Surviving Santa: What to Do When You Don’t Have a Chimney

Ah Santa. That jolly fat bloke who squeezes his way into your home every year to eat your food in exchange for presents. Your children love him, and let’s face it, you love him too. Over the years Santa has become a staple in the majority of western homes and Christmas wouldn’t be the same without him.

Whilst his character is ostensibly based upon that of good old St. Nick, Santa Claus has a few peculiarities that the kindly old Saint didn’t sport himself. For example, the original arrival of St. Nick was supposed to be a secret, but even Santa experts are still flummoxed as to why the chimney passed into tradition as the kindly old man’s preferred portal.

Modern Families Flummoxed

Nevertheless, this preference for chimneys has become a bit of a problem for modern parents, as many people today live in modern homes or apartments which don’t boast wood burning stoves or fireplace products. And as soon as children find out that this is the way their favourite festive friend is supposed to arrive, the question invariably forms on their lips – well how is he going to get into the house then?

In this kind of situation, your best course of action is to be ready and prepared with a viable alternative that placate your kids without taking anything away from Santa’s formidable array of special powers. Here are some great ideas:

• The Magical Key

This has been tried, tested and proven to work by many parents up and down the country. Instead of a magical entrance by flue, give your Santa a special key instead. This way the old gent can let himself in and out of your home, without losing any of his powers.

• The Loft

If you’ve got a loft in your home, this is a great place for Santa to arrive. Make a big show of taking some hay up there for the reindeers to rest in, and perhaps leave a mince pie at the bottom of the loft ladder for Santa himself.

• The Apparition

Santa himself is magical, so if you’re really at a loss for how to describe his entrance it’s perfectly fine to tell your kids that he just magically appears! But the fun of Santa lies in his rituals, so make sure to designate a special Santa spot, and leave the usual mince pie and reindeer food.