Few places are as rustic, isolated or as picturesque as the far North of Finland. Located in the arctic circle, Lapland comes into its own as the winter holiday destination for 2014 – in fact for reasons that should be apparent to anyone with children, it is the perfect place for a family holiday. Here are five reasons why you should consider a holiday to Lapland for Christmas 2014.

1. Snow
There is nothing better than a white Christmas and if there is one thing you can guarantee about the arctic circle is that there is plenty of snow. Yet Lapland does not just offer you the chance to make snowballs, you can visit one of the best ski resorts – Saariselkä – and see the largest snow-castle – located in Kemi – in the whole of Europe.

2. Joulupukki
St. Nick, Santa Clause, Father Christmas – whatever name you call him by, the official home of the jolly old man of Christmas is Lapland, which is why it’s such a great place to take a Lapland Holiday in 2014. It’s easy to arrange a trip to visit father Christmas, and there are plenty of websites offering great family holiday packages. Of course, a ride on a sleigh driven by reindeer is an obligatory part of any trip to see Santa.

3. The Northern Lights
With few urban settlements, Lapland is one of the best places in the world to see the aurora borealis. The Northern Lights can be seen from anywhere in Lapland, though the National Park of Luosto is one one of the best places to see this spectacle. With the show starting in the early hours of the morning and lasting for a couple of hours, you will need to remember to bring warm clothing.

4. Hiking
Lapland is the perfect place for people interested in experiencing the outdoors. With large areas of protected forest and lots of wildlife – wild reindeer and moose are a common sight – there is plenty to see on a stroll through the picturesque countryside. Lapland also has a system of log cabins located along hiking trails that are freely open to the public and are a great place to warm yourself up and make a nice hot cup of tea.

5. Great Food
You might think that the arctic circle is not the best place to come up with world class dishes, so you might be surprised to learn that Lapland offers a range of delectable treats. Fom reindeer hash – not to be sampled after you have visited Rudolph with the kids – to cloudberries – they are actually the worlds most expensive berries – there are plenty of great culinary reasons to visit Lapland.

I hope this list of the Top Five Reasons to Visit Lapland has inspired you to visit the arctic north for a Lapland winter holiday in 2014. If you want to learn more about what Lapland has to offer tourists – believe me, there are more than five reasons to visit Lapland – then check out this useful resource.