On arrival, each Santaland will have its own Welcome Elf to greet customers and oversee the venue. 

Our Welcome Elf plays a key role in creating magical first impressions for families visiting Santa Claus.

They warmly greet guests, assist with managing the queue, and guide families through their Santa experience to ensure a smooth, joyful flow of visitors.

Welcome Elves help maintain the festive atmosphere and support both Santa performers and customers throughout the day. 

Welcome Elf will also take the details of the arriving customers, and check against any confirmed bookings the photography team may have. They will confirm all details, including the names and ages of children. 

Welcome Elves are also in charge of the general running of the event on site, including 

• Ensuring all staff are on site and contacting them if not. 

• Reporting any issues to Book a Santa 

• Keeping the emergency tub stocked 

• Generally, ensuring the day runs smoothly 

Letter Writing With a Twist:

After the story, Mrs Claus encourages children to write a letter — not to Santa, but to their favourite elf.

• This twist keeps the magic alive while promoting values-based learning and personal expression.

• It also makes the experience feel fresh and unique, even for repeat visitors.
  
  

This activity can be easily scaled and customised depending on the store’s layout and available space, with minimal setup required.

Elf Badge Creation Station:

Let children become official honorary elves by designing their very own Elf Badge!

How It Works:

• Children sit at decorated tables and choose their elf name (e.g., “Jingle Sparkle”, “Captain Giggles”).

• They pick a favourite elf value (Kindness, Imagination, Happiness, Love) and colour their badge to match it.

• A simple template is provided on a pre-printed card. Kids can colour it in, add stickers, and even draw their elf self-portrait.

• Staff or Activity Elves use double-sided tape to use the badge right away!
  
  

Why It Works:

• Scalable: Can be as simple as colouring with crayons or elevated with stickers, stamps, or digital printing depending on budget.

• Inclusive: Works for all ages and abilities. Elves assist younger children or those with additional needs.

• Thematic: Reinforces the story Mrs Claus tells and keeps kids engaged while waiting.

• Take-Home Magic: A personalised keepsake that connects them to the North Pole experience.

Christmas Rainbow Art

Let creativity shine with Christmas Rainbow Art — a vibrant, mess-free activity that’s easy to run and magical for children of all ages.

How It Works:

• Each child receives a pre-cut Christmas-themed shape (e.g. Santa hat, snowflake, elf, reindeer) made from black scratch art card with a rainbow layer underneath.

• Using a wooden stylus, children gently scratch the surface to reveal a burst of rainbow colours beneath — designing their own festive characters and patterns.

• Elves can assist younger children and encourage imaginative storytelling about their creations.
  
  

Why It’s Great:

• No mess or drying time

• Perfect for all ages and abilities

• Highly scalable with minimal setup

• Doubles as a take-home souvenir!
  
  

This calming, tactile activity adds colour and creativity to your Santaland space while keeping kids engaged and festive spirits high.

Interactive Light-Up Elf Tree

To further enhance the magic and meaning of each visit, Book A Santa introduces the Light-Up Elf Tree — an interactive and inclusive finale to every Santa session.

How It Works:

Beside Santa sits a beautiful Christmas tree fitted with four large, easy-to-push coloured buttons, each representing an elf and their special value from the Storyland experience:

• ❤️ Red: Imagination

• 💛 Yellow: Kindness

• 💚 Green: Happiness

• 💙 Blue: Love
  
  

At the end of the session, Santa brings the story full circle by linking the child’s personality or choice back to the elves:

• “You have such a big imagination — just like Red Elf! Let’s light up the tree in red for you.”

• Or: “Which elf did you write to? Let’s light up the tree in their favourite colour!”
  
  

Once pressed, the tree illuminates in that colour, creating a powerful, joyful moment that makes the child feel seen and celebrated.

Accessibility and Inclusion:

• The button system is developed by Technical Solutions Australia, specialists in technology for people with disabilities.

• Each button is inclusive and designed for all abilities, ensuring every child can participate regardless of age or mobility.

Safety & Compliance:

• All trees and button systems will be tested and tagged in accordance with Australian electrical safety standards prior to installation.

• The system is self-contained and low voltage, with a clean and tidy setup to suit retail environments.
  
  

To make every Santa visit extra magical, Book A Santa equips all Santas — and select elves — with simple, enchanting magic tricks designed to captivate children and elevate the overall experience.

Signature Trick: Magic Colouring Book

One of our most loved tricks is the Magic Colouring Book. This interactive illusion allows performers to:

• Show a blank book

• Magically reveal black-and-white outlines

• And finally, reveal full-colour illustrations — all in a matter of seconds
  
  

It’s easy to perform, visually stunning, and safe for use in a retail environment. Children are often left in awe, reinforcing the sense that they’ve just met the real Santa.

Performer Training

All Santas are:

• Supplied with a high-quality magic book

• Trained during induction on how to use the prop confidently and playfully in their sessions
  
  

Elves who assist in storytelling or queue entertainment may also be trained to use the trick, creating magical touchpoints throughout the Santaland experience.

Looking Ahead – Myer-Themed Version

In preparation for future campaigns, Book A Santa is open to developing a custom Myer-themed version of the Magic Colouring Book. We can investigate licensing and production feasibility in early 2026, providing a branded keepsake and marketing opportunity.

Recommended Staffing for Santaland

To ensure smooth operations, high-quality customer experience, and strong performer support, Book A Santa recommends the following staffing structure per location:

1. Dedicated Elf – Santa Room

• 1 per Santa room

• Assists with queue management, interacts with families before their session, collects non-sensitive information (e.g. names, hobbies), and supports Santa with the interactive light-up tree.
  
  

2. Welcome Elf

• 1 per day

• Positioned at the entrance to greet families, manage check-in flow, answer questions, and maintain excitement in the queue area.
  
  

3. Floater Elf

• 1 per location

• Provides coverage for performer breaks and assists with high-traffic periods, ensuring seamless service without gaps.
  
  

4. Activity Elf (Storyland Area)

• 1 per location

• Supports Mrs Claus during storytelling sessions, facilitates craft activities or letter writing, and assists children in the Storyland zone.
  
  

AUSLAN elf sessions

Book A Santa is committed to creating an inclusive and magical Christmas experience for all children. To support this, we will provide an Elf trained in Auslan (Australian Sign Language) to assist in communicating with children who are hard of hearing, non-verbal, or on the autism spectrum.

We recommend aligning these sessions with Sensory Santa times, recognising the significant overlap between children who benefit from reduced sensory input and those who use Auslan. These sessions will be offered exclusively at Santaland venues, with a proposed frequency of one session per week per location.

This initiative ensures more children can experience the joy of Christmas in a way that meets their needs, in a safe and supportive environment.