The lights are a numbers game

Nobody can promise you the aurora. It needs a clear sky and an active sun, and either can let you down on a given night. The fix is to give yourself nights, not a night: three or four in Lapland between late August and early April, away from town light. Most resorts run a wake-up alarm if the sky clears at 2am, and a glass-roofed igloo lets you watch from the bed.

Layers, and trust the snowsuit

Lapland in deep winter runs to minus 20 and below, but it's a dry cold and the resorts hand you a thermal snowsuit and boots for the safaris. Wear thin layers underneath, not one thick coat, and the gear does the rest. The mistake is cotton next to the skin; it holds sweat and chills you. Merino base layer, then fleece, then the suit.

Rovaniemi is the official Santa

The Santa Claus Village sits right on the Arctic Circle line outside Rovaniemi, and Finland has long played it as the official one. You can meet Santa year-round, post a card with the Arctic Circle stamp, and step over the painted Circle for the photo. It's frankly commercial, but with children along it's the heart of the trip. Go early; the coach groups arrive by eleven.