Designing and offering legend-based experiences: Perspectives of Santa Claus in the Joulupukin Pajakylä

Abstract

Humans, more than ever before, pursue connections with legends and legendary figures, not least at intentionally designed settings. This quest has endured for millennia as a reflection of legendary narratives that inform the origins, cosmologies, and festivities of people. This study, grounded in an environmental psychology theoretical lens, attempts to reveal what constitutes a legend-based experience. The study analyses visitors' experiences at Lapland's legend-based Joulupukin Pajakylä. The findings deliver understandings of how people interact with a real person acting as a legendary figure and being located amidst the legend and reality environment in a legendary informed setting. The study contributes to the interdisciplinary socio-psychology, business, design, art/folkloric and tourism discourse, relating to the legend-place-visitor triad.