North Pole, Alaska, is an enchanting place to visit for folks who can’t
wait for Christmas — as well as those who can. My husband and I
couldn’t pass up the opportunity to visit the legendary home of Santa
Claus, since he had been kind enough to make brief stops at ours on
Christmas Eve for many years.
North Pole is home to 1,616 friendly people, the most famous being Santa
Claus, who lives there year-round. We were told we’d find the jolly
gent at Santa Claus House (pictured above), a unique gift shop where
it’s Christmas every day. He and Mrs. Claus are usually there to greet
visitors and answer letters from children around the world. Nestled
among towering spruce trees that stop just short of touching the sky,
the magical house was all that we had expected and more. Delightful
Christmas sights, scents and sounds met us at the door and invited us
in. It was so much fun browsing among the gifts and souvenirs that the
kid in us would hardly let us leave.
We camped overnight at Santaland RV Park, just next door,
which, needless to say, was wearing holiday attire. The post office on
Santa Claus Lane is also a busy place as cards and letters arrive from
all over the country for an authentic North Pole postmark. It’s nice to
know that whatever time you visit, you won’t miss Christmas.
For more information, phone (800) 588-4078, or visit santaclaushouse.com.
