Christmas is a time for families to make new memories together, yet it is usually over in the blink of an eye. This is where Finland steps in.

Winter in Finland is a magical season. Follow our 10-step guide through the darkest winter months all the way until the first rays of spring sun.

To truly experience Finland, you have to get out of the city. That is why Finns head to their cottages both winter and summer, and so should you! The winter brings its own unique activities to cottage life such as skiing, ice-swimming, sledding - all in the beautiful background of a blanket of snow and ice as far as the eye can see.

Finland is perhaps best known for the Aurora Borealis, but the country has a lot more to offer than this celestial light show, especially for sporting daredevils. With its frozen waters and deep snow, you need look no further than this beautiful country to fulfil your winter sports’ needs.

Old Porvoo is one of Finland’s most idyllic districts. The cobbled streets are lined with old, doll-house-like houses and on top of the hill a white stone church looks over the river valley. Wonderful in the summer, magical during wintertime. Only one hour East of Helsinki.

Ice-fishing is a much-loved winter activity in Finland. The beauty of it lies in its simplicity - a session of ice-fishing could almost be counted as a sort of meditation.

We all have problem pigs in our lives, nasty little things that make us angry, tired or stressed out. But no problem, here’s a perfect retreat. The Finnish winter calms down even the world’s angriest birds, so it will surely work for you too.

Take a look at the geographical shape of Finland and you’ll see why people call her “The Finnish Maiden”. At the tip of her thumb is the only part of the country where peaks rise 1,000 metres above sea level. Nestled in those peaks you will find a tiny village called Kilpisjärvi, home to roughly a hundred year-round residents.