In Lapland home, Santa prepares for Christmas

Letters from around the world are stored at the Santa Claus' Post Office in the Arctic Circle near Rovaniemi, Finland, December 15, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

A board in the post office says Santa can get some 32,000 letters a day at Christmas time. Last year, around 500,000 letters arrived. China, Poland, Italy, Britain, Finland, Japan and Russia top the list of senders.

Thousands of visitors come to see the Rovaniemi Santa attraction each year ahead of Christmas, meeting the man himself, his reindeer and enjoying the magical scenery.

With just a few hours of light at this time of year, they make the most of sleigh rides among the snow-covered trees during the day.