You Can Spend the Night in Santa Claus’ Cabin—and Help Sort His Mail

Each year, Santa Claus receives tens of thousands of letters from children all over the world, who share their hopes, dreams and holiday wish lists with the man in the red suit.

Now, one lucky family will have a chance to help Santa sort through all his mail. This Christmas, Airbnb will host a one-time stay at Santa Claus’ Cabin in Rovaniemi, Finland. Located in northern Finland in the Lapland region, Rovaniemi proudly proclaims itself to be the “Official Hometown of Santa Claus.”

Despite this designation, Rovaniemi isn’t the only location claiming a connection to Santa Claus. Several others exist, including Santa Claus House in North Pole, Alaska, each drawing many tourists to cold, remote destinations.

In Rovaniemi, Airbnb’s cozy cabin is conveniently located right next door to Santa’s Post Office, where guests will be expected to roll up their sleeves and help the crew of “elves” deal with Saint Nick’s correspondence. And there’s a lot of it: This winter, the post office expects to receive more than 30,000 letters per day.

Travelers will get to help with a variety of tasks, like emptying mailboxes and stamping letters with an Arctic Circle postmark. After each hard day’s work, they’ll get to fuel up with traditional Finnish meals, zip around on snowmobiles, marvel at the northern lights and warm up in a sauna.

The three-night stay is a “journey to the heart of the holiday spirit,” says Amanda Cupples, Airbnb’s general manager of northern Europe, in a statement.

As for Santa’s cabin, it’s been decked out in traditional Lapland decorations—including handwoven rugs—and other cheery holiday flourishes. It features a double bed and a bunk bed, which means there’s room for two adults and two kids.

A “wardrobe of elf-wear” is also included in the stay. After all, “a felt hat with a jingling bell paired with a freshly ironed tunic is the preferred attire in the Santa Claus Village,” per Airbnb.

Travelers who want a shot at this festive Airbnb stay will be able to request a booking starting on December 11 at 5 a.m. Eastern. The visit will take place from December 18-21, and breakfast and dinner are included.

The stay itself is free, as are flights to Rovaniemi from London Heathrow Airport. (If you’re coming from somewhere else in the world, you’re on the hook for getting yourself to London.)

The Finnish postal services have operated Santa’s Post Office in Rovaniemi since the 1980s. It’s open year-round at Santa Claus Village, which also includes a variety of Santa- and winter-themed restaurants, bars, lodgings and activities.

“There is nothing more magical than visiting Finland during the festive Christmas period, from taking in the wonder of the northern lights, strolling the festive streets or enjoying the snowy white scenery,” says Heli Jimenez, a spokesperson for the government tourism agency Business Finland, in Airbnb’s statement.

Sarah Kuta | READ MORE

Sarah Kuta is a writer and editor based in Longmont, Colorado. She covers history, science, travel, food and beverage, sustainability, economics and other topics.