Christmas was only a few days away and the Finnish capital of Helsinki was ringing with festive cheer as we explored the Tuomaan Markkinat in Senate Square, sipping from mugs of hot, spicy glögi (mulled wine), and biting into joulutorttu (jam-filled puff pastries shaped like catherine wheels). A cold front had brought abundant snow and inhaling was rather painful at -8C, but nothing could still the tremble of excitement.
Along with my husband and two young daughters, I was here to take the Santa Claus Express to the northern city of Rovaniemi, the heart of Finnish Lapland – and the “official” home of Father Christmas. A regular commuter train for the rest of the year, come late November the Santa Claus Express is Finnish Railways’ flagship service, offering the ultimate sleeper-train adventure. As I checked my watch and announced it was finally time to make our way to Helsinki central station, the girls were pink in the cheeks, eyes sparkling from all the surrounding golden lights.
Inaugurated in 1919, the edifice of the majestic art nouveau station swept over us as our footsteps echoed beneath its arches, the ceiling hung with neoclassical chandeliers.
Our train was almost 20 minutes late and the anticipation was palpable as passengers shifted from one fur-trimmed boot to the other, a mass of parkas and puffer jackets milling around. Bobble-hatted children glanced hopefully at every train entering the station, their breath twisting up on the air. This is a bucket-list trip filled with snowscapes, perky elves, reindeer rides, husky sledding and northern lights, but I was quietly terrified that something might go wrong: a cancellation perhaps or a lengthy weather delay.
Helsinki central railway station. Photograph: Ryhor Bruyeu/Alamy
Then, at 7.45pm precisely, the Santa Claus Express appeared, red tail lamps blazing as it reversed in through the darkness, and my fears were allayed.
As a child, this train would have fulfilled my every dream. But who was I kidding? As an adult it still did. The green and white doubledecker, with Santa’s jolly face painted on the side, came to a standstill, the doors hissed open and we tumbled on board, clambering upstairs to our compartment. On one side were bunks and on the other an en suite toilet that converted to a shower area. With hot water, underfloor heating and a window seat to watch nature’s slideshow playing outside, it was perfect.
Up to the age of 10, children travel for free as long as they share a berth with another passenger, and the berths were wide enough for my husband and me to top and tail with the girls. I’ve travelled on more than 100 sleeper trains over the last 15 years, and this was the finest I’d yet found.
To hoots of delight and feet thumping along the corridors, we stashed bags and headed for the restaurant car, where a large family was already crammed into one booth, watchingthe movie Elf dubbed into Portuguese. Tinsel was wound up the brass bars, mistletoe peeked out from the backs of banquettes and the windows were sprayed with snow, the glass already steamed up. The aroma of home-cooking filled the car and a waitress soon arrived with a bowl of reindeer stew and two dishes of meatballs and mash (80,000 portions of which are sold every year according to the railways’ website).
The writer and her family on the Santa Claus Express
“What meat is this?” my elder daughter asked, dangling a piece of smoked reindeer into her mouth like a Roman ruler. It was a moment I’d been dreading. How could I tell her they were wolfing down the protagonist of their favourite Christmas song?
“Well,” I said, “in Finland they eat lots of different things depending on what they can grow and farm, and this is … reindeer.”
She shrugged and finished the bowl just as I noticed the train was on the move, the twinkle of the city already giving way to woods, branches sagging under the weight of snow.
Aware that other families were waiting to dine, we grudgingly gave up our booth and squeezed through what was starting to feel like a pub on New Year’s Eve, beer spilling on to tables amid the warmth and cheer of strangers exchanging stories and jokes.
Back in our compartment, the girls were soon tucked in. The train was strikingly smooth, barely a hum detectable over the sounds of parents yelling at their kids through the air vents. As the girls slept soundly, and my husband read, I sat at the window searching the darkness. Black lakes flashed under street lamps, sheets of ice dusty between skinny branches. From the little pull-down seat I could see how fragmented Finland’s landscape was: a mass of islands, lakes and forests locked together.
Cabins with igloo roofs at the Apukka resort beneath the northern lights
It was a worthwhile venture scouring the scene, watching walkers with their dogs, locking eyes with late-night smokers on their balconies, and spotting wreaths hanging on doorways. A single fox darted across a car park and I wondered what it might feel like to travel into the polar darkness. Tomorrow there would be no sunrise, so I left the blind up and climbed into bed.
The train drew into Rovaniemi just after 7am and we were soon at the Apukka resort, a collection of igloo-style cabins built around a lake. While husky rides and petting reindeer were high on the list, Santa Claus Village, which is on the Arctic Circle line, was our first port of call and we were soon in a queue curling up and around a staircase towards the magical wooden grotto.
I’d dreamed about this moment since becoming a parent. Bringing my children to meet the big man, watching their mouths fall open with joy. In reality, the girls had spent the last half hour grumbling about being bored and pinching each other, and I was now gripping their wrists and mouthing threats through gritted teeth. My elder daughter was also unconvinced about Santa’s identity. “It was Sophie’s dad, Steve,” she had said after the previous year’s school winter fair. How could they not see how special this moment was? On the verge of tears, I pulled the girls apart and eventually we made it to the front of the queue.
The writer’s daughters meet a man with an unfeasibly large beard in the Santa Claus Village
Inside, two elves were setting up their camera and I looked across to where Santa was sitting in a chair, knee-length beard and giant felt boots in place. He smiled over pince-nez and beckoned the girls, who had fallen silent. Exchanging looks, they shyly sat down. This was a Santa who was authentic enough to make me a believer again. He asked if he could visit in a few days, and they nodded, accepting two gift bags and waving. Outside, they pulled out two plush reindeer toys and beamed. “He was definitely the real Santa,” said my elder daughter, and I breathed a sigh of relief. “His beard was real.”
Making our way back outside, I barely noticed the chill. Flushed with warmth I looked down at the smiling faces and gave silent thanks for what had finally turned out to be our family Christmas miracle.
A two-person cabin on the Santa Claus Express from Helsinki to Rovaniemi starts from €239 one way on VR railways (travel time 11¾ hours)
Monisha Rajesh is the author of Moonlight Express: Around the World by Night Train, published by Bloomsbury (£22). To support the Guardian, buy a copy from guardianbookshop.com
With Christmas just around the corner, it’s going to be a busy time in the Radford household as mum-of-22 Sue has opened up about festive dinner plans
Joe Crutchley Screen Time Reporter
10:45, 18 Dec 2025
22 Kids and Counting Sue Radford’s lavish Christmas food shop including 60 Yorkshires(Image: Lion TV)
22 Kids and Counting star Sue Radford has revealed her Christmas food shop and fans are floored.
The proud mama of 22 children, Sue became a household name with the rest of the family back in 2012, when she let cameras into her home with husband Noel for the very first time.
Sue and Noel are parents to Christopher, Sophie, Chloe, Jack, Daniel, Luke, Millie, Katie, James, Ellie and Aimee, as well as Josh, Max, Tillie, Oscar, Casper, Alfie, stillborn in 2014, Hallie, Phoebe, Archie Bonnie and Heidie.
Since shooting to fame over 10 years ago, the Morecambe-based family have rarely remained off screens, with the latest series of Channel 5’s 22 Kids and Counting airing earlier this year.
And with Christmas just around the corner, it’s fair to say it’s going to be a busy time in the Radford household. In a clip from the latest episode, Sue revealed that she is hosting Christmas dinner for her entire family. And this includes Father Chloe, her partner Jake and their two-year-old daughter Mila.
During the instalment, Sue headed to her local Asda to stock up on food for her large family in the festive season. Piling her trolley high with groceries Sue said: “We’ve got pigs in blankets, so there’s 60 there.”
Sue added: “We’ve got 3kg of Brussels sprouts. I absolutely hate Brussels sprouts, but everybody else loves them.” She then picked up 4kg of carrots, 7.5k of potatoes and with it being Christmas, Sue stocked up on two large turkeys. Heading to the freezer aisle, Sue said: “Think I’ll probably try and get about 60 Yorkshires.”
Reacting to Sue’s food shop, one person on Facebook said: “I would just do beans on toast, would stress me out.” A second added: “Me too imagine cooking for them all, be my worst nightmare.” A third said: “So much food.” Another penned: “I can’t imagine cooking all that.”
It comes after Sue and Noel introduced their new four-legged family member in October – and fans were left gushing over the update.
Taking to their joint Instagram, the pair shared several photos of their adorable new dog. In the caption, they wrote: “Hi everyone I’m Mavie I’m a cream long-haired miniature Dachshund I’m settling in really well and everyone loves me.”
Animal lovers Sue and Noel have owned several dogs over the years. They have a border collie Lola, three French bulldogs Bluebell, Ivy and Mabel, and three miniature dachshunds Cookie, Minnie and Dolly.
A woman was left bitterly jealous after she noticed that children can do one thing on flights that adults cannot, and she said it means they’re practically in first class
09:33, 17 Dec 2025Updated 09:33, 17 Dec 2025
She was so jealous of what the kids were able to get away with (Stock Image)(Image: Getty)
Flying as an adult is usually a pretty cramped experience, of course, unless you’re lucky enough to be sitting in first class getting fed delicious food and wine until you reach your destination. However, the average person is not in that privileged position and is actually more likely to be in the middle seat, trying to navigate whether their seatmates will be kind enough to let them have the armrests on either side.
However, one woman pointed out that every time young children fly with a family member, they’re practically “in first class”, joking that they don’t understand “how good they’ve got it”.
TikToker @elkekahler videoed herself on the flight, looking shocked, as she flipped the camera around to show young children lying down in a seat, using luggage as a pillow so they were as comfortable as possible.
They were covered in blankets and fast asleep – a far cry from the experience of most adults, who know how tricky it is to get some shut-eye in the air.
She flipped the camera back onto herself as she looked mortified, and jealous the youngsters were able to lie down and sleep.
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Over the top of the video, she hilariously played the song ‘Glamorous’ by Fergie, which contains the lyrics “we’re flying first class, up in the sky, poppin’ champagne, livin’ my life in the fast lane”.
It’s safe to say that these kids were definitely living their best lives when they were able to sleep properly and land in a whole new country without any stress.
Someone in the comments joked that they needed a “tutorial” on how to do that because they wanted to try it for themselves, but if an adult attempted it, their feet would likely be hanging far off their seat and being constantly knocked by the trolley service.
“They’re gonna hate it when they get older and have to sit on aeroplanes normally,” one woman pointed out.
“I’m 19 and still do this,” a woman shared, saying that they were “short enough” to get away with it. But imagine giving it a go only to realise you were too tall? You’d likely be feeling pretty embarrassed.
“My mum prepared the same for my sister and me when I was younger. I can confirm that it’s the comfiest ever,” a TikTok user boasted.
A flight attendant shared: “I used to operate this type of aircraft for Emirates, and we would always have to tell them not to do this because of safety.”
Referring to the blankets, she added: “There is a high risk that you’re not allowed to bring these onto the plane.”
Although it looks like you could make something similar out of a suitcase and a pillow, it’s not confirmed what they actually did.
Let’s be candid about the controversy over whether film director Rob Reiner misspent public funds by raiding the child-development program created by his last ballot initiative, Proposition 10, for cash to promote his new Preschool for All ballot initiative.
Reiner’s not the only one taking advantage.
The supervisory standards set up by Proposition 10 in 1998 are scandalously lax. The program uses income from a tobacco surtax, including 50 cents per pack of cigarettes, to fund health, welfare and educational services for children up to age 5 — things like immunization and preschool.
But it has become a feeding trough for people flogging pet projects and for outside consultants of every stripe.
Proposition 10 bestowed a total lack of accountability on the bodies it established to disburse the money — the state Children and Families Commission (headed by Reiner until he took a leave of absence Feb. 24) and 58 county entities, known as “First5” commissions.
The initiative failed to provide guidance on rudimentary issues such as conflicts of interest, competitive bidding or how success should be measured. And each commission was given the responsibility to audit itself.
The sums involved aren’t trivial. The tobacco levy has produced $4 billion to date. Of this haul, 20% goes to the state commission. The rest is apportioned to the county commissions according to each county’s share of statewide live births.
For an example of how individual commissions disburse this money, let’s look at Orange County, the second-largest First5 in the state (after Los Angeles), which receives about $40 million a year. Its vice chairman, the right-wing political pundit Hugh Hewitt, is Reiner’s most vocal and persistent critic.
Back in 2003, the commission awarded a no-bid, $250,000 annual contract to a consulting firm called the White House Writers Group. What is this outfit, you ask? It’s a Washington-based gang mostly comprising former speechwriters and staff members in the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations. It was proposed for the contract by Hugh Hewitt, himself a former Reagan White House staffer and a personal friend of one of its principals.
Hewitt says he recommended the firm, which is essentially a high-powered PR outfit, to help the commission rectify what had become “four years of limited success in establishing the partnerships we need [in Washington] in the national health and philanthropy communities.” Whether the contract will put a single vaccine in a child’s arm he doesn’t say; I only know that $250,000 a year would buy a lot of vaccines.
Hewitt also says: “I don’t know and have never inquired about the political affiliation” of the firm’s partners and staff. Leaving aside the fatuous suggestion that a conservative Republican with his background could be unaware of the partisan coloration of such an obvious GOP nest, he doesn’t have to “inquire.” It’s trumpeted loudly on the firm’s website.
Hewitt observes that the OC commission also employs former Democratic assemblyman Phil Isenberg as its lobbyist in Sacramento, as though to prove that the commission is an equal-opportunity political piggy bank.
This got me thinking: Why in heaven’s name does a county commission, with a guaranteed revenue stream and representation in the capital by the statewide First5 commission and by a separate association of county First5 commissions, need its own Sacramento lobbyist?
Hewitt says it’s to keep the Legislature “mindful of the difference between the state commission and the local initiatives.”
What’s the cost of teaching legislators the difference between “state” and “county”? Since 2002, the OC commission has paid Isenberg’s current and former lobbying firms $340,762. That would probably cover the wages of a few school nurses.
Finally, let’s consider the OC commission’s featured new health initiative. This is an avian flu preparedness program, to which it allocated $2.3 million in November. Orange County is the only First5 commission that has established such a program, according to its executive director, Michael Ruane.
As it happens, the avian flu is an issue dear to the particular heart of Hugh Hewitt, who writes incessantly on his weblog about the imminent threat of an avian flu pandemic. Hewitt acknowledges that he “urged the Commission to consider and adopt” the avian flu plan. Reading between the lines, it sounds like his baby.
But at the moment, a large-scale threat to human health from the avian flu is entirely conjectural. Though the virus is spreading rapidly from Asia outward (it hasn’t reached North or South America), the threat is still largely to birds and, to a much smaller degree, farmers and other humans who come in direct contact with the infected animals.
The few known cases of human-to-human transmission — a prerequisite for a pandemic — resulted from extremely close contact with an infected person, such as between mother and child. Experts say the virus would have to mutate to become freely transmissible among humans, and although they don’t rule out the possibility, it hasn’t happened. The federal Centers for Disease Control don’t even recommend that Americans avoid travel to affected regions.
Hewitt defends the program by arguing that children will be “among the most vulnerable groups to the deadly virus.” But that can be said about almost any transmissible disease. Hewitt doesn’t explain why he believes that federal, state and local authorities will be so overmatched by the avian flu that the First5 commission, which has countless other ways to spend its money, needs to step up to the plate.
The irony is that spending on consultants and pet projects like these sends conservatives bouncing off the ceiling when they catch liberals at it. A Wall Street Journal editorial Hewitt quotes approvingly in his weblog commented pointedly, citing the Los Angeles Times, that First5 money “has found its way into the bank accounts of public relations and advertising firms, some of which are run by friends of Mr. Reiner.”
But sweetheart deals and personal hobbyhorses that divert money from children’s programs know no partisan boundaries. How are the friends of Mr. Hewitt doing?
Golden State appears every Monday and Thursday. You can reach Michael Hiltzik at golden.state@latimes.com and view his web log at latimes.com/goldenstateblog.
PETER Andre has revealed a strict parenting rule for his youngest kids as he insists ‘the dangers are so real’.
The Mysterious Girl singer has five children; son Junior and daughter Princess with his first wife Katie Price, and younger children Amelia, Theo and Arabella with second wife, Emily.
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Peter Andre has revealed the strict parenting rule he has regarding his younger three childrenCredit: InstagramPeter’s eldest two children, Junior and Princess, have grown up in the spotlightCredit: GettyPeter has three children with wife EmilyCredit: Instagram/@peterandre
While Junior, 20, and Princess, 18, have grown up in the spotlight both have large followings on social media, Peter and Emily have kept the lives of their younger children much more private, and don’t show their faces on social media.
Peter, who grew up in Australia and whose parents still live there, wrote in his latest New! Magazine column: “Australia has implemented their social media ban for under 16s, and it’s great.
“When people ask me if it’s a contradiction that I’ve had my kids on social media, we have to remember that when social media first started, we were all new to it. We didn’t know the pitfalls of it.
“Now, we’re seeing what AI can do; that’s why our youngest children are not on it.
“I fully support the ban. I know that’s not what kids under 16 want to hear, but it will do them so much good.”
He concluded: “I hope the rest of the world catches on. The dangers are so real.”
On December 10, the Australian Government required social media platforms to deactivate accounts of users under the age of 16.
The platforms – including Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat among others – must then take “reasonable steps” to prevent people under 16 from holding an account or face a fine of up to $49.5m (£24.5m).
While Peter and Emily reside in the UK, they do visit his family in Australia, and if they lived there, the ban would apply to all three of their youngest children.
Meanwhile Princess recently opened up exclusively to The Sun about her ITV reality show, The Princess Diaries, which has landed a second series.
She said: “I feel like I’m stepping into adulthood now, and that’s what series two will be more about.
“It is still following my life and everything that I do and everything on there is natural and what my life really is like.
“I’m used to the cameras following me around now, and nothing will be guarded or held back, because there’s nothing that I need to hide.”
Peter agrees with Australia’s social media ban for under 16s, which would apply to all three of his younger children if they lived thereCredit: instagramPeter grew up in Australia and is very aware of the dangers of social mediaCredit: Getty
ARE you dreaming of a white Christmas? Well, maybe you should be dreaming of a wet Christmas . . . and by wet, I mean a thrilling flume like no other in the UK.
OK, a waterpark doesn’t sound that festive – but for my family a visit to Splash Landings was the surprise standout of our Santa Sleepover at Alton Towers.
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I took my kids to Alton Towers’ Santa Sleepover – with Arctic themed rooms and even a trip to the waterparkCredit: SuppliedThe boys and their dad enjoyed wildly spinning barrels on Marauder’s MayhemCredit: Supplied
Yes, the Staffordshire theme park has everything for a cool yule, but nothing topped a ride on Master Blaster – at 682ft, Britain’s longest water coaster.
My gang – sons Wilf, eight, Jasper, six, and dad Simon – agreed this was the best waterslide we’d been on.
And there’s so much to pack in, from lazy rivers and play areas to the steaming Bubbly Wubbly outdoor pool.
But of course we were there for some Santa magic, and we got a sackful.
We’d arrived promptly on the first day as we knew a Santa Sleepover comes with a busy schedule and the festive wow factor kicked in immediately, with dozens of twinkling Christmas trees on the entrance plaza.
All of CBeebies Land is open and the boys loved the Octonauts Rollercoaster Adventure and In The Night Garden Magical Boat Ride.
A theme park in December is not going to be warm and you’ll be outdoors a lot, so dress appropriately.
But not all attractions are open-air, including Andy’s Adventures Dinosaur Dig immersive dinosaur show and Justin’s Pie-O-Matic Factory play area. You’ll also find ample places to stop for lunch, and the coffee corner offers warming drinks.
Soon, it was our turn to queue for Father Christmas in his charming North Pole wooden grotto. Every family will get their own special time with a friendly Santa who chatted to our shy children then gave us a little present each.
Next up was pirate-themed Mutiny Bay, where the boys and their dad enjoyed wildly spinning barrels on Marauder’s Mayhem and Heave Ho! – a rocking and twisting ship.
And don’t miss Alton Towers’ own SeaLife Centre, Sharkbait Reef. It was a resounding success, with an immersive starfish exhibition and a glass tunnel where huge sharks swim around you.
Then it was time to head to the hotel, which ticked all the Christmas boxes with beautiful decor.
Our awesome Arctic Explorer room added to the atmosphere with its polar mission theme and came with a single bed each for the boys and a double for mum and dad
Via the Dragon Bar, where singers performed Christmas tunes, we headed for dinner in the Secret Garden carvery, with the yule log a big family hit.
The action never stops and next up was The Tale of Cinderella and Prince Charming panto, which left the boys transfixed.
After posting a letter to Santa it was time to snuggle up in our room, waking up to a letter each for Wilf and Jasper from Father Christmas. Pure family joy.
Before heading home after our Splash Landings blast, we grabbed a delicious lunch at the Talbot Inn just outside the park and all agreed we’d had a flume-ing fabulous festive break.
THE overnight Alton Towers Santa Sleepover costs from £91pp and is on until December 23. For more information or to book, see altontowers.com.
The museum, which recently underwent a three-year makeover, has been awarded the 2026 Council of Europe Museum Prize
Milo Boyd Deputy travel editor and Jenny Garnsworthy PA
16:25, 08 Dec 2025Updated 16:27, 08 Dec 2025
Children were invited to help resdesign the museum before it reopened in 2023(Image: Jeff Spicer, Getty Images for The V&A)
A small UK museum has been named the best in Europe.
The London gallery Young V&A, a branch of the Victoria and Albert Museum in West London, has been awarded the 2026 Council of Europe Museum Prize. The council’s prize has been awarded for almost 50 years, and is given to the museum judged to have had the biggest impact on the understanding of European cultural heritage, human rights and democracy.
Some of its best-used interactive displays include the Spinning Sand Wheel, sensory areas, dress-up zones, and iconic toys like Pikachu and the classic Amstrad CPC 464 Computer. Its three main galleries, Play, Imagine and Design, are suitable for visitors of all ages. Even babies can join in thanks to colours, textures and shapes that are put at their eye-level.
Young V&A, which reopened in 2023 after a three-year period of refurbishment, was selected by the Council of Europe’s Culture Committee at a meeting on Tuesday, 2 December, in Paris. The judges commented on how it balances playfulness and education, while exploring real-world themes such as sustainability and empathy.
From February a brand new exhibition at the museum will delve into the magical world of Aardman at the Young V&A, showcasing everything from Wallace & Gromit to Morph, Chicken Run, and Shaun The Sheep. Featuring over 150 exhibits – including previously unseen models, sets and storyboards from Aardman’s vaults – the exhibition will launch in February, marking the studio’s golden jubilee.
Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends will be the third showcase at the Young V&A in Bethnal Green, East London, which was formerly known as the V&A Museum of Childhood. The exhibition will offer a behind-the-scenes look at stop-motion animation, revealing how Aardman’s beloved characters are brought to life. It will also feature interactive activities for kids, such as character design and creating their own live-action videos.
Visitors can feast their eyes on early character sketches, concept art, puppets, props, scripts, and set models from Aardman, alongside optical illusion toys and early examples of stop-motion animation from the V&A’s collection.
Notable exhibits include development sketches for Morph, initial character concepts for Wallace, a hand-drawn storyboard from the train chase scene in 1993’s The Wrong Trousers, and never-before-seen items like the duo’s motorbike and sidecar from last year’s Bafta-winning film, Vengeance Most Fowl.
Wallace & Gromit, the brainchild of Nick Park from Bristol-based Aardman Animations, has garnered four Oscars and numerous Baftas over the years. Alex Newson, chief curator at the Young V&A, explained: “Aardman quite literally began on the kitchen table, when two young school friends started experimenting with animations at home.
“Even though Aardman is now one of the most successful animation studios in the world, its films still have the same handcrafted feel. It is this ‘thumbiness’, as they refer to it, that makes the films so charming and well-loved. “This is also what make the story so great for children. While Aardman’s films are now made by large and highly skilled teams it’s also possible for anyone to have a go at making their own stop motion films at home with minimal equipment and experience.”
The showcase will be open from February 12 to November 15 next year.
