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Changed by Rovaniemi – Childhood dream came true 2/7
In our new “Changed by Rovaniemi”- blog series, we share unique stories from travelers of Rovaniemi. We asked, what makes Lapland so special to them, why they have fallen in love with Lapland, and what makes some of them return time after time. Have a look at the story of Helen from Taiwan, who’s childhood dream came true at the Arctic Circle.
“In Asian countries and in our culture, Christmas is not the biggest festival. However, it is a very important day for my soul, because Christmas has Santa Claus!”
When Helen was a kid, her godmother used to invite her to stay in her house a weekend before Christmas. In the evening they had a nice dinner with the family, enjoying each other’s company. The next morning, all kids received a gift of their own, carefully selected by Helen’s godmother – just like Santa Claus gives gifts to the children. This special day of the year has always felt like the happiest day, and since a little girl, Helen has hoped to be able to visit Santa Claus and the elves someday.
In winter 2015, Helen’s friends wanted to visit Lapland to see the Northern Lights, and Helen did not doubt to join, as the destination was Rovaniemi – The Official Hometown of Santa Claus®.
“We were so excited to visit Santa Claus Village! At the moment I saw Santa Claus, I immediately started to cry. I felt so touched meeting him in real life – happiness just fulfilled my heart! Santa Claus was so funny and warm. He also signed his name on a postcard for me.”
After the meeting, Helen went with her friends to a café nearby to write some postcards. They met a local guy working at the café, that they humorously named “Santa’s brother”. The employee was extremely friendly, funny, and had a huge beard, just like Santa Claus. This special day of 2015 will stay in Helen’s heart as a warm memory forever.
