Be the Perfect Father Christmas: A Quick-Start Guide

Each December, Santa takes centre stage around the world, bringing joy to countless children. He visits shopping centres, schools, and a multitude of festive events.

However stepping into the famous red suit to play this part is about much more than just having a white beard and a booming “Ho Ho Ho.”

If you’re preparing to spread the Christmas cheer as Father Christmas this year, this guide will hopefully go a little way towards helping you to bring magic and authenticity to your role.

Whether in a grotto, at a community centre, or visiting families at home, here are a few quick things you need to know to embody the world’s most beloved festive character.

 

The True Role of Santa Claus

Being Santa is not just about appearances. It’s about creating an unforgettable, magical experience for children and families.

Ministry of Fun have been successfully providing Santas for almost 30 years, and there is a reason why so many big names come back to us every season. Our teams are fully-trained at the MOF Santa School, with even the most seasoned of performers undergoing a yearly refresh.

Here they learn how to wish a “Merry Christmas” in over 100 languages (incl. BSL), alongside the Top 10 requested toys that year. Of course it is also a chance for them to top-up their festive knowledge and catch-up with old friends, sharing tips & tricks for the Christmas ahead. It no doubt helps that there are plenty of turkey sandwiches, mince pies & glasses of Port to enjoy during the day too…

There are a few key takeaways that we have honed over the decades, mainly:

• You are not a “Santa lookalike” or a “helper.” You are Santa.
• Your mission is to create magic and wonder for everyone you meet.
• This wonderful role demands warmth, humour, and improvisation. Children can (and often will!) surprise you with tricky questions, so be ready to think on your feet.

Pro Tip: Practice improvisation by preparing answers to questions like “Are you the real Santa?” or “How do you get down chimneys without one?”

 

A Brief History of Father Christmas

To truly play the part well, it can help to know the story behind the iconic red suit and the man inside.

Santa’s roots go all the way back to St. Nicholas of Myra, a 4th-century bishop known for secret gift-giving. Over the centuries though, lots of other traditions merged to create the man that we all know and love:

• Dutch settlers introduced Sinterklaas to America, which obviously evolved into Santa Claus.
• Queen Victoria and Prince Albert popularised the decorated Christmas tree in Britain.
• In 1890, the very first department-store Santa appeared in Massachusetts, and Selfridges soon followed in London.

By the 20th century, Haddon Sundblom’s Coca-Cola adverts cemented the now-iconic red-and-white suit we all recognise today (though Coca-Cola didn’t actually invent it).

 

Perfecting the Santa Look

Costume Essentials

Your suit should always be immaculate, for example:

• Hat set straight, with the bobble to the left.
• Belt buckle centred. lined up with buttons.
• Gloves should be bright and clean.
• Boots polished.

This really does make a difference, a sloppy costume can totally break the illusion. Remember: to children, you’re the real Father Christmas.

Beard & Make-Up

• Invest in a high-quality beard, ideally one with a separate moustache so your mouth is visible. MOF Santas have bespoke-made real-hair beards!
• Keep it neat and magical at all times (a tangled & scruffy beard totally ruins the magic).
• Add a little rosy blush to cheeks and nose – but be very careful not to add too much, good lighting is a must here.
• If you are lucky enough to still have dark eyebrows, you can lighten them with white make-up or mascara. Again though, be very careful not to over do it.

Conversations with Children

Perhaps the trickiest, but equally the most rewarding part of being Santa is talking with children.

No two encounters are the same, however here are some tried-and-tested tips to help you along on your way:

Start the Chat

• Never ever ever ask “What’s your name?”. Of course Santa already knows the child’s name! Instead, greet with something like “Hello, how wonderful to see you again!”
• If you, for some reason, have temporarily forgotten their name, or perhaps if your elf hasn’t quite said it loudly enough, then you can playfully and absent-mindedly get it “wrong” (e.g. calling them “Twinkle-Socks?”), let the child correct you with giggles and pure delight.

Keep the Magic Alive

• Always use positive questioning, for example “You have written me a letter, haven’t you?” This helps to avoid slip-ups if they haven’t.
• Create humorous moments during your time together by “remembering” silly items from their wish list, like stinky tartan socks or pickled onions, before joyfully letting them correct you with the real items.
• If in doubt though, talk about the reindeer, chimneys, and your magic key. Bring the child into your world and make them feel a part of something magical.

End on a High Note

You must never rush the child out of the door, you can think of nothing better than spending some time in their company. Sometimes though it can be necessary to need to bring the conversation and your time together to a close.

• Use cues like “Did you hear that? A hoof on the roof!” to help you to wrap up naturally.
• Remember to always thank the child warmly for coming to see you, and end with something along the lines of “I’ll see you on Christmas Eve, but you won’t see me as you’ll be fast asleep!”

Handling Tricky Questions

As you know, children are naturally curious creatures , and Santa needs to always be ready for any unexpected requests. Here’s how we control the flow of conversation in some sticky situations:

• Don’t ask about being “naughty or nice.” Focus on positivity during your chat.
• Pets and big presents: Never promise anything! This is a pretty big one. Instead you can say something like “We’ll see what we can do… but of course whatever I bring, it will be wonderful.”
• Sensitive wishes: If a child asks for something heart-breaking (like a family member’s recovery – which HAS happened to us), simply acknowledge the request kindly but return to positivity: “I’ll do my very best to bring you joy this Christmas.”

Mastering the “Ho Ho Ho!”

There are some sounds that you can hear and just know, down to your bones, what they are. It’s like a collective memory, going back for generations.

A proper Santa laugh is one of these, and is about way more than just saying the words. You should practice a deep, resonant and jolly belly laugh:

• Take a deep breath, feel your tummy expand as it fills with air.
• Add a rolling, warm “Ho!” sound.
• Rock back, pat your belly, and let it sound joyful and infectious.

If in any doubt, imagine the sound and the feeling that we could make if we crossed Brian Blessed with a crackling log fire.

Santa’s Science (and the Magic behind it)

Some serious sceptics can question how Santa could possibly visit 843 million homes in just one single night.

Well question no more, because we have done the maths!

Popular science suggests that in order for him to visit every single home around the world, it would require the sleigh to be travelling at somewhere close to 1,280 miles per second and delivering gifts with split-second precision.

However, let’s be honest, science totally misses the point here!

Santa’s sleigh isn’t powered by physics or restrained by the limitations of normal vehicles. Nope, not at all.

It runs completely on imagination, magic, and the belief of children worldwide. There is no “Horse Power” here, we use true “Reindeer Power”!

This makes it total child’s play for our favourite man in red & his team of trusty reindeer! Which is why, every Christmas Eve, the seemingly improbable becomes perfectly possible.

Always Remember

Being Santa Claus is one of the most rewarding roles that you will ever take on.

You aren’t just wearing a costume, you are carrying along with you centuries of tradition, hope, and joy.

With the right preparation, warmth, just a touch of child-like imagination, and a big splash of magic you can create memories that last a lifetime.

So, whether you’re stepping into a shopping-centre grotto or surprising children in your community, remember: you’re not just playing Santa, you are Santa. That’s the greatest Christmas gift of all.

If you want to learn more, and maybe even visit our annual Santa School, just give us a jingle. We will see you at The North Pole!