Top tips to make it look like Santa's been to your house
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WITH Santa squeezing down our chimneys in a matter of days, so comes the question every parent dreads: is Santa real?
It's so easy for classmates to put that little seed of doubt in your children's heads, so it's even more important to restore their faith in the man in the big red suit. From sprinkling flour around your house to adding a famous contact to your phone, Lucy Askew, spokesperson for www.hillarys.co.uk has come up with her top tips to keep the magic of Santa alive this Christmas.
Leave a snack
One of the oldest tricks in the book, leaving food out for Santa is a long-standing German tradition stemming from tree decorations being made from apples, cookies and treats. Get your children involved by getting them to leave Rudolf a carrot and a few mince pies and a glass of milk for Santa. Before the sun rises, make sure it's all gone or at least half eaten, to let your kids know that their gifts have been well received.
Recreate Santa's snow-covered footprints
Add a little evidence that Santa's been by making it look as if he's trudged through the house from the fireplace to fill everyone's awaiting stockings. Simply sprinkle some kitchen flour on the floor and stomp through it in a pair of boots, preferably large men's ones.
Add Santa to your contacts
An effective and super easy trick to get your children convinced that Santa's on his way is to pick someone that you regularly call, such as your parents or your partner, and change their name to Santa for the duration of December. Not only will this build excitement in your children as they will think you are talking to Santa, but it can also work in your favour, as you can tell your children that you are reporting their behaviour back to the man himself to decide on whether they should be put on the naughty or nice list.
Santa Tracker
Google's Santa Tracker launches on Christmas Eve and is a perfect distraction to stop your kids asking how much longer they have to wait until he visits. You and your children can watch Santa leave the North Pole and watch him fly around the world so they know when it's time to go to bed.
Caught on camera
Trick your children into thinking Santa has been by dressing up as the man himself on Christmas Eve and recording yourself delivering presents under the tree. Once you're all dressed up, you might as well have a bit of that mince pie and take a carrot for Rudolph. When you wake the children up on Christmas day, show them the video and they'll be convinced Santa was in their house.
Switch up your handwriting
Your kids are smarter than you think, so watch the way you label presents because they will recognise your handwriting immediately and it's impossible for Santa AND mum or dad to have the same handwriting. Sign gifts from Santa in a different coloured pen, switch up the font and even use different wrapping paper to add to the excitement of Santa having visited.
Naughty or nice certificates
You can create naughty or nice certificates on the computer, print them off and sign it from Santa. Pop this in the top of your children's stockings to remind them for next year that Santa is always keeping an eye on them.
