How we try and

KEEP THE MAGIC ALIVE

As years go on I am finding it heart breaking that kids are getting younger and younger when they no longer believe in Santa Claus. YouTube, TikTok, Movies, TV, other beliefs and cultures. So many things scream at kids as young as 6 that Santa does not exist.

Then those lucky enough to get their children to the end of Primary School with their belief intact have the displeasure of "breaking the news" to them before Secondar School.

Below I have listed some tips and advice from what I do as a Santa Portrayal artist to help keep the magic alive.

Believability

I do my best to ensure I am up to date on popular Santa culture from movies to books, games and tv shows. I do all I can to have a consistent back story and lore that will never change or deviate but grow from year to year.

I take historical accounts of Saint Nicholas and mix this all with the myths and legends of Santa from around the world.

From speaking elvish to knowing things about them, I do my best to ensure when I leave, everyone still believes and those that do not believe...are questioning why they do not believe.

Consistency

Children are clued on and are not easily fooled anymore. Taking them to see 3, 4, 5 or more Santas' every year does nothing but confuse them.

Biggest tip I can give parents that do this is to stick to one Santa if you want the children to believe for as long as possible.

If it is not possible to stick to one Santa then have a good, believable story to tell them why the Santas' look different.

Here is some examples that I use when children say "Do you remember seeing me at...a place that I was not at...?"

Answer 1: "Well unfortunately I can not be everywhere at the same time and a lot of my Christmas abilities I can only use on Christmas Eve. So I chose some men with a great Christmas Spirit to help me every year to spread joy in the build up to Christmas".

Answer 2: "Well I split my Christmas Spirit to be at different places at the same time but when I do that I can look a little different sometimes".

Breaking The News

This is the most heart breaking thing to do. I have found the only thing worse is when a child their age feels the desire to break the news to other children when they are maybe not ready to hear that.

I have found that telling kids "Santa is not real", can ruin Christmas not only for them but for the family as a whole. the excitement goes. The anticipation of Christmas morning is non existent. The joy is reduced dramatically.

I have come across a beautiful way of telling the children with reducing the risk of ruining that Christmas Spirit.

Opposed to just "ripping the band aid off", try telling them this;

"Santa is not exactly what you think he is. Santa was indeed a real person hundreds of years ago. He was Saint Nicholas of Myra, the Patron Saint of Children and Sailors. What Saint Nicholas done was more than anyone could imagine, he started a movement, a feeling of gift giving and kindness. This gave birth to the Christmas Spirit. The Christmas Spirit embodies joy, kindness, giving and being caring. This is what Santa Claus is. Santa Claus is not the person, Santa Claus is the idea of Christmas. The Christmas Spirit. It is now your job to keep that Christmas Spirit alive for younger children and those who still believe."

This give them an important role for Christmas for years to come and is especially helpful to families with children in Secondary School but still little ones in the household too.