About a hundred years ago, a passer-by started spreading the word about Ear Mountain and the existence of its inhabitants. Santa wanted to safeguard the tranquillity of his secret hiding place and came up with a superb idea that also allowed him to meet people who love Christmas and his many friends who come to greet him. It was around half a century ago that Santa Claus started to frequently visit the Arctic Circle near Rovaniemi.
From the turn of the millennium, the Lappish centre for Christmas, the Santa Claus Village on the Arctic Circle became the most spectacular Santa Claus destination in Scandinavia. The popularity of the destination saw the number of visitors double. The numbers of international visitors in particular increased up to fourfold in a few years to exceed half a million.