ARightJollyOldElf

Mostly I'm hyper-cautious about sanitization (for the sake of the people I visit as much as for the sake of my immunocompromised wife), so I will sanitize my hands up to the elbows (with a peppermint-scented sanitizer, whenever I'm in a setting where fragrances are allowed) and put on a fresh pair of white gloves between each visit. A lot of my visits are one-on-one or one-on-two-or-three, so I don't often have to deal with big crowds at once, which helps, and a vitamin B complex and selenium supplements give me a tiny boost in antibody production (Just remember to start them a month or two before the season starts. Or year-round.)

For one of the women's shelters I visit locally (one of the few settings where I do deal with a big crowd at once), I've managed to set up a "finger-painting with Santa" activity, where I show up in a "workshop" outfit, we all fingerpaint, sing carols and tell stories, and then I take off my apron, put on my coat, and we take pictures. Fingers full of paint means you have to wash your hands before plopping onto my lap or by my side, and as a bonus gets rid of the germs and grime that built up throughout the day. I've found that doing an activity first (even a short one) means they're more comfortable around me (and I know their personal limits where children with sensory-processing, autism-spectrum and anxiety disorders are concerned) so the pictures their caregivers take look more natural.

They'll let you know when they're ready, usually. Once they start questioning, parents or guardians should start planning. I think the actual approach is very personal (for both the child and their family) but I think the important lesson should be that Santa is an ideal rather than an actual material being.

By around 7 or 8 years of age, a lot of kids are surrounded by friends, classmates, siblings or cousins who will hammer into them the idea that Santa isn't real, so it's up to you - as a trusted adult - to let them know that there's a little bit of Santa magic in all of us - especially in them. Have them pick a friend, family member, or neighbour, get or make a little gift for them, and deliver it without ever revealing that it came from them. Remind them that the power of Santa is that of selfless giving. We sowed the seeds of the Santa story, and it's our job as trusted adults to finish the story in a way that's emotionally meaningful and teaches lessons of love for fellow man and the joy of kindness rather than going "Santa's fake, we lied. Move on."

No, I only work for free. My day-job experiences a rush of commissions leading up to Christmas, all the orders get shipped out by the start of December, and then I've got a slow period from December to mid-January, so I give back to my community however I can during that time. My wife is chronically-ill, and I spent a couple Christmases of my childhood in shelters, so I know how far a little love, kindness and compassion can take someone - especially in a world that can be so cold and alienating to anyone who's perceived as "different".

There's only a limited amount of magic left in the world, and it dwells in the hearts of children. To squander that would be a sin.

Appreciate the kind words! Happy New Year!

This year I had a little boy ask me for an elevator because he liked riding them, a little girl ask for a box of bugs (cockroaches, spiders, "centipees" and stink bugs), and a ladder.

I've also had everything from a paperclip (Just the one,) a hog farm, a chicken-shaped Christmas tree, a left boot because she could only find the right one, and a wobbly table.

I also get a lot of sad requests, just by the nature of my visits. A lot of children whose mothers have just fled abusive relationships want their daddy back, or for me to be their new daddy, or for me to turn them into elves. I have a lot palliative visits where (terminally-ill) kids just want to see their parents be happy again, which speaks volumes about the hearts of children.

Santa is eternal in the hearts and minds of all who choose to be kind. He's the shimmer of magic that dusts every selfless deed. More than one man; Santa is the heartbeat of humanity.

(But mostly I wanted to fit into the title format of the subReddit.)