Spill the beans... on your free Christmas magic for kids tips

Rachel021967

Look out for "free" or the the cost of the paper visits to see Father Christmas's Grotto. If you live near Farnham in Surrey you can get vouchers for free visits to Father Christmas at Elphicks (only on 10th and 17th December) in the Farnham Herald. I took my little girl last weekend and Father Christmas chatted to my daughter despite her not saying a word. She was also given 2 Playmobil knights, horse and cannon set. Although she was very shy she still talks of her visit and loves her present.
Also at Squires garden centre in Badshot Lea they have a charity Father Christmas Grotto were children can visit Father Christmas and receive a small Christmas gift in exchange for a voluntary donation to their chosen charity. We haven't visited this Grotto but have spoken to people that have and they say its very good.
Another cheap places to visit Father Christmas's Grotto are at the local primary school fayres.
The best place to find a good, cheap Father Christmas Grotto is word of mouth, the local paper and local notice boards.

bluekat

Last year we discovered NORAD Tracks Santa. It's something to do with the American military who track aeroplanes and check space (sorry not a very good description!!!). Every year they start on Dec 1 with an advent calendar of games, then on Christmas Eve you can track Santa's progress around the world. Our children (then 2 and 6) were fascinated, and loved seeing where Santa was going, and that he was getting closer!! I think they managed until her was somewhere over Japan before tiredness finally kicked in!!! (Or that may have been me, I can't remember!)

miss_renegade

Last year we 'heard' some jingle bells, and said to our then 2 year old daughter maybe it was santa on his sleigh. My other half had dressed up as santa and went in to the garden and we 'spotted' santa running through our garden out of the window!
She was so happy she's seen santa!!

This year we've done one of the prtable North Pole videos. She's happy again as santa's sent her a video!

julia1512

I discovered Norad about 15 years ago when my grandson was just 3 years old. We were both mesmerised by Santa's journey on Christmas Eve (which left my daughter free to get on with scrummy food stuff!) ....... plus the amazing info as to how many mince pies Santa ate on 24th December (& the number of glasses of milk, but that's America for you, no blinking sherry!). It's a MUST nowadays, even though Max is now 18!

garnera

My kids love Norad tracks santa, and really enjoyed their message from the Portable North Pole, am looking forward to doing that again this year. We also send a text from a mobile to our landline from Mrs Christmas telling the kids to go to bed early so that Santa can come and deliver their presents and wish them a happy christmas - they love it.

spendingmad

The santa at our local garden centre has an ear piece so when the children visit him the elf can feed him bits of information given by the parents. name/age/likes /dislikes/what they would like for christmas/names of pets etc. My 9 yer old son explains how he must be 'the real' santa as he doesnt have to ask your name etc!!!!!

SailorSam

They were talking on the radio about a similar thing, mistakes at Christmas and kids. One man phoned to say what they do is cover the whole of the lounge doorway with wrapping paper so that the kids can dive through it when they get up and go down stairs.
Great idea but unfortunately last year they forgot to leave the door open.
Ouch !

suejb2

For the past few years on Christmas Eve evening either my D.H or I have thrown a tennis ball or similar size ball onto the roof a few times to give the sound effect of reindeer hooves galloping over the house

hotdiggerdy

Portable north pole was brilliant this year. sent one to my 23yr old daughter who loved it !! We have always had at least one present to the kids marked "from Santa", a couple of years ago there was uproar from my two when the present from "Santa" was missing (the "Kids" were then 20 and 23). Needless to say "Santa" has since remembered to leave a present every year. you are never to old :rudolf:

74jax

SailorSam wrote: »

They were talking on the radio about a similar thing, mistakes at Christmas and kids. One man phoned to say what they do is cover the whole of the lounge doorway with wrapping paper so that the kids can dive through it when they get up and go down stairs.
Great idea but unfortunately last year they forgot to leave the door open.
Ouch !

OMG that's a brill idea. I'm going to do that! But will leave the door open :rotfl: