Types of Santa Visits

Home Visit/Private Party (families with children)

The home visit  or private party usually lasts between 30 minutes and 1 hour for individual family or group parties, depending on the number of children involved. During Santa’s visit, he may recite "The Night Before Christmas" and lead children in singing and other activities.  Santa will visit with children to pose for photos and review their Christmas wishes.  Santa will ensure your children have an enjoyable and memorable experience.  Once gift's are opened and/or the children's interest's begin to shift and the "Magic" of Santa's visit begins to wear off, it will be time for Santa to depart.



Corporate Party (Employees and family)

This visit is booked by the hour for company holiday events (at the company location or off-site). This is a perfect opportunity for individual or group photos, or if you like, Santa can bring a favorite story to read or hand out presents (especially if families with children are participating). Santa is also available for holiday luncheons for employees and distribution of Christmas bonuses/gifts/awards in your office or to your special clients.




Christmas Eve "Santa Surprise" Visit

 As the name suggests, this visit is scheduled for Christmas Eve which usually lasts between 15 and 30 minutes. The children are "surprised" or  awaken during the night and "accidentally" discover Santa in the house placing presents under the tree...filling stockings...or enjoying a quick milk and cookie break. Will Santa spot the children from their hiding place? Will he have time for a quick hug...or maybe a picture...or even a quick tuck back into bed? You and Santa will answer these questions in advance, as this completely customized visit is destined to become a family Christmas memory that will last a life time.

Fundraising

 Schedule Santa to appear at your holiday bake sale, auction, festival, Christmas Carnival, etc. Have your own "Pictures with Santa" booth to raise money for your organization. Sell your own photo packages or arrange sitting fees for those who would rather take their own pictures. You can hire an experienced professional with the real Santa beard at your event for less than the cost of a rental from a costume shop. Two hour minimum booking per session.

 Santa is available for parades, tree-lighting ceremonies, portrait studios, stage appearances, holiday
advertising (print or film), and appearances at retail, service, or restaurant locations. Session length varies depending on need. The real Santa beard and professional Santa appearance will add that special touch to your holiday event.

Don't see a visit that is right for you? Santa can help you customize a package that is perfect for your holiday event and budget! Ask About having Mrs. Claus Join in the Festivities Policies To Reserve a Visit: Contact Santa by email or phone. (Contact Page) Once a visit, date, and time have been agreed upon, you will have tentatively secured your booking. You will be sent a confirmation form that outlines the details of the visit, including the booking fees and deposit information. To guarantee your booking, complete the form and mail it with your deposit by date indicated. Payment policy: In most cases, a retainer is required to guarantee a date. The amount of the retainer will vary but is usually 50% of the contract price. The balance of the agreed price is due upon arrival at the scheduled event.

See cancellation policy regarding refunds. Cancellation policy: Due to the large number of requests and limited dates during the Christmas season, cancellations can cause big problems in Santa’s schedule.

 This is the 2013 cancellation policy

VISITS PRIOR TO NOVEMBER 17th •Cancellation 21 days or more prior to visit: Retainer refunded in full •Cancellation 14-20 days prior: Retainer refunded only if scheduled date can be re-booked •Cancellations less than 14 days prior: 100% of the agreed price is due unless date can be re-booked •For events booked less than 14 days out, advance payment is required in full to secure date.

VISITS FROM NOVEMBER 17th-DECEMBER 1st •Retainer refunded only if scheduled date and time can be re-booked •Cancellations less than 14 days prior: 100% of the agreed price is due unless date can be re-booked •For events booked less than 14 days out, advance payment is required in full to secure date.

VISITS FROM DECEMBER 2nd-DECEMBER 23rd •Cancellation 21 days or more prior: 75% of retainer refunded •Cancellation 14-20 days prior: Retainer refunded only if scheduled date can be re-booked •Cancellations less than 14 days prior: 100% of the agreed price is due unless date can be re-booked •For events booked less than 14 days out, advance payment is required in full to secure date.

If you decide not to have a Santa Claus at your event or you need to change the date, time, or length of visit or cancel the event entirely, deposit refunds are eligible as listed above. Cancellations made in order to hire a different Santa are not eligible for refunds.

Visits scheduled on Christmas Eve have a separate cancellation policy explained below.

Christmas Eve Visits: Due to the extremely narrow window of opportunity and the specialized nature of a customized home visit from Santa on Christmas Eve, additional preparation and limitations are necessary. The total number of "Santa Surprise Visits" available each Christmas Eve will vary depending on location of homes on the list and travel required. Once that number has been reached, bookings will be closed. To ensure availability, visits should be requested as far in advance as possible. In most cases, Christmas Eve "Santa Surprise Visits" are similar to a mini-visit in length, but require additional prep time. Arrival, departure, location of presents and stockings, "Surprise moment" and additional customized details all require advanced planning. Since "Santa Surprise Visits" may not happen until after a child is asleep, the first Christmas Eve visit is not usually scheduled until later in the evening. Depending on the number of Christmas Eve visits on Santa's list and the geographic location of each family, arrival times may need to be adjusted to accommodate travel and create a workable schedule. Once bookings have closed, a tentative arrival schedule will be sent out to each family. Every effort will be made to accommodate a family's preferred arrival time within that evenings schedule. Due to the necessary prep work and limited visit opportunities, Christmas Eve visits require advance payment in full and are not eligible for cancellation refund once the schedule has been completed and approved.

The length of any particular Santa visit is usually very flexible. When scheduling a visit, try to allow enough time for each child to have a moment with Santa. Sometimes pictures will take a few tries to get right and it is not unusual for kids to want a 2nd or 3rd story to be read during a visit. There are times that the visit will need to run a few minutes longer or everything is wrapped up a few minutes early. That is why the length of visits are usually listed as "up to" 15 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, etc. Rarely are price adjustments necessary for visits that vary slightly in length from what was scheduled. However, sometimes during "peak season" it may be difficult for Santa to stay significantly later than the scheduled time. Christmas Eve visits are particularly difficult to schedule precisely and require the greatest flexibility and advanced planning.

If you need assistance determining the appropriate length of visit from Santa, or if you would like to customize a visit to better fit your special event or budget, please let me know and I will be happy to help you.


Text displayed on this page is protected by copyright.  Santa Tim is not the owner of the text on this page and has received permission from the owner to use it.  Reproducing, submitting, or re-publishing page contents in whole or in part in any format without advanced permission is prohibited.