Where to stay in Finland: Santa Claus' official post office, igloos and more

MANILA, Philippines — Imagine spending the holidays this year in a magical place in Finland, where the official Santa Claus works round the clock with his elves sorting out over 30,000 letters daily from children and adults around the world.

You will probably be tasked to roll up your sleeves, lend a hand with the letters, and experience the joy of the Christmas season from the Arctic Circle.

Yes, this is no imaginary holidays. Santa’s Official Post Office in Rovaniemi, Finland is where one could stay to help the elves finish their task in time for Santa to deliver the best Christmas gifts to children all over the world on Christmas Eve. 

Katja, Chief Elf of Santa Claus’ Main Post Office and Airbnb Host, said: “The elves have been working around the clock to transform Santa Claus’ Cabin into a winter wonderland. We want this to be a magical and immersive experience for a family in search of the ultimate yuletide experience. Not only will guests get to sleep in Santa Claus’ Cabin. They’ll also get a sneak peek behind the scenes of the world’s official Santa Claus’ Post Office during our liveliest time of the year.”

For the stay, guests will be invited to join Santa’s elves and become full-fledged elves for a day at Santa Claus’ Post Office. Guests will be given a crash course in "elfing" by Chief Elf and Host Katja, and will work with her team to help sort through the backlog of letters from children and adults all around the world, cross-referencing with Santa Claus’ naughty and nice list.

Guests will also participate in all kinds of tasks, such as emptying mailboxes and helping the elves stamp the post with the special Arctic Circle postmark before it goes to Santa Claus, and learn about the day-to-day workings of the Post Office. After tending to their elf duties, guests will be treated to traditional Finnish meals, a snowmobile activity, a trip to see the Northern Lights and — the most Finnish experience of all — a traditional sauna.

Santa Claus’ Cabin is just a hop, a skip and a jump away from Santa Claus’ Post Office. For Christmas, the room in the cabin has been given a Yuletide makeover complete with traditional Lapland decorations, a wardrobe of elf-wear and all the accessories you could ever expect from a cozy elven bolt hole in the depths of the Arctic Circle. 

To reach this exclusive stay in Finland, there are flights from Rovaniemi to London Heathrow Airport and vice versa via Finnair. 

Amanda Cupples, General Manager of Northern Europe at Airbnb, said: “Staying in Santa Claus’ Cabin in the Arctic Circle, amidst the magic of Finland, is not just a holiday; it’s a journey to the heart of the holiday spirit. We’re thrilled that the Chief Elf has decided to share their space on Airbnb and invite a family to experience this unique festive stay, where they’ll help sort through Christmas letters from children worldwide and participate in unforgettable adventures like snowmobile excursions, Northern Lights sightings and traditional saunas, thus creating memories that will last a lifetime.”

Heli Jimenez, Senior Director, International Marketing at Business Finland, added: “There is nothing more magical than visiting Finland during the festive Christmas period — from taking in the wonder of the Northern Lights, strolling along the festive streets, or enjoying the snowy white scenery.  We’re delighted this family will get to experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as they work alongside Santa’s Chief Elf in her official post office.”

To bring awareness to children with special needs, Airbnb will make a one-time donation to Special Children's Omaiset ELO, a peer support association aimed at Lappish children and young people with special needs and their loved ones.

For those who are not able to book this exclusive stay, check out Airbnb’s Arctic Category, a new filter that makes it easy to discover igloos, cabins and more, in the Arctic Circle.