A dramatic rise in the number of tourists visiting Lapland in Finland means many "elf" workers are working extra hard.
The number of visitors to the supposed homeland of Father Christmas has tripled in less than ten years, with an estimated 110,000 people expected this year, reports Finland's airport management company Finavia.
"Sometimes I work from eight in the morning to ten at night," Riikka Niukkala, a Lapland elf, told Bloomberg.
This will only mean extra work for Finland's Elf Academy, which teaches invaluable skills such as customer service, nature studies and essential wilderness survival skills.
But the seasonal trip to the Christmas capital of the world is worth the effort, where visitors can enjoy all-inclusive packages for a cheap holiday price - and with the opportunity to meet Santa Claus himself.
According to research by ebookers.com, an estimated one in four people plan to spend Christmas abroad instead of at home.
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