If you're wondering what to take with you on a once in a lifetime trip to Lapland, here's my tried and tested list of things to take:
- Wool or fleece hat
- Balaclava (optional for adults, essential for kids)
- Snood
- Waterproof gloves
- Glove liners
- Onesie (optional - we coped fine without)
- Pjs
- Slippers
- Indoor shoes
- Cotton socks (1 pair per day)
- Thermal socks (1 pair per day)
- Undies (1 per day)
- Vests (1 every 1-2 days)
- Swimming costume (if hotel has pool)
- Long sleeved thermal tops (base layer)
- Thermal leggings (base layer)
- Warm waterproof trousers or regular leggings (mid layer)
- Jumper/hoodie/fleece top (mid layer)
- Loungewear or other hotel attire
- Snowsuit*
- Snow boots*
*Some tour operators provide snow protective clothing so there’s no need to bring these if that’s the case for you.
We went with TUI who supplied snowsuit, snow boots and thick woollen socks as we left the airport in Lapland.
What I brought but didn’t need:
Lots and lots of hand and foot warmers. The temperatures weren’t too brutal during our time in Lapland and reached around -10 to -15 degree’s Celsius. I do think it’s worth bringing some hand and foot warmers just in case though, especially if you are taking children and/or if you plan on doing any of the excursions as you will be outside for a few hours at a time.
Lots of thermal base layers. I had one set for each day we were away but I only used half the amount I took. This might not be the same for everyone but I found that I wasn’t sweating or getting the base layers dirty (as they were covered up under the snowsuit), so I was able to get more wear out of each item than I normally would with clothes back home.
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What I didn’t take but wished I had:
A good book.
In all the chaos of packing, business admin and watching kids school nativities I did end up forgetting to take a few things and a book was one of them. There was plenty of opportunity to sit by the fire while the kids played with friends, so a good book would’ve been perfect to cosy up with during downtime.
Evening Wear.
I’m not saying I’d have taken a sparkly dress and stilettos but I did wish I’d brought something smart/casual to wear to dinner of an evening. A pair of jeans or leggings and a nice (warm) top (Christmas jumper?!) would be fine. I just wish I’d have packed something a little bit more stylish than I did (joggers, jumpers and slouchy jeans).
A handheld torch or head torch.
It was only light for a few hours a day, meaning it was dark most of the time we were in Lapland. A head torch would’ve been so helpful during instances such as when we trekked through a snowy forest searching for a fire pit, or looking for a hotel key that had fallen out of a snowsuit pocket!
A Trapper style hat.
I wore a beanie hat but ended up fighting with it the whole time, pulling it down to cover my cold ears then pushing it back up to get it out of my eyes! So if you’re likely to have that issue then one of those hats that covers your ears and fastens at the chin would be ideal. Great for kids too!
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Optional extra things we took that made our trip even more magical:
Marshmallows and wooden skewers.
There were plenty of opportunities to toast marshmallows over fire pits outside which was a huge hit with the children!
Cocoa powder and a flask.
A good old hot chocolate is the perfect sweet, warming drink to take along on trips and excursions, which especially perked the kids up if they were a little bit cold or tired.
A Kids Christmas story book.
Another optional extra - a Christmas story is a lovely way to help wind down the children after an exciting day of adventure.