The Christmas season at Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi opens with the Countdown to Christmas on Saturday 7 November 2026 at 18:00 Finnish time.
The event is held in the village on the Arctic Circle, where Santa Claus Office keeps longer opening hours from mid-November.
Santa Claus Village on the Arctic Circle in Rovaniemi opens its Christmas season with the Countdown to Christmas on Saturday 7 November 2026 at 18:00 Finnish time, according to Santa Claus Village and Visit Rovaniemi. In earlier years the event has been held in the village’s central square with Christmas music, and it has ended with Santa Claus arriving to give a speech.
The date changes from year to year. In 2025 the countdown was held on 25 October, in 2024 on 3 November and in 2023 on 12 November. The programme for 2026 and any guest performers have not been announced yet.
Santa Claus Office: 10:00–18:00 from 24 October to 15 November and 9:00–19:00 from 16 to 29 November.
Santa Claus Main Post Office: 9:00–20:00 from 1 December to 6 January 2027.
The village itself is open every day, and there is no entrance fee.
Santa Claus Village is on the Arctic Circle about 8 km north of Rovaniemi city centre. Opening hours can still change, so check them on the day of your visit.
Meeting Santa Claus, the post office, the reindeer and the rest of the village are covered in our village guide.