What should I expect from my visit? 

How do I get in touch if something changes? Do I need to arrange for sleigh parking and someone to clean up after the reindeer after his visit? All that and more answered below:

What should I expect when Santa arrives?  You and Santa will work this out prior to the event. Some families and groups like big, grand entrances with lots of HO HO HO's while others prefer to hear the soft jingle of distant bells before Santa's arrival.

Do I need to make arrangements for the sleigh and reindeer?  No. Santa will not be arriving in the sleigh with the reindeer. The reindeer are all busy practicing their take-offs and landings, and the sleigh is being loaded for the big trip. Plus, the sleigh and reindeer are only able to fly because of "Christmas Magic”; that is only on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Santa will most likely arrive in a SUV. Santa explains to little eyes that he borrows cars from friends when he comes to make visits. Do please have a convenient place, out of the line of sight of little eyes and close to the visit, for Santa to park.

Will Santa pass out gifts?  Santa travels with his bag and is happy to fill it with items you purchase and wish him to distribute. If gifts are not all the same or are for specific individuals please make sure they are clearly marked. Please remember to be practical, Santa's bag is only so big and his back only so sturdy and we certainly wouldn't want him to throw it out before his big night so nothing heavy please. In larger groups an assistant that is familiar with the children is a huge help. 

How Much Does A Visit Cost? Each visit is priced individually. Please click here to visit the contact page with date, time and length of visit. Santa will respond ASAP.

How do we pay?  Payments will be handled through any method that is most convenient for you. Cash, check or credit card payments (via PayPal) may be made. A non-refundable deposit of 50% of the visit cost is due prior to the visit. The remainder is due at the end of the visit. If payment is made at the visit, place it in a Christmas card and pass it along to Santa, with a hearty "Merry Christmas!”, as he leaves. This can be explained by having a card ready for participants to sign while waiting for or after visiting Santa. You may also be invoiced through PayPal if you wish to pay by credit card and make arrangements in advance. 

 

 What does Santa do during a visit? Each visit is different, of course, and the visit will direct a lot of what happens. You may have it all planned out that this will happen and then that will be next and we'll save this for... Stop! By all means, do have an idea and an order of events planned; however, trying to schedule every minute doesn’t work— especially when dealing with children, as we all know. Some things to consider are: 

     ENTRANCE: Grand or quiet entrance? Where will Santa park? Where will Santa sit? 

     PHOTOS: Do we want photos first or later? What about the “reluctant” child(ren)? Santa loves a challenge and covers this below.

     GIFTS: Will there be gifts? Is Santa “bringing” them? If Santa is “bringing” gifts, please plan this with Santa in advance. Should everybody open gifts at the same time or as they are given out? Pictures with gifts? Video? 

     ENTERTAINMENT: Santa enjoys taking questions from his friends and, with even a small group of believers, the chatting can get lively. Santa is always happy to read The Night Before Christmas or other stories you provide. 

     SAYING GOODBYE: As the visit comes to a close, Santa likes to gather everyone together and explain that the secret to always being on the “Nice” list is to always do your best and always tell the truth. If you always do your best, you will never fail because you did the best that you could. If you always tell the truth, you won’t have to remember who you told what (HoHoHo). As Santa is leaving, it is the perfect time to hand him a Christmas card (signed by the guests covers this up nicely) with the remainder due. 

DOs and DON’Ts: 

Do have a cold drink (bottle of water or Coke, of course, HoHoHo). 

Don’t be surprised if Santa isn’t always in the coat. If it’s a longer event and warm, please don’t be alarmed if Santa looses the coat as it is hot. 

Do have a small fan or open window close to Santa as it does get warm. 

Do let Santa know if your pets are part of the visit. Santa’s pets are part of his family too, but please have a blanket if you want Santa to hold yours on his lap. 

Don’t expect Santa to restrain your child. Crying and fussing is one thing; we all have one of those pictures somewhere. Santa will not restrain a child that is trying to get away. It can be dangerous for your child and painful for Santa. 

Do be accessible: have your cellphone on you, so you can see/hear/feel it. Santa likes to let you know when he arrives on site. Things may have changed and last minute details may need to be passed along. Yes, Virginia, Santa texts! 

What if Santa promises a gift we said "No" to?  Santa does not promise the child will get what they ask for, even if the parents say "Yes". Santa will say something like "We'll see what we can do about that," or "Keep working really hard, and I think that could happen". If the gift in question is a pet, Santa's answer is that he doesn't deliver pets because they are not toys. Mom and Dad will decide when the child is ready for a pet, but Santa can always put in a good word. Cellphones and electronics are also not gifts Santa says “yes” to, explaining they are also up to the parents. 

What about the timid child(ren)? Santa loves a challenge, and there is little else more challenging than a child. Over the years, Santa has found that the more a parent “pushes” the child, the longer it’s going to take. Santa may remove his gloves, push his hat back, let the child see that there’s someone under the suit. Santa will work with you to get the picture if you work with him. He’s been doing this awhile and has several tricks. 

I want Santa to tell my children they have been naughty and better shape up or there won't be any toys for them this year.  Sorry, that's not going to happen. Santa will not tell a child he has been bad or naughty or scold them. Santa will reinforce the benefits of good behavior and explain that doing your best is important. Santa advises that doing your best in everything you do is the key to being on the "Nice" list.

From the pictures it looks like Santa has different suits, why?  Yes Santa does have different suits, and they are for different types of visits. If there is a particular "look" that you prefer from the photos, please let Santa know, and he will do his best to accommodate you. However, certain visits lend themselves to one suit over the other. The darker of the two is much cooler and more versatile. Some photographers prefer it over the "red" suit as children dressed in red stand out better against it. The red or "Cola" style suit is warmer and more layered. Most indoor visits with this suit see the coat taken off and Santa in his vest, as pictured below. For pet photos, you’ll see the fur-fronted suit. 



Daycare visits:

Santa loves to visit all the wonderful girls and boys at the local childcare centers. A typical visit has Santa move through the infant and toddler rooms first since these will tend to move more quickly and decisively. Santa is happy to visit each room or to be seated centrally and have the children brought out room by room for pictures and to chat. Santa will pass out candy canes provided by the center or other gifts they might have if there are adequate items for each child. Santa is pleased to read The Night Before Christmas or other selections you may choose to provide. Santa always closes his visits with youngsters that the key to being on the “Nice” list is to always do your best. If you always do your best ,you can never fail because you did the best you could. 

Adult daycare and assisted living facilities:

It’s always a joy when Santa visits with our seniors and shares in their holiday memories. From photos and chatting to Christmas carols (Santa is NOT a professional singer but he tries), questions about life at the North Pole and being Santa. Visits where Santa discusses both the real as well as the fantastic aspects of being Santa seem to be enjoyed by all. Some of the living centers I’ve visited have set up an evening for family pictures and visits with Santa. Residents invite family to bring their children for a more relaxed Santa visit than available in most other settings. 

More questions? Please contact us anytime! We look forward to hearing from you.