The following list of suggestions are intended to make your Santa Visit a most enjoyable event. Please contact us if you have any questions regarding your visit.
- Schedule Santa Now
Santa is very busy this time of year and his calendar fills up quickly, so be sure to schedule Santa now for your event.
- Holiday Setting for Photos
The chair Santa will use should be placed in front of or around a well-lit, festive setting. This will give
your photos more impact and color. This could be a decorated wall with a wreath, Christmas cards, pictures
of the family, children's drawings or other items suggesting this year's memory for future reference. Having
the Christmas tree in the picture with a few presents around it can also provide a great setting for your
photos. Leave a foot or two between the chair and the wall or tree to allow room for others to gather
around and behind Santa’s chair for group photos.
Up close, Santa can be a scary person for 1-2 year old children. Often, seating the child on Santa's chair
allows Santa to be in the picture by standing or kneeling behind the chair.
Santa normally wears a heavy velvet suit and fur that gets very hot, so placing him too close to a fireplace
is not good for his comfort or health.
- Santa's Chair
Have a sturdy chair for Santa to sit in. Folding chairs, plastic chairs, and low chairs (the one’s you sink
into) are not good. Santa likes a chair that is sturdy and stable. A good straight-back dining chair, with
no arms works well. He should be able to sit comfortably with the chair supporting him plus a child (of any
age) on each knee.
- Check your camera
Make sure you have film, memory sticks, videotape and batteries necessary to take your photos. Videotape
and recharged batteries should be checked to make sure you are ready for the event.
- Have your gifts ready
Santa does not bring gifts with him. He will hand out your gifts, and can carry in one bag of presents (not
too heavy, please) in his Santa bag (size is approximately 35 gallon trash bag).
The presents should be well labeled. We suggest a large black marking pen and writing directly on the gift,
as tags can easily fall off.
- Parking for Santa
Remember, Santa is a Senior Citizen, wearing a heavy suit that gets very hot. If he parks down the
street or around the corner and has to walk all the way to your home or office, he will be winded and
exhausted when he gets to your door. He may also be delayed if he encounters your neighbors or
others on the street.
If the visit is at your home, leave an opening at the end of your driveway. Put a temporary barrier in the
space. Have some fun and put a sign out: "Reserved
for Santa". Or back one car down the driveway with a space in front.
When Santa calls that he is there, who ever greets him outside, can pull the car up in the driveway and
Santa can park right behind. If your event is at a company facility, office building or hotel, try to make
arrangements for Santa to park in a valet or loading area. Again, you can mark the area with a fun
sign. This makes it easier for him to be fresh and ready to bring joy to your guests.
- Before Santa makes his Entrance
Timing is everything! Normally, Santa will call a designated phone 5-10 minutes before he arrives at
your venue. This is your cue to have someone go outside to meet Santa, while you get everyone together
and maybe to sing some Christmas Carols. Santa's contracted time begins when he arrives.
If Santa is to bring in presents, the person meeting him can help him fill his bag, and help bring in any
presents that do not fit.
- If a payment or balance is due to Santa
It never looks appropriate to give cash to Santa (he only uses North Pole bucks, anyway). So, as Santa is
departing, hand him the envelope and say, "Thank you Santa and here is a Christmas card from all of us."
