Meet Vanilla the Christmas elf who works in Santa Claus’ workplace twelve months a 12 months

Up in Finnish Lapland on the border of the Arctic circle, sits the charming city of Rovaniemi.

Coated in powdery snow and lit by twinkling lights through the winter months, the city is home to a little over 65,000 citizens and is also the official hometown of one of the most famous people in the world: Santa Claus.

With the official Santa Claus Office and Santa Claus Post Office located in the Santa Claus Village outside the Finnish city, an army of Christmas elves are on hand to help process the avalanche of letters that arrive from around the world.

And while Christmas may only come once a year, Santa and his elves can be found there every day of the week, every month of the year.

Among them is Vanilla the elf – a Rovaniemi citizen who has found she has been able to become her most authentic self as part of Santa’s workforce.

“I had this strong feeling that there is an elf inside of me, so I just had to bring it to life,” she explain.

“Sometimes people question if I am a real elf. I get a little bit confused, because throughout the year I help Santa with the guests, with the reading of kid’s letters, Christmas preparations and presents… I really don’t understand what more I could do to prove that I really am an elf,” she adds.

“Maybe it’s the movies and storybooks that have given people the idea what elves look like. I’m not teeny tiny, I don’t have pointy ears or nose, and my leggings are not green and stripy. Usually, you find me dressed from head to toe in red. I try to tell people that, just like humans, all the elves are different. Different sizes, different special skills. We are all unique.”

Vanilla has been working in the Santa Claus Office since 2012, where no two days are the same, and the village is open to all 365 days per year. At peak season, there are as many as 50 elves working in the festive village, helping Santa and creating unforgettable memories for guests.

“This is a great environment to work because it is so unique,” Vanilla says. “There are elves who come from all over the world to work here at Santa Claus Office, and there’s no age limits. You can be 18 years old or 62 and you can still be an elf. It is fun. You just have to realize that there’s an elf inside of you. Here Santa, and also me and my elf colleagues, need help throughout the year.”

As well as meeting elves and Santa himself, visitors can embark on reindeer safaris, try out snowmobiling, or marvel at the Northern Lights – all the while the friendly local elves are on hand to share tips, advice and provide information.

And while winter is definitely the busiest time of year – with the season picking up in October and remaining hectic until February – the summer months continue to attract tourists as the snow subsides and visitors can enjoy the nearby rivers and lakes, go camping, and be at one with nature.

The winter months can be harsh, with snow covering the ground for up to seven months of the year, and the landscape is plunged into darkness as the sun barely rises for months at a stretch. But Vanilla explains that this makes Santa’s Village all the more enchanting.

“We just add more Christmas lights,” she laughs.

“At the peak of the polar night, the sun does not rise for two whole days in Rovaniemi. But by Christmas, the days already start to get longer, but it’s very slow. The daytime is still very short, so we don’t really feel like we see much of the sun in December or January. In February, it feels like you see the sun again for the first time after autumn.”

“Outside we have Christmas songs playing every day,” she goes on.

“During Christmas season, I don’t really have time to listen to Christmas songs, because it’s so busy. So I’m happy that maybe in February I can step outside and go to the Post Office to bring some mail, and then I can listen to the Christmas songs, because in December, there is no time for that at all. But at least when I’m too busy to listen to Christmas music, I can sing.”

With such a busy schedule, Vanilla finds she really appreciates her time off between the seasons. “I do have my private life,” she laughs. “And after the hectic winter season here in Santa Claus Office, I do have my winter holiday and summer holiday. I have time to go cross-country skiing and swimming.”

After working in Santa Claus Office for more than a decade, and after meeting countless guests, Vanilla is hopeful that she can one day become as famous as Santa. The only problem is that he has a huge head start. Like, centuries. “Maybe in 150 years, I will be as known as Santa,” she laughs.

For information how to visit Santa Claus Village and Santa Claus Office where Vanilla works, visit santaclausoffice.com.