Heading to Lapland to meet Father Christmas in person is at the top of most childrens' wish list at this time of year. While we would all love to jump on a plane for a winter getaway, it's not always possible or practical. But fear not, as there is an alternative experience much closer to home that is equally as magical for little ones - Lapland UK.
The website describes it as "an original adaptation of the Father Christmas story and the secret world of the elves brought to life through a 4-hour immersive experience." Sam Faiers showed her Instagram fans just how exciting the Christmas-themed park really is by posting a series of photos of her sweet family trip. The Mummy Diaries star said visiting Lapland UK is a family tradition, and this year her partner Paul Knightley and their two children Paul and Rosie were all clearly having a wonderful time.
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From the moment they were wheeled into the forest in a double buggy, the two kids had huge smiles on their faces. And this excitement only increased when they got to meet some of the elves, listen to stories and make gingerbread men. Some of Sam's cute photos show them wandering towards snow-capped wooden chalets surrounded by trees lit up with white lights, her and Rosie using the penguin stabilisers as they tested their ice skating skills, Rosie helping make teddies, and the all-important meeting with Father Christmas.
The only difference between icy Lapland and the UK is the wet weather, and it showed! The mother-of-two laughed as she revealed Paul's muddy trainers and trousers as he excitedly sat beside the man in red. "Meeting Santa. (Trainers straight in the wash lol.) Silly mumma forgot the wellies," she jokingly captioned the video.
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More videos and photos show Santa, with his iconic red hat and white beard, sitting on a fur-lined chair and holding the 'good list' with holly draped on the fireplace in the background. "Yes, they made it to the nice list", the 28-year-old wrote on one of the videos, while another snap shows the children hugging little husky teddies to their chest. How sweet!