Message from Finland: Santa reassures kids that Christmas deliveries will happen as planned
In the lead-up to Christmas 2021, Santa and Mrs Claus have confirmed that the distribution of presents will go ahead as planned, and that the delivery route includes all locations around the globe, regardless of the coronavirus situation.
Santa Claus lives in the far north of Finland, in Finnish Lapland. The Covid-19 pandemic did not keep him from his rounds in 2020, and in 2021 he and his reindeer will again complete their route according to plan.
Under specially negotiated multilateral agreements, Santa and his reindeer-drawn sleigh are granted exemption from travel restrictions in order to ensure that they are able to deliver their presents.
Santa, Mrs Claus and their elves are not usually susceptible to disease, but they are all fully vaccinated nonetheless. When a Covid-19 vaccine became available, they immediately said yes to receiving the shot. “In general, I place great value on being nice,” Santa said to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, “so of course I follow all the regulations and recommendations.”
He listens to children from all over the world, whether he meets them in person or reads the letters they send to Finnish Lapland, where his workshop, post office and home are located. Santa is sensitive to children’s concerns and can see things from their perspective.
“We have been living in this very extraordinary time for two years,” he said recently at a celebration marking the official opening of the Christmas holiday season in the Finnish city of Rovaniemi, located on the Arctic Circle in Lapland. “It is indeed quite a long time for us all, but just imagine what it must feel like for a six-year-old child – the pandemic has lasted for almost a third of their lifetime.”
He continued, “I have heard some worrying news about the wellbeing and coping of children and young people around the globe. As the Christmastime festivities approach, it is time to turn these worries into plenty of goodwill. I have a great wish, a huge desire for us all to try very hard to make this Christmas happy and unforgettable for children. Imagine creating such a magical Christmas for them that one day they will share these fond memories with their own children and grandchildren.”