Smiles and hugs from kids: Santa’s Christmas highlight

Waiting for Santa to arrive for our interview at Minto Mall this morning, I suddenly realise that this old reporter is very, very nervous.

Which, it occurs to me, is rather odd for someone who in a 40 year career has interviewed some very important people – from the Prime Minister down.

Maybe it’s something to do with the magic of Christmas, I’m starting to think, when I see Santa walking towards me, ringing his bell and ho ho ho-ing.

Kids everywhere are all looking at Santa, and that just makes me even more nervous.

But Santa’s soothing voice when he says, hello, how are you, puts me at ease and we finally take our seats for the interview.

Santa is in his big chair of course and I take a plastic one stored nearby.

I inform Santa that the questions I am about to ask him were provided to me by my grand children, and he nods sagely.

So here goes our Q&A with Santa at Minto Mall:

You live in the North Pole, so how do you handle the heat when you come to Australia for Christmas?

Oh, it’s very difficult at times, but when I am here at Minto, they provide a fan as well, and that keeps me cool. I need a fan over here in Australia, it gets very hot.

Do you spend the whole year making presents or do you get a break?

I have my elves, and they do most of the work for me, ho ho ho. They make lovely toys, they work all year round the elves, making the dolls, dolls houses, everything.

Santa, how do you get into homes that don’t have chimneys?

That’s easy, I have a magic key, that fits every door in every house around the world, but it only works once a year and that’s on Christmas Eve. So, if I don’t leave all the presents when I go in, and come out and lock the door, I’ve got to wait until next year before I can deliver.

What do you do if someone sees you putting presents under their tree?

That’s my secret – you see I have special magic reindeer dust. It’s made from the antlers of the reindeers, and I sprinkle it into the house the moment I go in and everyone stays asleep.

Does Santa need a helping hand from a 4 year old when he comes in to drop the Christmas gifts? (asked by my four year old grandson Maxie)

Young Maxie, you’d better go to sleep early, I have so much to do, and I am in and out so fast you wouldn’t see me come in. And besides if it’s your presents I am delivering, it wouldn’t be a surprise, would it?

Which one of the reindeers is your favourite and why?

Oh, it has to be someone with a red nose, who do you think that would be? Rudolph! You know, I’ve got Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Cupid, Comet and Dunder and Blixem, but Rudolph, oh that red nose gets me every time.

Final question, Santa: what is your favourite thing about Christmas?

Oh my, it’s the joy on the kids’ faces when they come and say hello to Santa, it is fantastic, they are smiling and laughing, and the hugs, the hugs from the children, are just beautiful.

I thank Santa and walk away thinking, yep, the magic of Christmas is real.

So Santa, if you’re reading this, and something tells me you may subscribe to the South West Voice in Macarthur newsletter, thank you again from my 11 grandchildren and all the children of the world.

Merry Christmas to one and all.