E L T I P S V R T

In 1984 a company called Goodwood Travel chartered the under-used supersonic jet on its off days, and chanced upon the idea of using it for a Christmas Day beano.

Duly, 97 super-rich adults – City fatcats plus, presumably, the idle rich – and only three children flew to the city of Rovaniemi, northern Finland, which had an airforce base and therefore a runway long enough.

They rode on snowmobiles in their dinner jackets, waved to the 20,000 locals who came to witness it all, and left £2,200 poorer.

Concorde did the run until 2000, and soon others followed, bringing Christmas-mad Brits in their tens of thousands. It has become a seasonal staple, with a reputation for being high fun but high cost.

Now a new era. As of this month, easyjet is flying twice a week from Gatwick, promising cheaper, more flexible trips.

Santa plus Airbnb cabin in the woods plus skiing? It’s possible.

Rovaniemi is small and the airport, city centre and Santa Claus Village are within ten minutes’ drive of each other. So it’s very doable outside of a package.

I brought my daughter Mari, five. THE snow has not landed in Rovaniemi yet but there is still a heap to do. Be brave and join the crowds winter swimming on Wednesdays in Kemijoki river at Koskipuisto Park. THE Finnish love a good sauna. As well as traditional experiences, you can get sweaty along the river on a sauna cruise. See visitrovaniemi.fi. GET a taste for Lappish food – restaurants are big on fresh forest ingredients such as berries, mushrooms, lichen... and reindeer.