Ever wondered what a day in the life of Santa is like? Haven’t we all? It turns out, Santa is pretty tough to pin down in the month of December as he’s booked up listening to Christmas wishes and making sure the elves are on task, but we were able to catch enough moments with area Santas (and perhaps…the real Santa?) to get a glimpse into what a day in the life of Santa is all about.

That’s right, Old Saint Nick, the jolly old fat man, Santy Claus – and let me tell you, it’s not all ho-ho-ho and candy canes. Santa has an impressive work ethic and is vroom, vroom until his bearded face hits the pillow.

Santa's chair
Just one of the big guy’s thrones. Photo credit: Jackie Fender.

A day in the life of Santa starts with a piping hot mug of peppermint cocoa with the missus. Santa nibbles on itty bits of marshmallow and scans his list. He’s a fan of lists. Some days, he piles into the sleigh and heads to a plethora of appearances, but often it’s just a finger aside of his nose and a nod of his head that transports him instantaneously. Pancake breakfasts, malls, retail spaces and parades galore. It takes a great deal of work to spread the Christmas cheer. His big red sack heaping with gobs of candy canes and trinkets that he distributes to girls and boys can be quite heavy even with some Christmas magic.

Early evening arrives along with Santa’s dinner break. This marks some of the more unglamorous tasks. Even Santa has paperwork, heaps of it! Santa makes appearances at town hall meetings to pitch the latest holiday parade details. He connects with the local fire department to request a shiny red fire truck for some events too.

Watson's Greenhouse
Donner and Blitzen hang out at Watson’s Greenhouse. Photo credit: Jackie Fender.

I mean, really, we can’t expect the reindeer to be hauling him around pre-Christmas Eve after all. They need their rest for the big day. But sometimes a couple of reindeer even show up around town. You can find Donner and Blitzen at Watson’s Greenhouse and Nursery through December 24.

And then there’s more appearances post dinner. Private parties, the rare sighting at lighting ceremonies, shelters and restaurants, but even then the job is not done. When everyone else is hitting the sack for a good night’s rest, Santa has been known to troll the local toy stores. He enjoys finding storefront windows full of whimsy and festive cheer, and gathering the latest intel on stuffed animals, wooden blocks, game boards and more that will be most loved by the nice kiddies on his list.

Once upon a time, the elves went hard to work to create each and every trinket and toy, but as time has passed supply and demand is tricky. Kids are asking for the latest gadget and gizmo and the elves’ tiny little hands have a hard time replicating such things. Now their job is more geared toward fostering the Christmas spirit. They infuse each gift with a little bit of Santa’s magic before placing it in his sack. They also take the reindeer for walks and feed them a healthy diet so they’re in tip top shape for the big day.

A day in the life of Santa
Some kids can find Ole Saint Nick intimidating, but it’s all in a day’s work. Photo credit: Jackie Fender.

Santa recognizes the honor it is to be the lap that kids sit upon to divulge their deepest desires this holiday season. But after a long day, his red suit is marked with sticky sweets from little digits and sometimes snot…being Santa is not easy. His day doesn’t leave a lot of time for proper caloric intake considering his activity level and he is tuckered out. Full of joy and tired to the bone, Santa heads back to the missus for a late night snack and a few hours of sleep before he begins his day again.

Just think about it, it’s a whole month teeming with work, but once the new year hits he can relax and enjoy long brunches and mimosas with his besties, the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy.