Free trips to see Santa in Lapland

Tour operators are cutting the cost of the ultimate family holiday to see Santa this Christmas to try to encourage parents spooked by the credit crunch not to shelve planned trips to take their children to Lapland.

Esprit Holidays is offering one free child place for every family holiday which includes a private family session with Santa.

Additional children aged two to five pay 50 per cent of the adults fare and older children up to the age of 11 pay 60 per cent.

Cosmos Holidays is knocking £236 off its child prices, which now start at £499 for a three-night trip to the resort of Levi Fell including flights departing on December 9. Other departures are available.

Cosmos head of specialist products Sara Gelder said: ""As we were expecting, a trip to see Santa this Christmas is less affordable in the current downturn so we have decided to discount child prices early in the run-up to Christmas to maintain our current programme.""

Esprit's adult price of £699 includes bed and breakfast accommodation in the resort of Saariselka, a traditional Arctic Circle Ceremony, a husky sled ride and reindeer sleigh ride and flights from Gatwick.

Departures are on December 2. Alternatively, depart on December 10 to the resort of Rovaniemi for a four-day trip which includes a visit snowmobile safari to find Santa a husky sled ride and reindeer sleigh ride and visits to Santa's Christmas Control Center and the Joulukka Elf School.

The trip costs £1,825 for a family holiday for four or £1,499 for a family holiday for three, saving up to £534 per family. The price includes accommodation in cabins in a woodland setting, flights and transfers plus all activities.

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