booth. It reserves your place in the inner queue, not the meeting itself. There is no guarantee, and in December the free times can be gone soon after midday.
The wait inside
For the part after the entrance, plan about 1 hour in high season. Late in the day can mean shorter queues in quieter weeks, but that does not hold on the busiest days, so get your entrance time early.
The Christmas Express Pass
The Express Pass costs €500 per family for up to 8 people. The whole visit takes about 10 minutes, with about 5 minutes with Santa, and digital photos and video are included. It is limited, so book early. No regular entrance ticket is needed with it.
Photos and rules
Downloadable photos and video start at €57 for up to 5 people, and an A4 print costs €42. Buying is optional. You cannot film or photograph with your own camera or phone inside the office.
Santa Claus Office guide →Reindeer, huskies and snow in December
Reindeer rides cost more from 1 December 2026 to 10 January 2027. The 400 m Reindeer Path takes 5 to 7 minutes and costs €40 for adults and €30 for children in that period, against €30 and €20 at other times. The 800 m Forest Path starts on 1 November 2026 and costs €60 and €40 in the high season, against €50 and €35. Single rides on both paths are sold on site, without advance booking.
The husky park runs its snow program from 1 December to 30 April, and a short 500 m ride costs €50 for adults and €35 for children aged 4 to 12, with park entry included. Sled rides depend on enough snow. Snowman World charges €35 per person, and children under 2 enter free.
For details on the animals and on how the rides differ, see the reindeer page and the husky safari page.
Short winter days, not weeks of darkness
The days are very short in December, but Rovaniemi does not have a month without any daylight. The true polar night begins about half a degree of latitude north of the Arctic Circle, because the atmosphere bends the light.
The climate normals for December, from 1991 to 2020, show an average daily high of −4.9 °C and an average low of −10.6 °C. Single days are colder. Snow cover cannot be promised for a given date, so see the weather page for the monthly figures.
Sending Christmas post from the Village
The Santa Claus Main Post Office is run by Posti.
Opening hours
The post office is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. from 1 December 2026 to 6 January 2027. The address is Tähtikuja 1. When it is closed, stamped mail can go in the yellow mailbox outside.
Arctic Circle stamp
Outgoing mail from the post office gets the special Arctic Circle postmark.
Timing
Cards posted shortly before Christmas can be held back, so do not count on delivery by Christmas Eve. Posti also sells a letter from Santa, and delivery to some countries can be delayed.
Plan the rest of your trip
Pages that help with the Christmas trip.
Lapland Christmas: frequently asked questions
Is Santa Claus Village open on Christmas Day?
Santa Claus Office keeps its daily hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. through the Christmas period, from 30 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. Other businesses set their own calendars, and Arktikum is closed on 24 December 2026.
When does Snowman World open in 2026?
The planned season runs from 6 December 2026 to 17 March 2027, depending on the weather. Do not plan on the snow park for 1 to 5 December.
Do I need to book Santa in advance?
The regular visit is free and needs no online reservation. On very busy days you get a free entrance time on site. The Christmas Express Pass is the booked option, and it is limited.
Is there total darkness in Rovaniemi in December?
No. The days are very short, but the polar night starts only about half a degree of latitude north of the Arctic Circle. Rovaniemi is not in a month of complete darkness.
Will there be snow at Christmas?
That cannot be promised. Nobody can guarantee when a lasting snow cover begins or ends. Sled rides depend on snow, and reindeer rides on wheels are used before the snow arrives.
Is this website the official Santa Claus Village site?
No. This is an independent travel guide, not run by the Village, by Santa Claus Office or by any business mentioned. Check each operator for current hours and prices.