In an enchanted forest far away (well off the M3 and approximately 1.5miles from Ascot Station if you want to be precise) lies a magical place full of wonder, busy elves, reindeer and huskies - home to Father Christmas and his wife, Mother Christmas. Since opening its doors in 2007 Lapland UK has sprinkled a hefty dose of Christmas spirit to thousands of visitors including just about every celebrity with an Instagram account from the Beckhams to Billie and Sam Faiers, Russell Kane, Joe Wicks and Cheryl Cole.
If you’ve missed out on tickets for this year - make sure you sign up early to get notified for 2023 ticket release. And here at Closer, we bring you some tips and tricks to bring the wonder of Lapland to your home.
1. Fake it ‘til you make it
Mother nature has given most of our gardens a surprise sprinkling of our own real snow this year already but there are loads of ways to fake it indoors and bring a touch of Lapland to your windows. Plus, if fake snow in a can doesn’t scream sophistication, we don’t know what does.
2. Santa’s snowy footprints!
Co-founder of Lapland UK Alison Battle shares her tips for giving the ‘Santa’s been!’ magic. She says, “Watch the children’s faces light up as they discover that Father Christmas visited and left behind his snowy footprints. Cut out boot-sized footprint shapes from card and lay them out on
the floor. Sprinkle with icing sugar or artificial snow, all around the edges. Then remove the card templates to leave behind Father Christmas’ snowy Footprints.”
3. Stacey's snowflakes
There’s no Christmas crafter quite like Stacey Solomon. Try her favourite make-your-own-snowflake idea using glue, paper bags and some scissors.
4. Let there be lights!
You can never have too many fairy lights at Christmastime and that’s why Lapland UK is as twinkly as a wonderland can be. Fairy lights bring instant festive magic to any space and that’s true both inside and out. Carley Greenwood, Floristry Consultant at Lapland UK suggests, “Weave them amongst garlands abundant with dusty miller leaf, tintagel berry eucalyptus, and wild sea holly to bring warmth to your mantlepiece, staircase or even the Christmas dinner table.
5. Children will love ‘wish jars’
One of the most popular items in the Lapland UK village is the ‘wish jars’ named after Wish the Elf who helps Santa in his toyshop. Try making your own using copper-wired fairy lights placed inside glass jam jars or vases.
6. Turn your garden into an enchanted wood
From fir to bay trees - anything can become enchanting once twinkling with warm golden pea lights!
7. Christmas greetings start at the front door
Try a new tradition of designing your own timeless Christmas wreath. Carley Greenwood Floristry Consultant at Lapland UK tells Closer, “It’s the perfect way to bring the festivities to your home and create a warm welcome for any visiting guests. Look at drying out your own oranges and limes to layer texture, add nature hues with winter berries, bundles of cinnamon sticks tied with twine for scent, and finish with stems of fresh green seeded eucalyptus to bring the wonderful world of nature in.
Don’t forget to include those all-important pinecones! Elves are born from pinecones, so we incorporate Norway spruce and red pine into our floral designs.”
8. Make your own Christmas memories
Alison Battle, co-founder of Lapland UK says, “When it’s time to dress your tree, forget about the latest trends and colour palettes. Instead make your tree personal, like a tree of family memories. I always take home a tree decoration from a place we’ve travelled to - over the years we’ve loved taking each decoration out of its box and recalling our family adventures. Our tree is still adorned with decorations the boys made while at nursery and primary school over 20 years ago. It’s an eclectic mix of precious memories that tell the story of our family.”
You and the kids can make your own new memories with easy-to-craft ideas like this:
www.bakerross.co.uk
www.bakerross.co.uk
9. Find your fantasy Santa
If you want to show you’re not just a run-of-the-mill Christmas angel - there are some amazing quirky Christmas tree decorations on the high street.
10. Bake like Mother Christmas!
Alison Battle, co-founder of Lapland UK says, “Baking time is fun” which is why it's at the heart of one of the Lapland UK experiences in the magical room of Mother Christmas and her elves. Alison explains, “Having studied at Heidelberg University in Germany as a teenager, I fell in love with the Christmas lebkuchen and gingerbread traditions. Every year when my boys were young, we would build and decorate gingerbread houses, and these remain a strong theme in the Lapland narrative today. To this day, all six of us still bake our Christmas cake together, each taking our turn to stir the mixture while making a wish.”
For more info on Lapland UK and to make sure you book your tickets early for next year visit here.