Santa answers questions from the elementary students.
We at the Eudora Times heard Santa was going to be around town this week, so with the help of Phil Bradley from St Nick Services, we were able to find him and ask a few hard-hitting questions from Mrs. Swanson’s first graders and Mrs. Holcomb’s kindergarteners.
Q: What is your favorite kind of cookie? — Chase McNary, 6 ½
Santa: This is a regular question I get, and I definitely have a favorite kind of cookie. I’d really like to know what is your favorite kind of cookie because it’s amazing the choices that children make, but my favorite cookie is all of them. Cookie Monster and I are on the same page. If it’s a cookie, I’m after it. Don’t tell Mrs. Claus I eat all of them.
Q: Do you like your job? — Harvey Polk, 6
Santa: I do like my job, and it’s for two big reasons. One, it’s the folks I get to work with. Little secret: The elves run a lot of things at the North Pole. I’m kind of in an overarching position, but they do a lot of the hard work, and they’re amazing people. And I get to work with my wife every day, Mrs. Claus, so that is lovely. Then I get to meet kids like you, Harvey, and can you imagine how wonderful it is to see all these great kids and parents and grandparents? So that’s why I love my job.
Q: How do you know when people are good? — Gemma Nibert, 7
Santa: That was a gift given to me a long time ago when I started this job, and the elves now keep track. They make lists for me. I can overrule an elf list if I need to, but they are very good at doing that. A recent procedure we use now — and I’m not sure it’s my favorite, but we do use it — is the in-home elf. We call that the Home Elf Program (HEP), and you may be familiar with it. I think around here they call it Elves on the Shelves. It’s still in a test mode. Some elves do it very well and some don’t, just like everything in life. By those two things, I can keep track of how people are doing. I wouldn’t be able to do this without the elves.
Q: Santa, are your reindeer magical? — Autumn Swann, 6
Santa: Most definitely. They’re not only magical themselves, but they have Christmas magic, which is a whole other thing. The two of them together make it possible to do what we do.
Q: How do you do magic? — Mack Chrislip, 6
Santa: Mack, magic has many faces. The magic I do is Christmas magic. I have a key that can open any door anywhere in the world, but it only works on Christmas Eve. So I can’t come to your house any other time, but that night, I can. So that magic is one type of magic. There’s also the magic of seeing your friend smile and making yourself happy. That’s magic. There’s no other reason you should be happy except you just saw that smile.
Q: How old are you? — Locke Willis, 6
Santa: Well, the elves say I’m going to be 479 this year. I tend to trust them. They’re very good with numbers.
Q: What’s your real name? — Dylan Rivera, 7
Santa: People call me a lot of things. Most often, I’m known as Santa. Sometimes St. Nicholas. Sometimes Kris Kringle. Sometimes other things. You know, other than in Christmas season, Santa is always somewhere. Sometimes he may be standing next to you in an elevator with a nametag on that says Herbert. You never know.
Q: How old are your reindeer? — Sebastian Kientz, 6
Santa: Different ages. I think the oldest one right now is about 102. We celebrate their birthdays, but the elves keep track of the numbers. Age is not as relevant on the North Pole. As long as you are happy and wonderful and like doing your job, age is not really important. We have some that are only a few weeks old. We just got a new one last week.
Q: I want you to give me toys. — Jaela White, 6 ½
Santa: I’d be happy to give you toys if, in fact, if you’ve been good and you write me a letter. I also accept emails and texts. Your parents know how to do that.
Q: How do you survive in the North Pole? — Lilah Natarajan, 7
Santa: Really well, as you can tell from my waistline. The North Pole, generally, is a very harsh and violent climate. I’m sure you’ve studied it in school. But we have a little magical bubble that we live in where it’s more gentle. We still get a lot of snow and wind and seasons to a degree, but where we’re working inside the North Pole complex, it’s easier.
Q: How do you eat? — Kalani Martinelli, 7
Santa: According to Mrs. Claus, not as neatly as I should, but I’m working on it. It gets rough with this beard. Sometimes I can only drink beverages with a straw to keep it out because coffee spills down my beard. So “carefully” is one answer, and “not as well as I should” is a second answer.
Q: How do you do? I love Christmas. — Finley Robson, 7
Santa: Thank you for asking, Finley. I do okay! I’m very happy. I’m very blessed, and strangely enough, I love Christmas, too.
Q: Why do you have elves? — Max Lewis, 7
Santa: We couldn’t do this without the elves. We were very fortunate that they came upon us and wanted to do this type of work. Elves are many, many things. They’re mischievous. They’re wonderful. They’re intelligent. They’re hardworking. They’re driven. They’re motivated. This job seemed to fit all of their little niches perfectly. So why? Because it wouldn’t happen without them. I can’t tell you how they happened to come to us, but we’re very blessed.
Q: Why do you come down the chimney? — Abel Mies, 7
Santa: Excellent question, Abel. When I first started doing this, that was the easiest access point if you were flying above the houses. Now, it’s a tradition. Not every house has a chimney now, so I have to get creative, and that’s why I have a key to doors. Sometimes I have to come down ventilation shafts. It just needs to be the easiest, most efficient access point to that building from above.
Q: Who is on the nice list? — Ryder Davis, 7
Santa: So, so many people. Ryder, if you behave and do well and are nice to people and obey your parents, you can be on the nice list, too.
Q: Why do you need reindeer food? — Connor Lamont, 5
Santa: To feed the reindeer. They work very hard. Plus, we have food up at the North Pole, and they graze and things, but it’s really nice if they fly me across the sky that they get treats. Fun fact: They like oatmeal.
Q: What do your reindeer do? — Ruby Thakker, 6
Santa: So many things. They first and foremost raise their families, and they train. They train all the time. Matter of fact, this time of year, if you see me, it’s more than likely the reindeer are up training in the skies. Then they’ll come back and get me when I call them, but they do a lot of training. Other than that, they help with many things — transportation and logistics around the North Pole.
Q: Can you give me a lot of candy? — Kaedyn Covell, 6
Santa: Kaedyn, “can” is a very strong word. I can — I may not give you a lot of candy because I try to do what’s best for you, but I’ll try to make sure you get some candy, okay? As long as you’re a good child.
Q: Can I have a makeup set? — Layla Masterson, 6
Santa: Five or six is usually a little young for makeup, but we’ll see. Write me a letter, tell me how you will use it and we’ll see what we can do. To be honest, you don’t need a makeup set. You’re beautiful just the way you are.
Q: How do you make toys? — Emery Peine, 6
Santa: As fast as we possibly can. Sometimes we don’t make all the pieces of the toys at the North Pole. We have some arrangements with people for some more complex things.
Q: Can you give me new headphones? — Ollie Watterson, 5
Santa: Again, “can” is a very strong word. I think what you’re asking is “Would you please give me headphones?” and that would be a good start to being nice and a good kid. Write me a letter and say that, and I’ll try.
Q: Can I get a frog that I can open up and see its guts? — Grayson Vande Velde, 5
Santa: Well, yes, you could. I’m not sure you should, which is a whole other issue. Write me a letter. Let’s talk about this a little bit. Tell me what you want to do. You know, as you go along in school, take biology classes, and eventually you’ll be able to look at a frog. My IT elves say there’s some very good videos.
Q: How do you get to houses? — Rafe Tate, 5
Santa: In the sleigh with the reindeer. That’s how I get from house to house.
Q: Can I talk to you so I can sing you a song? — Hailey Shoemaker, 5
Santa: That’s wonderful, and thank you very much! Yes, there is a way to set up a video call if your parents or grandparents want to. I’m doing it now in this area through a thing called St Nick Services — you can find it on Facebook. Thank you for wanting to sing me a song.
Q: Can I take a picture with you? — Nik Chenoweth, 6
Santa: Certainly, with me or one of my many helpers around the world. We’d love to. We just have to find a way to get together.
Q: Why do I not see you in the morning? — Maddie Beasterfeld, 5
Santa: Because you don’t live with me, Maddie. If you lived here, we’d have to work you very hard. I think you’re very good there at your house, and I will look forward to seeing you somewhere sometime.
Q: Can I have a phone? — Atticus Crabill, 5
Santa: Atticus, I was just informed earlier today by my elf warehouse manager that we have lots of landline phones. It’s a big bulky box with a receiver with a cord, and it usually plugs into the wall. I think we have a lot of those. If it’s a mobile phone you want, we may have to talk about it. It’s a pretty big gift for you right now.
Q: I love you. — Georgia Chronister, 5
Santa: And I love you, Georgia, and all the little children around the world. Thank you.
Q: Am I naughty or nice? — Emerson Fish, 5
Santa: Emerson, according to my elves, you’ve been both. You’re basically a good kid with a mischievous streak, so you should work on making your good side bigger and your mischievous side smaller, and you’ll do very well in life.
Reach reporter Emily Binkley at [email protected].
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