by Siviwe Zibi
Christmas is only two months away and it is the season of giving. It’s a time where people are more kind and open-hearted. Christmas is a magical time for children, what makes it most exciting of all, is that they know that Santa Claus will be coming down the chimney to fill their stocking and leave their presents under the tree. For children, it’s the one day of the year when actual magic happens.
It isn’t just what they read about in storybooks or sees in films. It actually happens in their own houses, before their very own eyes. We can all still remember that childish excitement and wonder as we went to bed on Christmas Eve. The tingling in your tummy as you lay in the dark, hoping to hear the jingle of sleigh bells or the thump of hooves from the reindeer on the roof. And then the next morning discovering that Father Christmas had visited.
Being Santa Claus is not an easy task and I will be sharing with you tips on being your family’s best Santa Claus.
Hide gifts. The most common Santa slayer for kids is finding their gifts, the same gifts supposedly being made in Santa’s workshop, sitting in their parents’ closet. Children at age of 6 or 7 start getting suspicious about the Santa story and they will commence a thorough search of the house to find their Christmas booty. If you don’t have a super-secret spot available in your home, your safest bet is to hide the presents at an offsite location. If you have space at your office, keep the presents there.
Track Santa on Google maps. Even little kids are pretty technologically savvy these days and look to modern gadgets for affirmation of what is real. Every year Google maps realistically tracks Santa’s journey around the globe on Christmas Eve. You can show this to your kids as proof that Santa is indeed on the move.
Finish assembling toys. Some presents, like bikes, will need some assembly. If possible, do any assembly offsite in order to reduce the noise of you going through your toolbox. If that’s not an option, get the tools you need ready during the day.
Place the presents under the tree and fill the stockings. If possible, wrap all the presents before Christmas Eve so all you have to do that night is put them under the tree. In the run-up to Christmas, remember to hide the stocking goodies as well as you hide the big presents.
As you put out the presents, be on the watch for rogue children. Kids will invariably climb out of bed to either try to sneak a peek at Santa Claus himself or to see if he’s left their booty under the tree yet. If at all possible, try to catch your kids before they make it near the living area where the tree and gifts are.
Leave evidence. Ensure that Santa leaves plenty of evidence behind. Leave some soot boot prints on the carpet near the fireplace. Eat the milk and cookies, leaving some half-eaten cookies on the plate. If the kids set out carrots for the reindeer, put some gnawed-on carrot stubs in the fireplace. Maybe place a cool gold button near the Christmas tree.
