Aurora Through a Child's Eyes: My Daughter's First Night in Finland

I brought my 8-year-old daughter, Anaya, on her first international travel last December. Months of consideration, weighing our possibilities back and forth between snowy escapes and sunny escapes, went by before deciding on one fantasy which had been in my heart for so long—Finland. Lapland, in particular.

It was not merely a holiday. It was something unique. I wished for her to have an awe that would last a lifetime. So, we made arrangements for one of those Finland vacation package with Catch A Trip, attempting to keep things practical yet concentrating on simply being present with each other.

The moment we stepped out of the plane, Anaya got super excited. “Papa, look, the snow is so fluffy!”, she exclaimed. For a little girl who has grown up in Mumbai, seeing snow for the first time must’ve been a magical experience. 

Included in our deal was the Finland trip package: transfers, cozy and warm accommodation in an igloo with a glass roof, thermal gear (a necessity for the likes of us!), and escorted tours. But the clincher was the chance to see the aurora borealis.

The first two nights were cloudy. Anaya sat patiently, but I could feel her little heart giving up. "Perhaps they are shy," she whispered softly as we zipped up her parka beneath the darkness of the sky. "Perhaps they will come when they realize I am truly seeking."  

And then there was the third evening.

I woke Anaya softly, and her eyes snapped open in a foggy daze until awareness hit her face like lightning. "Are they really here, Papa?"

We walked outside, her tiny gloved hand wrapped around mine. The sky above us had shifted. She just gazed.

And then she pulled on my arm and leaned over in a soft whisper, "Is this magic?"

I wished to reply with a yes. But it was more tangible than fantasy. It was nature disclosing its secret, just to us.

If you are a parent, you understand how the joy is multiplied through your child's eyes. That night, under the aurora lights on Anaya's dazed face, I recognized we'd formed a memory she'd have for a lifetime.

What made it even more unique was the inclusion of the Finland adventure holidays package. Storytelling by campfire with Sami elders, husky sledding, and reindeer feeding were the activities that had her giggling all day long and sleeping like a baby at night.

The crowning glory? We did not end up behaving like tourists paraded before the entire world. Each experience was crafted to be intimate and real. We met other families, shared experiences under starry skies, and even got an opportunity to make traditional Finnish bread in a village house.

The Finland adventure tours**** these days are not touristy material anymore—more about living another tempo of life. There is something earthy about being surrounded by snowy quietness and northern lights. It grounds you. And makes you closer to the people you love.

I have been taking Anaya to India's beaches and hill stations. But I never saw her so quiet, so engrossed, so emotional. She goes on and on talking of Jukka, her reindeer friend "Nallu" and the fairy lights that "came just for her."

I understand now that Finland packages with Catch A Trip are not just about the break, but about the moments. Book that Finland adventure holiday. Take the leap. Feel the cold wind tickle your cheeks and the stars watching your children. Let them dream of magic while they still can.

One day, they will be grown up. And if you're lucky, they'll remember that Finnish adventure—the night when the sky danced for them alone.