Santa’s Official Post Office in Rovaniemi, Finland, is expected to receive over 30,000 letters daily from children and adults around the world this year.
In a bid to attract novice elves, Santa Claus’ Cabin has been listed on Airbnb for guests – free of charge – to roll up their sleeves, lend a hand with the backlog of le tters and experience the joy of the holiday season from the Arctic Circle.
The exclusive stay in Finland will be available for 3 nights from 18-21 December 2023.
Guests will receive complimentary return flights to Rovaniemi from London Heathrow Airport via Finnair – thanks to Visit Finland. The stay is suitable for up to two adults and two children, and will be free of charge, with breakfast and dinner included.
Prospective Filipino elves can request to book the exclusive stay in the magical Santa Claus’ Cabin from December 11 at 6pm at airbnb.com/santa. Guests will receive complimentary return flights to Rovaniemi from London Heathrow Airport via Finnair – thanks to Visit Finland. The stay is suitable for up to two adults and two children, and will be free of charge, with breakfast and dinner included.
The guest who requests to book the stay must be above 18 and have a verified Airbnb profile, as well as a history of positive reviews. Their fellow guests must be over the age of 5.
“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,” Katja, Chief Elf of Santa Claus’ Main Post Office and Airbnb Host said.
Since the 1950s, there has been postal activity in the area, and Santa Claus’ Main Post Office has been operating since the 1980s.
It is the only official Santa Claus’ Post Office in the world and is operated by the Finnish postal services.
Constructed from natural stone and pine trees, it is open year-round and welcomes about half a million visitors from around the world each year. In Santa Claus’ Main Post Office, visitors are greeted by festively attired postal elves.
Guests will be invited to become fully 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 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; emptying mailboxes and helping the elves to 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.
Guests will stay in Santa Claus’ Cabin, just a hop, skip and a jump away from Santa Claus’ Post Office. 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 bolthole in the depths of the Arctic circle.
“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 – creating memories that will last a lifetime along the way,” Amanda Cupples, General Manager of Northern Europe at Airbnb, said.
“There is nothing more magical than visiting Finland during the festive Christmas period – from taking in the wonder of the northern lights, strolling 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,” Heli Jimenez, Senior Director, International Marketing at Business Finland, said.
Visit Finland, a unit of Business Finland, is a national authority on tourism and an active force in promoting international travel to Finland. Its main goal is to develop Finland’s international image as a destination. Visit Finland supports the travel industry through research and helps businesses and groups develop products and services for the international market.
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.
Airbnb was born in 2007 when two hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 4 million hosts who have welcomed 1.5 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, hosts offer unique stays and experiences that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way.
