What to ask Santa on the phone

Some children talk to Santa for five minutes without pausing. Others freeze completely. If yours is the second kind, having a few questions ready helps enormously — whisper one to them and the call usually takes off on its own.

Questions about the North Pole

• What are all the reindeer's names?
• Is Rudolph's nose really red?
• How cold is it at the North Pole today?
• What do the elves do in the summer?
• How many elves work in the workshop?
• Do you have a favourite elf?
• What does Mrs Claus do all day?
• Do you have any pets besides the reindeer?

Questions about Christmas Eve

• How do you visit every house in one night?
• What if a house doesn't have a chimney?
• Do you ever get stuck?
• What's your favourite thing to be left out — mince pie or biscuits?
• Do the reindeer get carrots at every house?
• What time will you get to our house?
• Do you ever get tired?
• Has anyone ever seen you?

Questions about the naughty and nice list

• Am I on the nice list?
• How do you know if I've been good?
• Is my brother on the nice list?
• Can you move someone from naughty to nice?
• What's the nicest thing anyone did this year?

Questions about presents

• Did you get my letter?
• How do the elves make so many toys?
• What was your favourite present to make this year?
• What did you want for Christmas when you were little?
• Can you bring a present for my dog?

Questions for a shy child

If your child goes quiet, don't fill the silence for them. These are gentle openers that only need one word back:

• What's your favourite Christmas song?
• Do you like snow?
• What colour is your sleigh?

A word of warning

Children ask hard questions. "Are you real?" comes up more than you'd expect, usually from the ones who are starting to wonder. There's no perfect answer, and it's worth deciding in advance how you'd like that handled in your family before the call starts.