Month: October 2023

Originally posted at: Brynn Whitfield’s Plaid Pants

They were gently placed in my waiting arms with the most selfless of acts. I am certain that my children, their parents, only wanted to hold them tightly to themselves, these amazing new bundles of pink blessings. But they knew my need to touch them, to gaze into their eyes, and to wrap my arms around these children of my children. To share in their beautiful new beginnings.

New Beginnings

The profoundness of those moments holding those newborn wonders will never be forgotten. Because the minute that I held those sweet baby bundles, I knew that I had moved into another passage of my life. I was a grandparent. My children were parents. Life turned a corner at that point.

I’ve thought about those moments a lot, as I’ve grown older, and realized some very important facts about myself. It was at those moments, with each of my children, that I looked at them with new eyes. The circle of life shone through with a clarity that magnified the meaning of that phrase with crystal transparency.

Suddenly, I knew without a shred of doubt that my children’s lives had moved on, beyond mine, which is exactly what parents ultimately wish for. Because if we are honest with ourselves, we always think of their future first, above all else. The fear of not being there for my children, from some unforeseen premature tragedy, was always in that horrible place in my mind, where worry breeds sleepless nights and exaggerates awfulness.

My prayers always centered around being there for them during their infancy, childhood, adolescence, love, marriage, and the births of their own children. But it was at the point of seeing their beautiful faces gaze down at their own children with awestruck love that I knew. That shocking moment when they recognized that fierceness and tenderness could meld into a love that they never knew existed before this day.

The Circle Is Full

That was the moment that a rush of completeness swelled in this mother’s heart causing tears of pure joy to spill over from my eyes. I had completed my role, my prayers had been answered, and I was overcome with profound gratefulness.

Oh, to be sure, I am still needed in their lives and they let me know that in so many beautiful and extraordinary ways. But, I also know, without a doubt, that if my life were to end tomorrow, that my children would get through it – their life would go on.

They had their children, now, to move them past their grief and their need to be there for them. That sense of completeness fills me with such comfort and joy.

The Lessons I’ve Learned from my Grandchildren

This evolution of life, through the birth of my grandchildren, has taught me so many other things about my heart, mind, and soul.

How Personality Shines Through Generations

It’s taught me that genetics is more than just the color of eyes, shape of hands, or facial structure. It is also personality, wit, love of art, quietness of spirit that passes through threads of generations connecting family traits through the ages.

My Moonflower Blooms blog, “Mothers” tells the story of my mother and how her strength of personality shows through in all the women and girls in our family. It’s a beautiful thing to witness as each young girl uncovers that familial trait that comes from her.

My Desire to Be a Youthful Grandma

Being a grandmother has taught me that now, more than ever, I want to retain the spirit of youth with a healthy mind, body, and soul. I work out regularly and treat my body with the respect that my age demands. I search inwardly on ways to satisfy my soul through creativity and living out my dreams. My desire to be a “youthful” grandma moves me to be all that I can be.

The Importance of Family Heritage

It’s taught me that it is now my turn to pass along the love of our family heritage. To inspire conversations, communication, and sharing of stories that only I know as told from my parents. If not shared, they do not live on. My blogging website “Moonflower Blooms” was created primarily for this purpose – telling the stories.

Pictures Say a Thousand Words

It’s motivated me to create photo albums and videos that will someday be pulled from their shelves and looked at over and over by children from future generations. For them to have an awareness through pictures of where they came from.

How Grandchildren Can Bring Blended Families Together

I’ve realized that it’s ok to share our grandchildren with other grandparents, step-grandparents, in-laws, and other various family members. Our children are from multiple and blended families. You want your grandchildren to have many, many people who love them. It takes a community to raise them. You can all be part of their precious lives.

The Value of Open Communication

I’ve learned to keep conversations and communication open. I try to spend time with them individually and give each of them personal attention. And when you do feel the threat of that tie growing further and further apart during those high school years, take action. Text, call, schedule dinners, pedicures, hikes, etc. Keep the contact there. The best reward in the world is seeing a text “Hi Nana, let’s do dinner this week”!

Always remember you are the grandparent, not the parent. We can help, support, lend a helping hand, and be there whenever we are needed. But, unless asked, our children are the ones who are raising our grandchildren. Remember and respect their parenting.

The Circle of Life

When I held my newborn grandchildren, they were my reality that the circle of life is moving and our heritage lives on within each of them. As I look at their tender young faces now, I continue to marvel that they are each a part of me, in some way. I watch, with amazement, as they grow taller and become smarter and more beautiful each day.

The circle feels to be turning too fast and my selfish soul wishes to tuck them away and never let them escape from my reach. But as I look at their parents, my children, I only see the true joy of letting them grow into beautiful adults that have given me so much joy and pride beyond my dreams.

They are my reward for getting older. The circle has to keep turning and all that we can do is hold on and enjoy the moments as our star achievements for a life well lived.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What lessons have you learned from your grandchildren? What lessons have you taught them? Please join the conversation and share your stories.

My aunt is like my third parent. She taught in schools around the world and spent every summer living with us. Always single and with no children of her own, she has been, in my mind, a part of our immediate – not extended – family. I love and adore her.

However, a lifetime of living single can apparently also make you impervious to the suggestion you might need help. Even after a fall on the ice that left her outside in the cold for hours, my aunt stubbornly insisted she was fine to live alone in her house.

No Easy Answers for Helping Resistant Relatives

As my aunt’s ability to live independently lessened, I read everything I could on the subject of elder care and found myself frustrated time and time again as books and articles glossed over the process of getting an elderly relative help. Often, what was implied to be a lengthy ordeal was reduced to a single sentence, “We finally convinced Mom to move out of her house.”

Yes, that’s wonderful, I would think. But how? How do you move adults who don’t want to go? How do you get them to accept help when they think they’re fine?

My aunt did finally move into an assisted living facility, and I’ll tell you how that came to be later in this article. But before we reached that point, I spent years researching this topic, talking to experts in the field and commiserating with other people in similar circumstances. My conclusion is that finding help for stubborn parents and relatives is stressful, time consuming and rarely easy.

While I can’t guarantee any of these will work, here are 10 tips if you have your own independent-minded elder.

Create a Plan with Other Family Members

Presenting a unified front is essential. If you’re telling your parents it’s time to move and your brother tells them otherwise, they may be inclined to dismiss you as overly protective. Meet with other family members prior to approaching your parents or relative so everyone is on the same page.

Get the Necessary Paperwork in Order

If you want to be involved with your parents’ affairs, you’ll need to be their durable power of attorney. To make medical decisions in the event they are unable, you’ll need to be designated a patient or health care advocate.

One of the best ways to approach this topic is to complete your own paperwork first. Sharing that you’ve been working on these documents provides a natural segue for you to then offer to help with theirs.

Should that not work, see if your parents’ financial planner, CPA, lawyer or doctor would be willing to impress upon them the importance of having these documents in place.

Look for In-Home Resources

Many seniors, understandably, don’t want to leave their home. Fortunately, so many resources exist today that make it possible for people to age in place.

From basic alert buttons to sophisticated monitoring systems, technology is making it easier than ever to keep seniors safe at home. In-home caregivers are another, albeit pricey, option although some states will pay for these services for certain Medicaid-eligible seniors.

Take Them for a Tour

Your parents might remember the dreary, cramped nursing homes of decades past and bristle at the idea of living in a place like that. However, the long-term care facilities of today are a far cry from the old stereotypes. They are often bright, airy places that offer a wide variety of amenities and activities for residents.

Ask your parents to humor you and tour a couple just to see what they are like. It might just change their mind about moving.

Ask Friends, Doctors and Clergy Members to Help

If your parents dig in and refuse all help, reach out to those who may have more sway than you. Friends, doctors and clergy members may all be willing to have a discussion with your parent or relative about accepting some help.

Without a power of attorney form, the doctor will be unable to share any information with you. That said, there is no reason you can’t contact him or her prior to a visit to share your concerns.

Frame It as Doing a Favor for You

An executive for a company offering senior alert systems told me once that he had never seen a person sign up for their service because they wanted it. In his experience, seniors almost universally signed up as a favor to their children.

If you find your concerns about your parents’ safety falling on deaf ears, try a different approach. Explain how nervous their situation makes you and have some suggestions ready that could alleviate your stress without highly inconveniencing them.

Find the Right Way to Get Your Foot in the Door

Even the most independent senior likely has a problem area and isn’t sure how to ask for help. Your job is to identify that area and suggest a solution.

For my aunt, it was her groceries. She would go shopping and then leave the groceries in the car for days until she could find someone to carry them in. That’s how we got a caregiver into her house. We pitched it as a way for her to no longer be bothered with the chore of grocery shopping.

In your situation, it might be cooking, lawn care or taxes. Whatever it is, you may find once you begin offering help in one area, your parents warm up to the idea of accepting other assistance as well.

Convince Them to Give Up the Keys to the Car

As long as a senior is driving, there may be little reason in their mind why they need to accept help. However, someone who is homebound may be more inclined to accept assistance or entertain the idea of moving elsewhere.

That said, it is rarely easy to convince a senior to stop driving. I’ve heard of families who have hidden the keys or actually driven away with the car and refused to bring it back. Unless your parent is suffering from advanced dementia, I’m not sure how ethical – let alone legal – these tactics are.

A better approach may be to report your concerns to your state’s motor vehicle department. In my state, residents can fill out a form about a potentially problematic driver so the department can review their record and request a road test. If available in your state, this method is ideal because it doesn’t put you in the position of having to make a judgment call on your parent’s driving ability.

Use Hospitalizations to Find Advocates

This is how we eventually moved my aunt from her house into assisted living. After landing in the hospital for an illness, I sought out every possible advocate I could find – from a caseworker at her primary care physician’s office to the hospital social worker. I explained her living arrangements, detailed my concerns and asked for their help.

Rather than being discharged to home, the hospital sent her to a rehabilitation center where she was evaluated and a home visit was made. They agreed her house was not a safe environment, and recommended she move to assisted living so that’s where she went. She still talks about going home, but for the time being, I rest well each night knowing she is somewhere safe.

Go to Court if Needed

If all else fails, you can go to court and request guardianship so you can forcibly move your parent. This is truly a last resort and should be reserved for extreme cases. I’m not qualified to provide advice on when you should seek guardianship for an elderly relative, and I strongly encourage you to speak with a qualified attorney for assistance.

The bottom line is that even elderly relatives with diminished capacities are adults who have rights and who deserve our respect and compassion. Some seniors may live out their days without any assistance, and that is certainly their prerogative. However, for your peace of mind and their safety, I hope one of these 10 suggestions will help you get them the help they need.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Have you ever had an elderly relative who needed help but refused to accept it? How did you ultimately get through to them? What approaches were successful? Please share in the comments below.

‘First Impressions’ is a hot topic if Google Search or the number of results on Amazon.com is anything to go by.

The information online and in books, as we would expect, is aimed largely at those under the spotlight, those who feel the need to make a good first impression.

So Quick

For the most part, it’s about how quickly we form an impression about someone we meet for the first time. Added to this is the minimal substantial and largely superficial information relied upon in forming these first impressions. For example, in Wikipedia, one source indicates that it takes as little as one-tenth of a second for people to make a first impression judgement about someone. Other sources put the typical figure at around seven seconds.

It seems to have certain characteristics similar to a primal instinct, from the caveperson days, when we had to decide in a split second who was friend and who was foe.

And the evidence would suggest first impressions are difficult to change, even if they turn out to be wrong.

But How?

Sources list factors such as how a person looks, acts, tone of voice, demeanour, mannerisms, etc., coming into play. And those we are trying to impress also bring their own past experiences, expectations, biases, and misapprehensions to the table in the forming of first impressions.

What it seems to come down to is a hodgepodge of subjective, emotional, nuanced human factors that one could debate have about the same chance of being right as tossing a coin. A lottery, a guess, at best. Very little objectivity and a lot of luck if we do manage to get through the noise and make a good first impression.

No Quizmaster

In cases where we may have formed a wrong poor first impression of others, we’ll likely never even know! In getting it wrong, we may have tossed aside wonderful opportunities and be none the wiser. Getting in our own way. Hence never even be aware of our particular misapprehensions and misjudgements.

Wrong good first impressions, such as perceiving positives where they don’t exist, may also happen. Perhaps seeing halos where nooses might be closer to reality. Such errors usually don’t wait long to expose our misconceptions, normally to our discomfort! Again, good reason to hold off immediate judgement if it isn’t absolutely necessary and look for clearer signals.

Where First Impressions Count

There seems to be little we can do to avoid being caught up in it all if we are still in the job hunting, interviews, recruitment, promotions, business phase of life, etc. Unfortunately, first impressions are a big deal in these spaces. It’s ‘just life’, we could say. So, we do our best to create good first impressions where it’s important.

Infallible – If Only!

Most of us will have come across people who regard themselves as, let’s say, almost infallible, at making first-impression judgements of people. We all get things wrong from time to time, despite our best endeavours. But it’s good to know that even the HIPPs (highest paid persons) can come unstuck with first impressions.

For me, a few CEOs I worked for come to mind. One in a large industrial conglomerate, and the other in a small financial services organisation. Without going into details, these two cases as well as similar others, illustrated a point. I was left with little doubt that authority, power and pay are not reliable predictors of skill and accuracy in respect of forming first impressions. So, let’s rest easy if we don’t get it right every time.

Experts Disagree

Daniel Kahneman is a psychologist, Nobel Prize winner and author of the seminal book on decision making, Thinking Fast and Slow. His book suggests that people have too much confidence in human judgement. And of course, the forming of first impressions is an act of human judgement.

Kahneman’s view is that first impressions can be ‘surprisingly’ accurate. However, even the experts disagree. Princeton University’s Alexander Todorov says, “We find judging others based on a single glance irresistible, but the judgments we reach are usually wrong” in his book, Face Value.

Fair to say then, looks like the jury’s out on the matter.

Breaking Free

But maybe a time comes when we’re less under the cosh when attempting to make good first impressions. After we have moved on from the normal career and working life routine, how might things differ?

In this phase of life, most of us won’t have to worry about job interviews, climbing the corporate ladder, making critical sales presentations, and so on. Maybe it’s an opportunity to look at things in a different way?

Choose Another Way

It would be great to hear how readers feel their sentiments and approach may have changed over time, if at all, towards first impressions. For myself, thoughts are along two dimensions: first, when I’m forming an impression about others, and secondly, when it seems I may be the guinea pig.

On Forming Our First Impressions of Others

Projecting openness, accepting those we meet on equal non-judgemental terms, and encouraging relaxed acquaintance seems a better approach. It won’t take too long to figure if the chemistry blends well.

We often see and hear the mantra ‘go with your gut feeling’. Cool and chic as those soundbites may be, there is quite a bit of informed evidence suggesting that our ‘gut’ often leads us in the wrong direction. Better to use a balanced mix of head and heart.

Then, Making First Impressions on Others

A lá the basis of many global multi-billion-dollar businesses and billionaires! The approach that works well for me at this stage of life isn’t elaborate. Just a few simple questions that quickly clear the fog. Is the person or are the people concerned close family, friends or acquaintances whose opinion I value? And does the person or people have a direct influence on my bank account?

If both those questions turn up a ‘no’ it leaves me relaxed and free to focus on more important things.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What other experiences or words of wisdom about first impressions might be interesting and useful? Let’s share what has worked for us, and what hasn’t. Comments invited and are very welcome.

Have you ever seen the Northern Lights in person? I saw them frequently growing up in Fairbanks, Alaska, and, sadly, I mostly took them for granted. Sure, I found them absolutely mesmerizing even then, but I didn’t realize how privileged I was to witness them until I was older and moved to the lower states.

Scientists with the Solar Cycle Prediction Panel are predicting, based on observations of solar activity, that the year ahead should have more intense northern lights activity than we’ve seen in a long time. The lights are expected to build to a peak by November of 2024, at which point they’ll steadily and slowly decline again.

It’s a breathtaking experience, and there are several fantastic places to witness this natural wonder during the winter months. Here are eight incredible places to see the Northern Lights this winter, along with reasons why they’re some of the best, suggestions for activities, accommodation, dining, and nearby attractions.

1.Tromsø, Norway

Why This Location

Tromsø is often referred to as the “Gateway to the Arctic” because of its location in the Arctic Circle and offers some of the most reliable Northern Lights sightings in the world due to its high latitude.

Where to Stay

Stay at the Radisson Blu Hotel Tromsø or the Tromsø Ice Domes for a unique experience and amazing memories. The ice domes are rebuilt every year for the winter season and are generally open from mid-December to early April.

Where to Eat

Try local seafood at Fiskekompaniet or enjoy traditional Norwegian dishes at Bardus Bistro.

What Else to Do

Explore the Arctic Cathedral, visit the Polar Museum, go dog sledding, and take a fjord cruise.

Additional Tips

To increase your chances of witnessing the Northern Lights, here are some popular spots.

Tromsø City Center

You don’t have to venture far from Tromsø’s city center to see the Northern Lights, as they can often be visible within the city limits. Find a spot with minimal light pollution, such as Tromsøya Island or the outskirts of the city.

Tromsø Cable Car (Fjellheisen)

Take the cable car up to Mount Storsteinen for a panoramic view of Tromsø and the surrounding areas. This location offers a great vantage point for observing the Northern Lights.

Tromsø Wilderness Center

This center is about a 25-minute drive from Tromsø and offers guided Northern Lights tours in a wilderness setting, away from city lights.

2. Abisko, Sweden

Why This Location

Abisko National Park’s location within a rain shadow and its clear skies make it an excellent place for Northern Lights viewing.

Where to Stay

STF Abisko Turiststation or the Abisko Mountain Lodge.

Where to Eat

Dine at the Abisko Mountain Lodge Restaurant for local cuisine.

What Else to Do

Winter hike in Abisko National Park, take a chairlift up Nuolja Mountain, and visit the Aurora Sky Station.

Additional Tips

Abisko, Sweden, is renowned for its excellent opportunities to witness the Northern Lights due to its remote location and clear skies. Here are some prime locations for experiencing the Northern Lights in Abisko.

Abisko National Park

Abisko National Park is the premier destination for Northern Lights viewing in Abisko. The park’s location in a deep, narrow valley helps block out light pollution, making it an ideal spot for seeing the Aurora Borealis.

Aurora Sky Station

The Aurora Sky Station in Abisko is one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights. It’s equipped with professional equipment and knowledgeable guides who can provide information about the phenomenon. You can reach the station by taking a chairlift or hiking, depending on the season.

Lake Torneträsk

The frozen Lake Torneträsk, which is close to Abisko, provides a picturesque setting for Northern Lights viewing. Its icy surface can create stunning reflections of the aurora.

3. Fairbanks, Alaska, USA

Why This Location

Fairbanks offers frequent Northern Lights displays and has a wide range of accommodations and activities.

Where to Stay

Pike’s Waterfront Lodge or the Chena Hot Springs Resort. I highly recommend Chena Hot Springs, which is just outside the city and will give you a variety of experiences beyond the Northern Lights.

Where to Eat

Enjoy Alaskan cuisine at the Pump House Restaurant.

What Else to Do

Explore the Chena Hot Springs, look for wildlife, visit the Ice Museum, try some snowshoeing and take a dog sledding tour.

Additional Tips

Fairbanks, Alaska, is one of the top destinations in the world for observing the Northern Lights due to its location within the Auroral Oval, where auroras are frequently visible. To maximize your chances of seeing the Northern Lights in Fairbanks, consider the following locations.

Chena Hot Springs Resort

Chena Hot Springs, located about an hour’s drive from Fairbanks, is a popular destination for aurora viewing. The resort has natural hot springs, and you can relax in warm pools while gazing at the Northern Lights during the winter season. They also offer guided tours and aurora wake-up calls.

Murphy Dome

This is one of the best-known Aurora viewing spots near Fairbanks. Murphy Dome is a high point that offers a clear view of the night sky. It’s accessible by car but can be challenging to reach in the winter due to snowy conditions. Be sure to dress warmly.

Creamer’s Field

For a more accessible option within Fairbanks, Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge offers dark skies and is an excellent spot for aurora photography. Just be aware of any posted hours or regulations for the refuge.

4. Yellowknife, Canada

Why This Location

Yellowknife boasts a high aurora activity and is one of the best places in North America to witness the Northern Lights due to its prime location under the Aurora Oval.

Where to Stay

The Explorer Hotel

Where to Eat

Try local fare at the Wildcat Café or the Dancing Moose Café.

What Else to Do

Go ice fishing, visit the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, and take a flightseeing tour.

Additional Tips

Consider these locations for viewing the Northern Lights in Yellowknife.

Aurora Village

Aurora Village is a popular destination for tourists seeking the Northern Lights in Yellowknife. It offers heated teepees overlooking a lake, viewing decks, and guided tours specifically designed for Aurora watching.

Vee Lake

This is a favorite spot for locals and visitors alike. It’s not far from Yellowknife and provides a dark and open area for Aurora viewing. Many tour operators offer trips to Vee Lake.

Fred Henne Territorial Park

This park is located within Yellowknife and offers a peaceful natural setting for Aurora viewing. It’s a great option if you prefer to stay within the city.

5. Ivalo, Finland

Ivalo, in the Finnish Lapland, is a prime destination for witnessing the Northern Lights due to its location within the Arctic Circle.

Why This Location

Ivalo is located in Lapland, within the Arctic Circle, and provides excellent chances to see the Northern Lights, especially during the polar night.

Where to Stay

Stay at the exclusive Aurora Village or the Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort for glass igloo accommodations.

Where to Eat

Try Finnish dishes at the Aurora Village Restaurant or the Aurora Sky Restaurant at Kakslauttanen.

What Else to Do

Go reindeer sledding, visit the Sámi Cultural Centre Sajos, and take a snowmobile safari.

Additional Tips

To maximize your chances of experiencing this breathtaking natural phenomenon in Ivalo, consider the following locations.

Saariselkä

Saariselkä is a resort village about 30 minutes from Ivalo. It’s surrounded by pristine wilderness and offers various activities such as husky sledding and snowshoeing, making it a great place to combine outdoor adventures with Northern Lights viewing.

Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort

This famous resort near Ivalo offers unique accommodations in glass igloos, which provide the perfect opportunity to watch the Northern Lights from the comfort of your own room.

Hotel Kultahippu

This hotel in the heart of Ivalo has an Aurora viewing deck and offers accommodations that cater to Northern Lights enthusiasts.

6. Kiruna, Sweden

Kiruna, located in the northernmost part of Sweden, is a prime location for witnessing the Northern Lights. The region’s high latitude and minimal light pollution make it an excellent place to view this natural phenomenon.

Why This Location

Kiruna’s location in the Swedish Lapland provides ample opportunities for Aurora sightings.

Where To stay

Stay at the Icehotel for a unique experience or at the Scandic Ferrum.

Where to Eat

Dine at the Icehotel Restaurant or the SPiS Hotel & Bar.

What Else to Do

Visit the Icehotel, explore the Kiruna Church, and take a tour of the LKAB iron ore mine.

Additional Tips

Here are some top spots for seeing the Northern Lights in Kiruna:

Icehotel

Kiruna is home to the famous Icehotel, which offers unique ice and snow accommodations. Some of their cold rooms are equipped with glass roofs, allowing you to watch the Northern Lights from the comfort of your bed.

Torne River

The Torne River offers a picturesque setting for Northern Lights photography, with its reflection on the water. It’s easily accessible from Kiruna and a great place to capture the Aurora in a serene environment.

Luossavaara Mountain

Luossavaara, a mountain near Kiruna, offers panoramic views of the surrounding area. It’s a convenient spot for observing the Northern Lights if you want to stay close to the city.

7. Rovaniemi, Finland

Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland and located near the Arctic Circle, is a popular destination for witnessing the Northern Lights.

Why This Location

Rovaniemi provides fantastic opportunities for Northern Lights viewing as it is near the Arctic Circle.

Where to Stay

Stay in a cozy cabin at Arctic Circle Wilderness Lodge or the Arctic TreeHouse Hotel.

Where to Eat

Try Lappish delicacies at Nili Restaurant or Restaurant Roka.

What Else to Do

Visit Santa Claus Village, go snowshoeing, and take a husky safari.

Additional Tips

Here are some of the best spots for experiencing the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi:

Arktikum Museum and Science Centre

While not a natural location, the Arktikum offers an indoor Northern Lights presentation that includes a simulated aurora experience. It’s a great place to learn about the science and folklore of the Northern Lights before heading out to see them in the wild.

Ounasvaara Hill

Ounasvaara is a hill located just a short distance from the city center. You can hike up or take a ski lift to the top, which offers a clear view of the northern horizon. It’s a popular spot for both locals and tourists to observe the Northern Lights.

Riverbanks of Kemijoki

The banks of the Kemijoki River, which runs through Rovaniemi, can offer decent Northern Lights viewing opportunities. Find a quiet spot along the river away from the city lights for the best experience.

8. Iceland

Why This Location

Iceland’s location near the Arctic Circle makes it one of the prime spots in the world to witness the Northern Lights. Most of the country is sparsely populated, which means you can escape light pollution and have a better chance of seeing the lights clearly.

Where to Stay

Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik, offers a variety of accommodations, from budget hostels to luxury hotels. Or you can consider staying in more remote areas like Hella, Vik, or Akureyri for a better chance of seeing the lights without light pollution.

Where to Eat

The capital has a vibrant food scene with many restaurants offering Icelandic cuisine. Try dishes like lamb, fish, and the famous Icelandic hot dogs.

What Else to Do

Visit the Blue Lagoon, take a Golden Circle Tour or go snowmobiling.

Additional Tips

Here are some places to go to best see them.

Thingvellir National Park

A popular spot due to its proximity to Reykjavik and clear skies. It’s a designated Dark Sky Park.

Vatnajokull National Park

Located in the southeast, this area offers minimal light pollution and stunning landscapes.

Snæfellsjökull National Park

On the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, this park offers dark skies and a beautiful coastal setting.

Tips for Seeing the Aurora Borealis

Stay for Multiple Nights

The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon, and their appearance can be unpredictable. Consider staying for several nights to increase your chances of witnessing the Auroras.

Check the Weather and Aurora Forecasts

Monitor weather and aurora forecasts regularly during your stay. Clear skies and high aurora activity increase your chances of seeing the Northern Lights.

Book a Guided Tour

Consider joining a guided Northern Lights tour led by experienced professionals who know the best spots and can provide valuable information about the lights.

Visit in Winter

The best time to see the Northern Lights is during the winter months when the nights are longest, and the skies are darkest. January, February and March seem to be the best time to see them, but certainly not the only time. You can also see them in Autumn, and the chance of clear skies is often greater at that time.

Dress Warmly

Dress in warm layers, including thermal clothing, to stay comfortable during your aurora adventure.

Photography Tip

Practice your photography skills in advance, on the stars and milky way. This way you can make the most of your time with the Northern Lights!

The Northern Lights are an absolutely breathtaking sight that captivates the hearts and minds of those fortunate enough to witness them. This natural phenomenon paints the night sky with vibrant hues of green, purple, pink, and sometimes even red, creating a celestial display that seems otherworldly. It is, without a doubt, a once-in-a-lifetime magical experience that you will never forget.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Have you ever seen the Northern Lights and where were you at the time? Would you take a trip just to see them again? Would you stay in an igloo?