Home Visits

A Christmas Visit Made for Your Family

When you invite Santa and Mrs. Claus into your home, you are inviting them to be part of your family’s Christmas story. Your tree, your decorations, your family and your traditions - no lines - no hustle and bustle - just a Christmas visit that becomes part of the traditions your family shares.

At Mistletoe Workshop, we believe in loving and encouraging children, supporting families while sharing the magic of Christmas. We believe it is important that families can visit Santa at a mall or sporting goods store, but that is not the kind of relationship we try to build.

Through home visits, we have the opportunity to spend meaningful time with your family, sharing stories, singing songs and engaging with each person in a way that is special and meaningful to you. A Christmas visit from Santa and Mrs Claus can be a tradition we share with you each year as your children grow, leading to memories they will carry with them for a lifetime.

Before Santa Arrives

There are so many Christmas songs and Christmas stories that tell of how Santa knows all about every child, what they want for Christmas and even whether they were "naughty or nice". And yet every year, children write letters to Santa. When they sit for pictures with Santa, they often tell him what they want for Christmas.

Of course, that creates a magical opportunity for home visits, because parents can give Santa insight into what children believe he should know!

One of the most common questions of Santa (usually asked by boys at just about the age they want to "test" him) is "Hey Santa, what's my name?" Knowing a child's name before the visit often creates one of those quiet moments of Christmas wonder when they realize Santa already knows!

In the same way, when a child has accomplished something special and "Santa knows", it can help the child feel that Santa is like family, creating a sense of awe and wonder but also of closeness and familiarity.

In our resources section below, we offer a short set of questions you might consider sharing with Santa and Mrs. Claus before your visit. It is not necessary, but we have found when we work together with families before the visit and have just a little bit of background, children can respond to Santa and Mrs. Claus as if we have known each other all their lives.

Sometimes families also share information that helps us care for everyone during the visit. Some families also want to share special needs or sensitivities Santa should know about, or special situations such as the loss of a favorite pet or the birth of a new baby.

The most important thing we can do in preparing for your home visit is ensure that we can create the best possible experience for your family.

When Santa Comes Through the Door

Of course, getting to know your family situation before the visit isn't the whole story. Santa and Mrs. Claus have visited so many families that they have a lot of activities and fun things to do during the visit. But first, they have to get through the door!

Every family has a different idea about how Santa's visit fits into their Christmas celebration. Planning the entrance is important so that everything is perfect for you, whether it is a grand entrance with sleigh bells and Ho Ho Ho's, or whether it is children peeking out the front door to greet him as he comes near the house.

Prior to the visit, we will work out just how you want the entrance to flow. Do you want Santa to load up with gifts you have set aside? Where do you want him to park the sleigh? And ultimately, how will he make his entrance?

However your family imagines Santa's arrival, we'll plan together so that his first moments in your home feel like they belong in your own Christmas story.

Songs, Stories, and Christmas Traditions

During your visit, Santa and Mrs. Claus will lead, but there are many places where the direction of the visit can be steered by the children. Santa loves to tell stories and ask questions of the children, and how the children respond may lead to a storybook or a song, a simple magic trick or some show-and-tell of things he brings in from the North Pole.

Everything we do in a home visit is focused on your family. Where the children lead, we encourage and support them as we laugh and play together. Where Santa entertains with stories or songs, we seek to capture their imaginations and inspire them with love and wonder.

We also strongly support established family traditions - some families want Santa to read The Night Before Christmas and other families want him to read Luke 2 from The Bible. Some like Mrs. Claus to organize the adults into performing The Twelve Days of Christmas. Again, we plan together how best to build up your Christmas.

Every Child Meets Santa Differently

Now, when we have the chance for Santa and the children to come together, it is important to remember that every child is different. They may be very excited to see Santa coming into the house, sing songs and laugh with everyone else... and then freeze up or even cry when a parent tells them to sit on Santa's knee.

Santa and Mrs. Claus have seen a full range of responses from children, but do not expect or need children to react in any specific way. Children can be shy or nervous, or they can be excited and engaged. Our only plan is to notice and observe how the children respond, and then adapt as needed so every child has a positive experience.

For some children, simply having Mrs. Claus next to Santa gives them an alternative to the big furry man in the red suit. Other children are fine with Santa but may be nervous or uncomfortable sitting on his knee. And there are children who realize all of a sudden as they sit with Santa - everyone is watching them - and they freeze.

One thing that is perhaps more important than anything else - children should never be forced to interact with Santa or sit on his knee. Meeting Santa should not be a traumatic experience or a test of courage. We believe in the children, we encourage and support them. We also understand that Santa is a "stranger" to some children, and to others, he is a legendary adult figure who is larger than life. In either case, we can understand why children may be nervous or shy.

Santa's role is to encourage children, celebrate their accomplishments, and share the joy of Christmas — not to frighten them.

One group that sometimes needs a little extra care is babies and very young children. They may not be interested in the same things from a Santa visit as other children, but see new people, new sounds and a lot of activity that is not normal to them.

Even in those cases, we find that a simple bubble gun can draw their attention from the new people in the room to something as simple and magical as bubbles.

The Care Behind the Christmas Experience

Mistletoe Workshop exists to share the Spirit of Christmas with children and families. We do that through these home visits as well as other forms of outreach like Christmas in July, publishing stories and sharing our North Pole Canon, library and school reading programs, hospital and adult care visits and special needs events.

Behind every Home Visit is a great deal of preparation. Santa and Mrs. Claus continue studying and refining their craft throughout the year so every family receives the same care and attention.

Santa and Mrs. Claus are both graduates of the Charles W Howard Santa Claus School - founded in 1937, it is the longest-running professional Santa school in the world, with students from every continent. They are also active members of MAPS, an association of over 500 professional Santas, include several members of the International Santa Hall of Fame, who come together several times each year to continuously refine our trade through events like the Jingle Joy Retreat and the Red Suit Conclave.

Christmas Continues

At Mistletoe Workshop, our hope is to add love and joy to your Christmas celebrations. Maybe our visit should not be the centerpiece of your Christmas, but part of the traditions you experience each year.

We want you to remember your visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus. We want you to experience a little magic with us. But more than anything else, we want your family to experience each other in a way you will laugh and share throughout the year.

The best Christmas visit, to us, is the one that helps carry the Christmas Spirit after we leave. To support that, we try to make our transition to goodbyes part of the visit experience, too. It can be as simple as "Santa and Mrs. Claus need to get back to the North Pole so everything is ready!" Or it may be everyone singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" as we head out the door.

Our goal is a smooth transition in your family celebration, leaving as many great memories with you as we can.

Resources for Families

Preparing for a visit with Santa can help create a more meaningful experience. Explore ideas for helping Santa understand your family and making the most of your time together.

• Preparing for a Santa visit
• Helping Santa know your child
• Creating a magical moment together

Continue Exploring