1. Day trip to the North Pole
This magical day trip takes you to Santa's snowbound 'North Pole post office',where the elves sort the Christmas post before the main man sets out in his sleigh to deliver it. (Entre nous, it's actually in Finland.) Lunch will be in a traditional wooden restaurant where hot soups, baked potatoes and pancakes with jam will be served for hungry little helpers. Trips depart from 11 British airports until 23 December and cost £399 for adults £399 and £379 for children, with Canterbury Travel (01923 822388; www.santa-holidays.com).
2. St Nicholas in New York
Santa gets busy in the Big Apple over Christmas. Kids can see him in his grotto at Macy's (151 W 34th St) from 9am to 9pm, every day until Christmas Eve. He's also over at Bloomingdale's (1000 3rd Ave) from noon to 6pm until 23 December; while at the World Financial Centre in Battery Park City, Santa's Winter Garden is open for visitors all day on 16 December. Don't miss the ice rink at the Rockefeller Centre (00 1 212 332 7654; www.rockefellercenter.com). Flights to New York from London with Virgin start from £385 (0870 380 2007, www.virgin-atlantic.com)
3. Arctic action
Search for Santa on a snowmobile on this adventurous three-day trip to Saariselka, 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle. After riding on reindeer sleighs and husky sleds, you travel by snowmobile through the Finnish forests to a log cabin where Santa is waiting. If two adults travel on 10 December from Gatwick for £679 each, two children can go free, with Esprit (01252 618300; www.esprit-holidays.co.uk).
4. Santa olympics in Sweden
In Swedish Lapland you can watch Santas compete at chimney climbing and present wrapping in the Santa Winter Games. After watching that, it's off to the Icehotel near Kiruna, for an evening toasting sausages around the fire with yet another Santa. Also on the agenda for the five-night trip are ice fishing, igloo building and meeting the native Sami people. Departs 21 December from Heathrow and costs £1,295 per adult, £965 per child with Activities Abroad (01670 789991; www.activitiesabroad.com).
5. Huskies in Lapland
In the beautiful rolling hills of Harriniva, in Finnish Lapland, you stay close to the Muonionjoki river, the home of the largest group of huskies in Lapland. Part of the trip involves meeting your furry friends and being taken for a sled ride, before encountering Father Christmas in the woods. There is time to make tree decorations and gingerbread, or go snow shoeing or tobogganing. The final day includes reindeer driving lessons. Departures on 9 and 14 December from Heathrow with Scantours (020 7554 3530; www.scantours.co.uk) cost £855 per adult, £680 per child for three days, including thermals.
