When planning festive activities to do with your little one, you may think that taking your toddler to see Santa is a dream come true... You’ve just got to make sure it doesn’t get scary and overwhelming for them. For some grownups, nothing gets them into the Christmas spirit more than taking their child to visit Santa as his grotto, but not all children find this an exciting experience.
So what are the dos and don’ts of taking your tot to see Santa?
Do wait until your toddler’s old enough
As much as you may want your toddler to get swept up in the festivity of the season, there’s no sense in taking them to see Santa if they're too young to appreciate it. It could scare them and may put them off going when they are old enough to enjoy it - we've all seen those sad looking face in Christmas photos!
Use your own judgement to gauge when it’s the right year for your child – probably when they are around two and a half to three years old. Basically, when they starts asking for presents!
Do be prepared to queue…
And avoid the busiest times such as a Saturday. Make sure your toddler’s gone to the toilet before you start queuing and have some water and snacks with you just in case it takes longer than you anticipated. Having a game in mind to play will keep them amused, too. A simple game of ‘I Spy’ will probably do the trick!
Don’t let your child out of your sight
It can get pretty busy around Santa’s grotto with kids getting overexcited about the festive season. If you’re taking more than one tot with you, it might be a good idea to enlist the help of a friend of grandparent so you can hold the hand of one child.
Do be prepared for Santa’s true identity to be revealed
As much as we all know Santa is real, there is a tiny chance he may have sent his lookalike with a fake beard. So, if you take your tot to visit a Santa and he does pull on his beard it could well be whipped off leaving you with some explaining to do…
Don’t force your toddler to sit on Santa’s lap
A lot of children don’t want to sit on Santa’s lap – he is a complete stranger after all. Instead, why not let your toddler sit on your lap, next to Santa? Your toddler will still be able to speak to Santa, while feeling secure.
Don’t let your toddler overdose on sugar
Visiting Santa tends to come hand in hand with plenty of sweets – candy canes and chocolate coins are the usual culprits. While there’s nothing wrong with allowing your toddler a treat, try to make sure he doesn’t over indulge or you may be dealing with a hyper tot later in the day – and getting him to settle at bedtime might prove tricky.
Do leave if your child gets upset
Santa may seem like the nicest man in the world to some children, but to others a man in a red suit and a big white beard can be a little intimidating. If your toddler does get upset and wants to leave, take it in your stride – even if it means you didn’t get that perfect photo that you were hoping to send to the relatives. There’s always next year.
Do have a backup plan
If you want to avoid all of the madness, queues and sugar-pumped children (and adults) a new service may be the answer to your prayers.
You can now rent a Santa to visit your home or your toddler’s nursery – and he’ll even bring one of his elves along and read your child his favourite Christmas story. Otherwise, there’s always the option of persuading your partner to head to the local fancy dress shop and hire a Santa costume…
If your little one would prefer to write to a letter to Father Christmas, there are some companies who offer a reply service, including The Royal Mail and their Letters to Santa initiate. You essentially write the letter with your child and send it to the given address with a stamp on it. Don't forget to include your full name and address if you want to receive a reply! All letters must reach them by the 30th November.
As well as receiving a personalised letter from Santa, you can also follow him on his journey, as he leaves the North Pole and flies around the world with his reindeers. NORAD Tracks Santa is a great place to go for this as they offer "live" updates starting on the 1st December.
If your tot feels more comfortable at home, why not find a suitable video of Santa to watch or use an app to get Santa to record a video message for them.
Leaving out milk and cookies or a mince pie (and a carrot for the reindeer, of course) on a Santa plate is also a more traditional method of interacting with Santa without actually seeing him.
Arabella Horspool is a Commercial Content Writer for Mother&Baby and Yours at Bauer Media. She's a bookworm who enjoys cooking and spending time with her many pets.