Christmas traditions
The Almond in the Porridge
In many Finnish homes, Christmas Eve starts with rice porridge. One almond hides in the pot, and finding it is said to bring luck. Here, your child finds it.
Our Arctic Christmas
Six sleeps to Christmas in Lapland
- 32 pages
- 8 × 11 in (21 × 28 cm) Hardcover
Six sleeps before Christmas, you and your child cross Finnish Lapland by husky sled and reindeer sleigh to a cabin. They learn why reindeer eyes turn blue, what makes the northern lights green and how Finns spend Christmas Eve.
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One everyday photo of the child and one of their grown-up. We use them only to draw the characters.
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Read and learn together
Count down six sleeps to Christmas in Lapland: huskies, reindeer, the northern lights and a little cabin on Christmas Eve. Every story page has a true fact and a question to answer from the picture.
A sneak peek
Look inside
10 of the 30 story pages in Our Arctic Christmas. Each one has a true fact and a question to find in the picture.
Shown with an example family. In your book, it’s your family. The printed book has 32 pages: an opening, 30 story pages and a closing.
Inside Our Arctic Christmas
What you’ll discover together
Six sleeps, six chapters. Every stop on the way to the cabin shows your child something real about Lapland in winter.
Science and wonder
Why the Sky Turns Green
Tiny particles from the Sun hit the air high above, and oxygen glows green. Your child sketches the ribbons of light by a frozen lake while you point them out.
A way of life
Supper for a Reindeer
Reindeer smell lichen under the snow and dig it out with their hooves. At dusk your child feeds a young reindeer by hand while a herder talks with you.
Nature and science
Snow Ghosts at Midday
In December, Lapland’s noon light is low and pink. Snow and frost pile onto spruces until they look like ghosts, which Finns call tykky. You ski through them together.
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Our Arctic Christmas
32 pages · 8 × 11 in (21 × 28 cm) Hardcover
$54.99USD
A personalized picture book: you and your child count down six sleeps across Finnish Lapland. 30 true facts. See a free preview in under a minute.
Questions, answered
What is the story?
Six sleeps before Christmas, you and your child travel across Finnish Lapland to a little cabin. You drive huskies over a frozen lake, ride a reindeer sleigh, watch the northern lights and bake star pastries. On Christmas Eve, your child finds the almond in the porridge. Six chapters, one per sleep, five pages each.
Is Santa in the book?
Not as a character. He is only hinted at, by a sleigh crossing a huge full moon. The six paper stars in the cabin window are ones you and your child hang along the way.
Who is in the book?
Your child and one grown-up, drawn from your photos on every page, with both names on the cover. The grown-up can be a parent, grandparent or anyone close.
What will my child learn?
Real things about Lapland in winter: why reindeer eyes turn blue, what makes the northern lights glow green, why the Moon only looks bigger near the horizon, and how Finnish families bake star pastries, put out oats for the birds and eat rice porridge on Christmas Eve.
What is this book?
A personalized hardcover picture book about Christmas in Lapland. Your child and their grown-up are drawn into all 30 story pages, from a husky sled across a frozen lake to Christmas Eve in a little cabin. Each page is one moment of the story, one true fact and one question your child can answer by looking at the picture.
What age is it for?
Ages 2 to 10. Little ones find themselves in the pictures while you read aloud. Older kids read the facts and answer the questions on their own.
How big is it, and what’s it made of?
A landscape hardcover, 8 × 11 in (21 × 28 cm), with 32 pages: an opening, 30 story pages and a closing. Printed in full color on thick 170 gsm silk paper, with a matte-laminated cover.
What can I personalize?
The child’s photo and name, and the grown-up’s photo and what the child calls them: Grandma, Nana, Dad, Auntie. The names go on the cover, like “Starring Maya & Nana.”
Will the characters really look like us?
Each character is drawn from the photo you upload, so your child will know the faces. A clear, front-facing photo in good light works best. Not happy? Add another photo and preview again, free.
Can I see the book before I buy?
Yes. Add your photos and tap Preview your book. In under a minute you’ll see your cover and a few pages, free. No account, no card, nothing charged until checkout.
Can I order more than one book?
Yes. All Cradl books share one cart, so you can mix titles and formats, and every book is the same price: $54.99 for a hardcover and $39.99 for a softcover.
When will it arrive?
Each book is printed close to you: in the US, the UK and Canada for those countries, and in New Zealand for Australia. It arrives in 5 to 7 business days in the US, 4 to 5 in the UK and Canada, and 7 to 12 in Australia.
How are my photos used?
Only to draw the characters in your book. They’re never shared publicly or used in advertising, and they’re automatically deleted 7 days after you upload them.
What if something’s wrong with my book?
You’re covered by our 30-day guarantee. If the book doesn’t match your preview, or arrives damaged or misprinted, tell us within 30 days of delivery and we’ll reprint it free or refund you in full, your choice.
How much is shipping?
One flat price per order, however many books are in it: $9.99 in the US, £4.99 in the UK, C$12.99 in Canada and A$12.99 in Australia. Prices include tax.
Still have a question? Email hello@cradl.co.