Joanna Kalafatis
A breathtaking nighttime scene of the town of Longyearbyen on the Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic Circle, nestled against a snow-covered mountain under a dark, cloudy sky. The brightly lit buildings, primarily residential apartments and hotels, stand out against the stark white landscape, casting warm glows onto the snowy surroundings. In the foreground, a lone skier is captured mid-motion, their skis kicking up a spray of powdery snow as they glide across the frosted ground. The image exudes a cozy, festive atmosphere, reminiscent of a winter wonderland or a scene from a Christmas village.

I don’t know what Santa’s village would look like, but I imagine it would be a lot like Longyearbyen, Svalbard, the northernmost town in the world. At 78 degrees latitude, this is the closest people come to living at the North Pole. This photo was taken around 2 PM - Svalbard is deep into its polar night now, and the sun wont rise again for weeks. But the town stays lit up and festive - there's even a giant mailbox for Santa there! Merry Christmas Eve 🎄 . . . . . .

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