At this time of year, Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland and home to Santa Claus Village since 1985, is usually blanketed in white snow. However, due to the effects of climate change, the giant thermometer located in the village, near the site branded as Santa Claus’s home, shows a temperature of approximately 36°F, while the soft snowflakes have been replaced by rain falling from the sky.
“My reindeer can fly, so that's no problem,” said the man in the red suit with the long white beard, speaking to AFP after another long day of meeting excited children and adults. “But we can see that climate change is real. And it's affecting the reindeer. It's affecting life here in the Arctic,” he added, keeping his true identity a secret.
Reindeer herders in Lapland report that winters have become increasingly unpredictable, which in turn is affecting the reindeer’s primary food source – lichen. The Arctic region is warming nearly four times faster than other parts of the world due to climate change, according to a study published two years ago by Finnish researchers in the journal Nature.
The rise in global temperatures – driven primarily by human activity and the fossil fuel industry – has exacerbated natural disasters such as floods and droughts worldwide in recent years. In Finnish Lapland, following an unusually warm summer, a record high temperature for November was set just a few weeks ago when the town of Utsjoki recorded 52°F, breaking the previous record of 51.8°F set in 1975.
Every year, tourists flock to Rovaniemi from around the world to take in its snowy landscapes, enjoy its festive attractions, and experience the Arctic chill. Visitors hoping to meet Santa Claus in person can fulfill their wish at several locations in Rovaniemi, including the underground amusement park “Santa Park” and the nearby Santa Claus Village, which is open year-round.
To their disappointment, many visitors at this time of year – just before the Christmas bells begin to ring – have been greeted by puddles, gray skies, and wet sidewalks instead of the usual snowy scenery. However, activity at the post office located in the village is at its peak, with piles of letters sent by countless children to the holiday icon.
“In December there can be about 30,000 letters each day,” said Heidi Mustonen, who has worked as a “postal elf” for 20 years. “More than half a million letters are sent to Santa Claus’s post office every year,” she added, emphasizing that every single letter is opened and carefully read.
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Most of the letters contain wish lists but also include personal thoughts, worries, and joyful moments that the senders – children and adults alike – want to share with their idol. “This year, many people have wished for peace,” said Mustonen. She noted that most letters from Asian countries were written by teenagers, while those from various European countries were primarily written by children.
“I love the warm and joyful atmosphere in Santa Claus Village, but I’m longing for snow to paint the scenery bright white," adding that if it were a possibility, "We would make snow everywhere if we could. But we are just postal elves.”