As children that believe get older, they may start to ask why Santa at the Garden Centre looks different to the one they saw in the department store. Children are highly observant little beings! “But Mum, that Santa had brown boots and this one has black boots…” “That Santa had different glasses on…” The things they spot will amaze you, so here’s some armoury in the form of answers to those curve ball questions you may find yourself faced with…
5 reasons Santas can look different...
1) Old Elf Helpers...
Santa can’t be everywhere at once so he has old elf helpers that work for him. There are children all over the world that Santa needs to see in December and it’s a big job! These older elves dress up as him and report back. They work with him at the North Pole, delivering messages from children all over the world. Their job is to help him reach all the children, organise lists and messages and ensure every child’s voice is heard.
2) Trusted Human Helpers...
Santa is very busy at the north pole so asks trusted people to help and pass messages on. These are people that understand how Santa works, will never share his secrets and he trusts to help him reach out to children everywhere and pass their messages on. As there are lots of them, now you’re getting older you may have spotted the differences between them, but they have an important job, representing Santa here and helping him at this busy time of year.
3) Santa’s Disguises...
No one knows what Santa really looks like - he can’t be seen, so he changes his appearance regularly. Santa is a magical being and can change his appearance to that no one will ever really know what he looks like. He changes his clothes as needs a nice clean set every day, so you may have spotted little things that are different, like the colour of his boots or his jacket buttons. He has a big wardrobe of his Santa uniforms to ensure every child recognises him, whilst what he really looks like still remains a secret…
4) Why do YOU think that is?..
Ask them why they think Santas look different. Children’s imaginations and thought processes are fascinating and they may have their own theory you can go along with. Before asking you, they may have given it some thought themselves and have a few ideas they clearly like, that you can then affirm and add some detail to. Be prepared for some wild and wonderful theories – don’t forget to record them somewhere so you can enjoy looking back at these in years to come!
5) Is it time for the truth? What is the truth?..
If they are questioning a lot and beginning to seem doubtful, maybe they are ready for the next level of understanding around the concept of “Santa”. You choose where to go here; you can explain how Santa actually works, but we have a lovely idea of how you can carry the Santa magic on with older children in a different, but equally magical way. We’ve shared our ideas in our feature “Is Santa REALLY Real Though?.. What happens next?” This is a lovely concept of transitioning older kids when they are at the stage of questioning Santa as a material being, introducing a new type of Christmas magic into your household!
