My wife and I are a professional Santa/Mrs Claus couple and we are building a home from scratch on 34 acres of raw undeveloped Alabama countryside that we intend to run our Christmas business out of, and may host seasonal events at.

We plan to incorporate, long term, North Pole touches that will identify the home as the summer home of the Clauses, without making it look like the Christmas decoration fairy threw up all over the property.

We are documenting the experience on YouTube at https://YouTube.com/@MerryvaleOfficial. It’s slow going now as we just purchased the land in February and we are still getting to know the land and we aren’t in a hurry to move (we have teens in high school), but it would help us out greatly if you would check it out and subscribe.

If you like homesteading, equipment videos, and eventual Christmas-styled builds or just want to follow the progress, I think you’ll enjoy it.

I have the coat as well.

Okay so 6 months ago, I posted this photo of my brand-new Father Christmas outfit. (Found on Etsy) I then decided to really round out my Father Christmas portrayal with some appropriate props, and went on a bit of a splurge... xD

• Boots (just plain leather work boots)
• Leather gauntlet gloves
• A staff - because I'm trying to go for a more Victorian style with my ensemble)
• Bells to hang from my belt
• And a leatherbound copy of The Night Before Christmas, why not ^^ (Easton Press iirc)

Looking for a little bit of advice here...

Since I'm going for a more traditionally Victorian/central European style Father Christmas look, rather than a somewhat more modern-looking Santa Claus, do you think I should try to age up the leather, or just leave it as it is?

I did consider something small like a ribbon or some fake holly/mistletoe around the staff, but perhaps adding props to other props would be overdoing it...

Just for the record, mine is.... I watch it every year on the Big Day!

I also have the novelisation and enjoyed reading that a couple of years ago; may get it out again for a re-read when the weather begins to cool...

Never posted to Reddit before now. This past season was my first being asked to portray Santa. I absolutely loved it and plan on doing it for the foreseeable. I work at a school for young children (ages 1-5). Of course I added the belly, but these kids are sharp and with seeing me and interacting with every day for a handful of years I worry they will catch on to who I am. Are there any good tips for changing appearance past the belly. I’m thinking shoulders, height, etc. I’m open to any and all upgrades, suggestions, ideas.

What are folks charging to work as free lance Santa? That is I’ll show up for events, NOT working at a set location on a regular schedule.

Following compliments of my beard making me look like Father Christmas, decided to go all-out on an appropriately seasonal winter coat for December 2025.

Bought this all-leather coat from Etsy; it weighs about 11lbs and let me tell you, it's WARM! I was only wearing a t-shirt underneath while taking this photo at 2am (so no-one would see me and ask why I was doing a Christmas photoshoot in January LOL), and the temperature outside is 0° right now but I still felt cosy! xD