5 h. ago I took my kids to Lapland on the Santa Claus Express – but would the big man deliver?

If meeting Santa is on your family wishlist, this trip on a festive sleeper train from Helsinki to Rovaniemi, with reindeer and huskies thrown in, is Christmas with jingle bells onChristmas was only a few days away and the Finnish capital of Helsinki was ringing with festive cheer as we explored the Tuomaan Markkinat in Senate Square, sipping from mugs of hot, spicy glögi (mulled wine), and biting into joulutorttu (jam-filled puff pastries shaped like catherine wheels). A cold front had brought abundant snow and inhaling was rather painful at -8C, but nothing could still the tremble of excitement.Along with my husband and two young daughters, I was here to take the Santa Claus Express to the northern city of Rovaniemi, the heart of Finnish Lapland – and the “official” home of Father Christmas. A regular commuter train for the rest of the year, come late November the Santa Claus Express is Finnish Railways’ flagship service, offering the ultimate sleeper-train adventure. As I checked...

Politics

3 d. ago Debenhams £100 beauty case reduced to £17 with 'express' Christmas delivery

The makeup case has been said to be a "really nice" gift

Economics

3 d. ago Premier League star goes undercover to surprise children as Santa

A certain Premier League footballer has been delivering the goods in more ways than one this Christmas, dressing up as Santa Claus to the delight of his club's young and adoring fans.

Politics

5 d. ago World's longest serving Santa Claus celebrates 64 years of making Christmas magic

Ray Hulse, 81, has given out thousands of presents and never missed a single year of donning the red costume and beard despite battling his own health issues over the years

Politics

7 d. ago Lapland flight to see Santa axed on runway leaving hundreds of kids in tears

The cancellation shattered the hopes of hundreds of children, whose parents had paid thousands of pounds for a festive day trip to Finland to visit Santa in Lapland

Politics

7 d. ago Hundreds of kids in tears as Lapland flight to visit Santa axed on runway

Scots families - and 130 children - had boarded a Glasgow flight to Finland to enjoy a magical day of husky rides, snow mobiles and a special meeting with Santa.

Politics

7 d. ago 120 children fly from Manchester Airport to 'North Pole' to find Father Christmas

The TUI plane set off from Manchester Airport and took 120 children on a journey to find Santa Claus

Society

9 d. ago Man wearing Santa suit kills 9 people in chilling Christmas murder spree

In a terrifying Christmas crime from 2008, a man put on a Santa Claus suit, got into his rental car, and drove to his former wife's house, where he killed nine people in cold blood during a Christmas party.

Events

1 week ago Santa at war: ‘home’ town in Finland hosts Nato soldiers as Russian threat looms

Christmas tourists are noticing a growing military presence in Lapland, where Santa Park doubles as a bomb shelterBilled as the official home town of Santa Claus, or joulupukki as he is known in Finland, the city of Rovaniemi offers every imaginable Father Christmas-related experience – from a visit to his “office” on the Arctic Circle to reindeer sleigh rides. He even has his own branch of the Finnish design house Marimekko.But this Christmas season, in addition to the hundreds of thousands of tourists from around the world coming in search of Santa, Finnish Lapland’s snow-covered capital is becoming an increasingly popular destination for international military visitors. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Kids fear missing out on Christmas presents as modern homes are 'santa

British kids are questioning how Santa Claus will drop off stockings stuffed with presents when there's no obvious way in or out of the house as one in four worry about not having a chimney for him

Events

1 week ago Secrets of Tom Cruise's exclusive Christmas cake list: It's the festive status symbol every celeb craves... but he's got a NAUGHTY list too (which includes one humiliated A

Santa Claus may have his work cut out at this time of year, but spare a thought for Tom Cruise who is busy polishing his own naughty and nice list.

Politics

1 week ago Researchers studied 849 professional Santas. Here’s what they found

Many Santas don’t see it as just a job – it’s a calling

Events

2 w. ago Santa Claus will visit Bellway’s Landsdale development in East Kilbride

Residents and home buyers are invited to come along to the Sunningdale showhome located on Newhouse Road.

Politics

2 w. ago 'I saved £500 on our family’s Lapland holiday with one simple trick'

With the festivities in full swing, parents across the nation are busy planning trips with the kids to visit Lapland UK, but one mum booked the real deal in Finland and saved £500

Economics

3 w. ago We studied 849 professional Santas. Here’s what they had in common

Many Santas don’t see it as just a job – it’s a calling

Events

3 w. ago Beautiful Welsh attraction to be transformed into a Christmas wonderland

Aberglasney Gardens is hosting a festive fair next week with lots on offer for families including a visit from Santa Claus himself

Politics

3 w. ago How cult leader ‘Commander Butcher’ plotted to sow mayhem across US

Guilty plea by far-right activist lays bare plans for bombings, school shootings and Santas handing out poisoned candiesMichail Chkhikvishvili, a self-described cult leader who called himself “Commander Butcher”, did not look like a Hollywood vision of a contemporary terrorist, despite the bizarre, almost made-for-TV extremist actions he planned, such as having people dressed as Santa Claus hand out poison candies on the streets of New York.Chkhikvishvili appeared in a Brooklyn court last week as one might find an office IT tech: close-cropped hair and black-rimmed glasses, attentive, clear-spoken and cooperative as he was questioned about his understanding of a plea that could see him imprisoned for up to 18 years at his March sentencing. Continue reading...

Politics

last month Archie and Lilibet have 'been good' this year! Meghan reveals her children's sweet letter to Santa in blink

In a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment in the first official trailer for her festive special on Netflix, Montecito-based Meghan shared a glimpse of the note her two children penned to Santa Claus.

Politics