BY SYDNEY HOOVER
While this holiday season is looking different than normal because of the coronavirus pandemic, Santa and his elves have been busy as ever preparing for the trip around the world Christmas Eve.
With the help of Philip Bradley, of St Nick Services, The Eudora Times got a sneak peek via Zoom of what Santa’s year has looked like and how he’s preparing to deliver gifts this month. We asked him some pressing news questions and then had him answer questions submitted by Eudora first graders.
The Eudora Times: What is it like preparing to deliver presents all around the world during the coronavirus pandemic?
Santa: We here at the North Pole are very concerned for the health, safety and welfare of all the children of the world of all ages, and we want to do everything we can to help make sure that everyone is safe and that we get our toys delivered on time. The pandemic has just reinforced things that we already knew: that as long as you be good for goodness sake, and as long as you treat others nicely and listen to those who know more than we do, we will get through this together.
The Eudora Times: Dr. Fauci said you are immune to the coronavirus, but are you planning on taking any additional precautions in your travels this year?
Santa: Yes, of course. Even though magic protects me and those of us at the North Pole, it doesn't protect everyone all over the world. We make sure that everything we send out from here is safe. That means doing sanitary procedures and taking some distancing and masking protocols. The elves we send out in the world make sure and quarantine themselves as they arrive and as they come back to the North Pole.
The Eudora Times: How can children tell you what they want for Christmas safely this year?
Santa: The number one way we find out is through their letters. Letters are all safe.
The Eudora Community Library is accepting letters to Santa in a special mailbox outside its building. Children should include their name and address and will receive a response to their letter from one of Santa’s helpers.
Santa also answered some questions submitted by first graders at Eudora Elementary:
Q: How many presents did I get this year? Submitted by Ellie
Santa: You're going to get exactly what you need.
Q: What kind of reindeer do you have? Submitted by Lucas
Santa: It would be immodest of me to say, but we’ve got the best kind. The flying, magical kind.
Q: What presents am I getting? Submitted by Madison
Santa: It depends on what you asked for in your letter. Have you been a very good girl? Have you been helping out? If all those things are answered correctly, then you'll just have to wait till Christmas morning to find out.
Q: How do you stop aging? How do you live so long? Submitted by Natalie
Santa: As in most things with Santa, it is a tradition, and it started long, long, long ago, over 400 years ago. It has a lot to do with the hearts and minds and souls and happy wishes of children that creates the Christmas magic that lets me stop aging.
Q: How long does it take you to deliver presents? Submitted by Jalen
Santa: There's a deadline. It's one night. Now, I'm very fortunate that a night goes all the way around the world, so it's not night all at the same time in every single place. It's with magic that we make it, but we have to make it around the world in one night.
Q: How do the reindeer fly? Do you have real magic? Submitted by Michael
Santa: The answer to the first question is the second. Yes, we have magic, and that’s how the reindeer fly.
Q: How did Rudolph get his red nose? Submitted by Elsa
Santa: Rudolph got his red nose as a combination of genetics, environmental need and magic.
Q: Are elves alive? Submitted by Simon P.
Santa: Yes, they’re alive and well and just running around working so hard. This place wouldn’t operate without the elves. They’re amazing.
Q: How does your sleigh start? Does it have an engine or do the reindeer run? Submitted by Jackson F.
Santa: That’s a very complex question. The sleigh starts when the reindeer start running, when the magic starts happening. Some people say magic runs like an engine, so I guess you could say, sure, it does, but it doesn’t have something you put oil in.
Q: Does Rudolph’s nose make noise when it glows? Does Rudolph always pull the sleigh? Submitted by Eisley L.
Santa: Rudolph doesn’t guide my sleigh every time I take it out. Sometimes the elves take it out to train the reindeer and we use different combinations of reindeer in the harness in different orders. But on Christmas Eve every year, Rudolph is in that top spot. We don’t always have to turn on his nose, but sometimes we do, and it doesn’t really make a sound because we’re moving so fast.
Q: Is my Elf on the Shelf a singer? Submitted by Esmeara B.
Santa: Can I tell you a secret? All elves think they can sing. Some elves are more wonderful than others.
Q: Do you have a special language for talking to your elves? Submitted by Taylen S.
Santa: I just talk and whatever comes out of my mouth, they seem to understand, and I hear what they're saying. We really don't have anyone else listening to us when we work, so I don’t know. Mrs. Claus understands them as well, so I'd have to say we all speak the same language.
Q: How do you get into someone’s house if they don’t have a chimney? Submitted by Canela C.
Santa: I have a magic key. The key only works on Christmas Eve, but it will open any door and any lock around the world. So if you don't have a chimney, don't you worry. Santa has a way.
Q: Do you have any kids of your own? Submitted by Lilly E.
Santa: Well, aren’t you my kid? I think that all of the children are my children, and I hope they all treat me like Father Christmas.
Q: How do you fit down a chimney? Submitted by Oakley M.
Santa: It's more about how the chimney fits around me. That's what magic does.
Q: How did you get your reindeer? Submitted by Jace P.
Santa: The reindeer actually came to me. It comes with the job of Santa Claus and it's been that way for hundreds of years. The reindeer aren't captive. They can go if they wish. Some of them want to work as reindeer for Christmas and some don't, and those that want to try out and work out and train, and we get our team from that.
Q: How long have you been Santa? How do you stay warm flying your sleigh? Submitted by Johnathon L.
Santa: I don't remember when I was born, but according to the elves, I've been doing this over 470 years. Like most people that age, we really don't want to talk about it. How do I stay warm? The sleigh itself has some kind of forcefield so those inside it are protected from the harsh wind and snow. It’s chilly — that’s why we dress warm — but it certainly won’t freeze you.
Q: How many elves do you have? Submitted by Cali B. and Bryleigh
Santa: I tried to count them and they just work so fast, I can't keep track. Some of them have names that sound like each other, so it's hard to tell if I counted them already or not.
Q: How many reindeer do you have? Submitted by Paiton B.
Santa: They don't really belong to me. They're Santa’s reindeer, but they're independent, wonderful creatures. Like I said, there's a group that doesn't pull the sleigh and they live up here at the North Pole. There's always the grandparents coming to show me the new little reindeer.
Q: What do you feed your reindeer to make them fly? Submitted by Ella J.
Santa: I wish I could say it's what they eat that makes them fly, but more importantly, it's what we don't feed them so they can fly. Don't feed them too many sweet things, so they don't get too big and heavy so they can't fly. Magic makes them fly and good food is what makes them healthy and able to fly for a long time. They love apple slices and carrots and oatmeal.
The Eudora Times and the Eudora Visitor and Convention Bureau will host a meet and greet with Santa at 4 p.m. Thursday via Zoom. Participants can sign up at tinyurl.com/eudorasanta. A Zoom link will be sent out the day before the event.
Reach reporter Sydney Hoover at eudoratimes@gmail.com.
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