I dont have a fire in the house - we have gas central heating and the house is warm enough without a further gas fire (although there is nothing that can take away an open fire in a pub, good beer and a cat on my lap, with my father for company as we get slowly drunk whilst the wind blows nasty ouside - thats a pipe dream though as dad is ion Toronto) - sorry I digress. Anyway, we all know that Santa comes down the chimney. A few years ago, when christopher was very small, I got hold of a key, any key at all - but it needs to have a long sort of shank - if you know what I mean. By that - the distance from the key to the end is quite long. The older the better. At the end of the key, there tends to be a sort of large hole and in this, you need to buy about a foot of red ribbon. Loop it through the hole and tie a knot at the other end. This leaves a nice loop of ribbon and the key attatched.
As we dont have a chimney, this would also be ideal if you have an apartment etc, kids get the impression that Santa cant get in.
So, Christmas eve, make a big deal of this old key. Clean it up with the children, Coca cola cleans well - dip it and leave it. Comes up great.
Then, explain that this key is a special santa key and even though it does not fit a single lock on the house, the key is so magic that it will fit for santa as its magical on christmas eve. If santa comes in the night, the key will be on the inside of the door and hanging on the handle.
Last year, Christopher was a bit more aware of things, so we went outside and hung the key on the outside of the door on xmas eve. Took photos of him hanging it out there and full of exitement. Its the last thing he does that night before bed.
Then, its off to bed for the ankle biters and sleep - we hope.....
Before you goto bed, bring the key in and as we put his gifts round the tree before we head to bed, we bring in the key and ribbon and silently place it on the inside of the door handle.
Last year, having made a great thing of this old magical key that we had cleaned up etc, he woke about 7am (I know I could have kissed him, I used to be up at 2.00am and 3 and 4...), he raced to the top of the stairs and the first thing he sees is the magic key that is on the inside of the door.
Santa has been and with that, his day begins by racing into our room all excited and you have experienced a little more magic as well as maybe starting a new tradition.
Its great if you dont have a chimney, live in an apartment etc with kids and just adds a little more to the excitement in the child who never forgets...
Sorry its so long, just something we did last year and I just relooped the red ribbon on the old key for this year.
I hope it gives you, if you do it, as much magic as it gives our son.
Love and best wishes
Kev
who finds xmas very very hard to cope with ..
As we dont have a chimney, this would also be ideal if you have an apartment etc, kids get the impression that Santa cant get in.
So, Christmas eve, make a big deal of this old key. Clean it up with the children, Coca cola cleans well - dip it and leave it. Comes up great.
Then, explain that this key is a special santa key and even though it does not fit a single lock on the house, the key is so magic that it will fit for santa as its magical on christmas eve. If santa comes in the night, the key will be on the inside of the door and hanging on the handle.
Last year, Christopher was a bit more aware of things, so we went outside and hung the key on the outside of the door on xmas eve. Took photos of him hanging it out there and full of exitement. Its the last thing he does that night before bed.
Then, its off to bed for the ankle biters and sleep - we hope.....
Before you goto bed, bring the key in and as we put his gifts round the tree before we head to bed, we bring in the key and ribbon and silently place it on the inside of the door handle.
Last year, having made a great thing of this old magical key that we had cleaned up etc, he woke about 7am (I know I could have kissed him, I used to be up at 2.00am and 3 and 4...), he raced to the top of the stairs and the first thing he sees is the magic key that is on the inside of the door.
Santa has been and with that, his day begins by racing into our room all excited and you have experienced a little more magic as well as maybe starting a new tradition.
Its great if you dont have a chimney, live in an apartment etc with kids and just adds a little more to the excitement in the child who never forgets...
Sorry its so long, just something we did last year and I just relooped the red ribbon on the old key for this year.
I hope it gives you, if you do it, as much magic as it gives our son.
Love and best wishes
Kev
who finds xmas very very hard to cope with ..
