- In Rovaniemi, Finland, Santa has a “real office” filled with with toys and reindeer.
- Every year, thousands of visitors flock to see Santa.
- You can even write letters to Santa that get delivered to the office.
- Photographers, including Reuters’ Pawel Kopczynski, got an inside look at the magical village.
Ever wonder what Santa Claus does all year once he’s done with his world tour on Christmas Eve?
Just like any other hardworking grown-up, he’s got to get back to the office.
The Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi, Finland, is home to Santa’s year-round office and village, where a multilingual actor playing Santa carries out the important day-to-day business of meeting thousands of adoring fans – and spreading general Christmas cheer.
Multiple photographers, including Pawel Kopczynski, visited the glittering, snow-covered Santa Claus Village. Here’s a look at what goes down at the jolliest place on the planet during the busiest season of the year.
The Finnish city of Rovaniemi was nearly destroyed during World War II, according to the city's official tourism site.
But in 1950, then first-lady Eleanor Roosevelt paid a visit to Rovaniemi to check up on its rebuilding efforts. In advance of her trip, officials built a cabin a few miles north of the city, right on the Arctic Circle. This cabin is still standing in Santa Claus Village today.
The big man himself came into the picture a few decades later.
Legend says that Santa's original home is in a secret, remote location in Finland, known to only a chosen few people. So, in 1985, "Santa" - with help from local officials - decided to open up a public office, right at the cabin in Rovaniemi. There, he'd get to greet children all year round, and attract lots of tourism to the area too.
Soon, the village was open for business, and in 2010, it was finally dubbed the official hometown of Santa Claus.
The main attraction, of course, is seeing Santa. About 300,000 visitors flock to the site every year.
Read more: Can you find Santa's hat in this Christmas-themed brainteaser?
And kids who make the trek can go home with proof of their magical encounter.
The village sells a certificate proving that they have indeed met the real Santa.
Plus, for an additional $8, children can also guarantee their place on the Nice List by purchasing Santa's Certificate of Niceness.
But for those who can't make the trek to Finland, there's always letter writing.
Every year, more than half a million children write letters to Santa's official post office, where elves sort all the arrivals by country of origin.
It's a real, functioning post office with a special Arctic Circle postmark.
The postmark features an image of Santa with his famous reindeer.
The village has gotten mail from 198 different countries to date.
You can also send letters home to loved ones.
Some children even draw pictures for Santa.
The thousands of letters are sorted into "opening," "sorting," and "replying" piles.
There's even some entertainment for adult visitors.
The Snowman World Ice Bar and Restaurant is right on the premises. Just about everything here is made from ice - even the drinking glasses.
Hardcore snow bunnies can also book a room at the on-site igloo hotel.
This particular room included a snow-carved image of Santa and his team of reindeer flying through the sky.
The Kotahovi restaurant serves dishes from Finland's northernmost region, Lapland.
Along with its wide array of food, the Kotahovi restaurant also offers live music for its diners.
Reindeer sleigh rides and reindeer farm tours are another popular attraction at the village.
But visitors are notified up front that flying reindeer are reserved for Santa's use only. That's because they "require expert driving skills that take centuries to master," according to Rovaniemi's official tourism site. Best to leave it to the man in red.
Want to pay a visit to Santa at his official hometown? Read more about Santa Claus Village right here.
Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.
- Read more:
- 10 actors who have played Santa Claus in movies
- I visited a Manhattan holiday market 2 weeks before Christmas, and it was surprisingly enjoyable for a tourist attraction just steps from Times Square
- 13 surprising things you probably didn't know about 'Elf'
- An elderly man bought his 2-year-old neighbor 14 years' worth of Christmas gifts before he died