If your family keeps Sinterklaas, Nikolaus or St Nicholas Day, Rovaniemi is an unusually fitting place to do it: Santa Claus’s official hometown, a country that celebrates its independence on the same date, and a family apartment where the shoes, the presents and the supper can all happen in one living room. This year the dates line up as a weekend: Saturday 5 December is Sinterklaas evening, and Sunday 6 December is both St Nicholas Day and Finnish Independence Day. Check live dates for that weekend on Airbnb or Booking.com, and read on for how to make it work.

Why a St Nicholas weekend in Rovaniemi at all?

For Dutch families, Sinterklaas is the main gift-giving evening: presents arrive on the evening of 5 December. In Belgium and parts of the Netherlands children also set out shoes. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Nikolaus comes in the night of 5–6 December and the surprise is in the cleaned boots on the morning of the 6th. Whatever the exact tradition at home, the shape is the same: a particular evening, a particular morning, and children who need the room to be ready.

Rovaniemi adds a gentle twist. Santa Claus belongs here in a way he does not in most of Europe, and the first Sunday of December is a good time for a family that wants a pre-Christmas trip before the rush. The early-December weeks are also quieter than the days around Christmas, although we cannot promise availability or prices; for that, the live calendar is the answer.

What the apartment gives you for the evening

A hotel room makes surprise rituals awkward. A flat does not.

• Space to hide things. Wardrobes in every room and a hallway with more, so presents can be tucked away before the children arrive in the living room.
• Several rooms to move between. There are three bedrooms and a living room. One adult can prepare the shoes or the “Sint” visit while the rest are in another room.
• A table. The dining table seats six, so a family of nine eats in two sittings, or children sit on the sofa with plates.
• A kitchen. Dishwasher, oven, microwave, coffee machine and kettle: enough for pepernoten, speculaas, hot chocolate, or the German Nikolaus tray of nuts, mandarins and chocolate.
• A door that closes. It is still a family building with neighbours, so quiet hours run from 22:00 to 07:00.

We cannot promise a particular costume, a visit by a costumed volunteer, or a place that sells any specific sweet. Bring the sweets you need, check Finnish rules on bringing food into the country, and shop for the rest locally. Our post on bringing food into Finland for a self-catering stay is a good place to start.

What happens on Sunday 6 December

The Finnish Independence Day is a quiet national holiday. Many shops and other services are closed or have short opening hours, and families traditionally light two blue-and-white candles in the window in the evening. If you are going to need anything, buy it on Saturday. We cover the day in more detail in Independence Day in Rovaniemi: a 6 December stay.

That is good news for a St Nicholas family: the morning of the 6th is slow and domestic anyway. Boots and shoes by the door, a long breakfast, and a family walk on the forest trails a few minutes away or sledging on the Korkalovaara hills (ask us for a sledge). Dark falls early, so plan the walk around the middle of the day.

How long to stay

For a flying family, three nights from Friday 4 December to Monday 7 December is the shortest comfortable version; four nights, Thursday to Monday, is better with younger children and jet lag. A full week gives you time to treat the weekend as the start of the trip rather than all of it.

If you drive to Rovaniemi from elsewhere in Finland or from Sweden or Norway, do check the road and weather before you set off; we keep a short guide on checking weather and roads before winter travel to Rovaniemi.

Arriving, check-in and getting around

Check-in is from 16:00, at any hour including late at night, via a code lockbox. The code and a photo guide are sent three days before arrival. Our hosts, Joona and Alla, are a local couple who live a few minutes away and usually answer within the hour.

From the airport it is about 15 minutes by taxi, roughly €35–45. The bus stop is 150 m from the door, with a direct bus to the city centre in about 15 minutes that continues to Santa Claus Village. By car it is 8 minutes to the centre and 15 minutes to Santa Claus Village, SantaPark and the airport. There is one free parking space in the yard, with an ice scraper and snow brush provided. The flat is on the second floor with no lift, so plan your luggage accordingly.

Beds and layout

Nine Pines has three bedrooms: one with a 160 cm double bed and two with two 90 cm single beds each, plus a sofa bed sized for two children and an armchair bed in the living room. Up to nine guests stay at most. Linen and towels are provided, a baby cot is free on request, and there are colouring books for children. There is one bathroom with a shower and a separate second toilet.

FAQ: St Nicholas weekend in Rovaniemi

Is 6 December a public holiday in Finland?

Yes, Independence Day. Many shops are closed, so shop on Saturday.

Where can we put out shoes or boots?

The hallway near the entrance has wardrobes and space. Tell us in advance what you plan and we will say what works.

Can children sleep in the living room?

The sofa bed is sized for two children and the armchair bed is also there, so yes, as part of the sleeping plan for up to nine guests.

Do you arrange a visit from Sinterklaas or Nikolaus?

No. We provide the flat; the visit is yours to organise in your family’s own way.