I work in a Santa's Grotto AMA

[whosaidtha]

I'm just about to go for my first shift of the year working in a Santa's grotto. It's my 3rd year doing it and I'm so excited. I love the festive feeing and the happy children. I don't know if anyone has any questions but I'm happy to answer anything about the behind the scenes action with the big man!!

How do you keep smiling all day??? 😊

Goodness. I wasn’t expecting there would be ‘behind the scenes action with the big man’. I had no idea elves got up to that.

I genuinely feel very festive. I get to choose the music so we switch it up. And there's lots to keep busy with.

Not sure Mrs Claus would like your insinuation! 😂

Are you an elf or Mrs Claus?

An elf/helper. I can choose whether to go full elf costume or just general Christmas clothes.

Enjoy your job!

If you're interested in this, I recommend heartily David Sedaris' slim volume 'The Santaland Diaries' - his experiences of working as an elf in an American grotto - hilarious...

Do you have to disguise your elf ears under a big hat when you are out so nobody knows what you are?
Is it true that the elves are allowed to eat the kids on the naughty list?

Do you ever get any really bratty kids or are they all nice because they are happy/excited?

Kind of rude to talk about my ears! They are beautiful!

I would never eat a naughty child! I bet the naughty ones taste horrible.

Do you have more than one Santa? I think the one we went to last week had capacity for 4 at a time by their set up

Kind of suggests that eating children is not entirely off the table

Apologies about the ears comment, I am just jealous

I've never had a really bratty child before. The only thing we've ever had is complaints about the presents. And really only that it was the same as last year. We took that on board and now we choose a different toy selection each year to avoid this.

What were the presents that were complained about?

Do you get kids questioning if it's a "real" Santa? And how do you handle it?

How do you avoid long queues and tantrums from over-excited little ones?

@Jifmicroliquid it was a money box. But the problem was that they had the same gift the previous year.

I never had but I would always just say of course he's real. I'll ask Santa what he says when I see him later.

Rather you than me. I was Mrs Claus at a grotto a couple of years ago and it was miserable. Long shifts; few breaks; freezing cold first thing and then boiling once they cranked up the space heaters, and I was horrifically ill by Christmas from being in an enclosed, stuffy room all day with germ-laden kids!

We don't do queues. You have to book and then you're in an hour slot where you get to sit and make a Christmas craft while waiting. No queues, no tantrums. Once they've seen Santa they can leave or go back to finish their craft. I will choose who goes to see Santa next when they are crafting so will chose any kids who seem like they are finished or may struggle waiting longer to go earlier in the hour and then they can leave when they've had enough.

I'm interested as a friend used to do Father Christmas but stopped because kids swore and hit him, were really rude and disrespectful. Do you ever get that?

Never! I'm actually really shocked. Especially as they tend to be young. Most that we have under 9.

We are in a building so no problems with the heat or anything like that.

I suppose it all depends on grotto, location, child age etc. Glad to know it's not universial!

Do you have parents who act up because of their pfb? Or their child is more important than others?