December 18th - Visit Father Christmas

Today after finding the elf making snow angels

the girls also discovered these on their pillows:

So off we drove to Lapland UK. Now it is very expensive but nothing else comes close in terms of setting, actors and Father Christmas himself.  The girls loved it and, on the way home, asked if they could go again next year!
First we posed for the arrival photo outside an elf house before checking in!  There was time for a quick cup of tea before we started out adventure!

 The trip starts with a story about elves.

 before the magical door opens into the snowy wonderland (although the girls were quick to point out it was not real snow, they did enjoy throwing it at each other though!)

 We went to the toy factory which had the same tasks as last year - if we went again it would be good to have some different jobs! The girls had to help Father Christmas finish some toys - stuff a reindeer and put together a wooden teddy bear (although as G asked "Who wants a wooden teddy?")

Then we went to Mother Christmas' kitchen to listen to a story and decorate a gingerbread man!

That took about an hour, which then meant we had about an hour and a half in the elf village. We went ice skating for about 50 minutes, meet Rudolph, bought some pick and mix (the highlight for E!), stroked a husky and enjoyed a hot chocolate complete with cream and marshmallows!

  

We then left the village to go and meet Father Christmas - cue 3 very excited children! The girls ran down the Narnian like paths - stopping to admire the reindeer before finally seeing the big man himself - who was excellent. G said "It's freaky how he knows so much about us" - quite!