Jolly old St. Nick

Throughout his long career, ranging from sainthood in fourth century Greece to gift-giving and good will throughout the Western world, Santa Claus has been a busy man. However, that doesn’t mean that he’s too busy to spend some time with the people of Chico this holiday season. Jolly old St. Nick has been spreading the joy of Christmas throughout the region this year, checking in with the good—and the bad, too!—children to see what goodies they’d like left under their trees and in their stockings. Ho ho ho!

Did you have a good off season?

Excellent! However, I never really have an “off season.” Because of the traditions around the world, I deliver gifts on many more occasions than just Christmas Eve! And aside from delivering gifts, I keep busy making toys all year round, and I have to keep the N&N (naughty and nice) lists updated constantly. Then there’s reindeer training, elf practice, sleigh maintenance, not to mention keeping up with new toys and games, which means I watch all the movies too! I particularly liked Sven [from Frozen]. Did you see that jump he made? With a little more practice, he could try out for my team!

What’s new at the North Pole?

This year we’ve upgraded the N&N tracking software. We can now update the Naughty and Nice List faster than ever, and it’s uploaded by satellite to a receiver on the sleigh. I now get real-time updates on which children are being naughty and which children are being nice!

What made you decide to come down to Chico this year?

I heard the children of Butte County have been so nice this year, I just had to come and see for myself!

Did you come to Chico alone?

Mrs. Claus frequently likes to travel with me. It’s nice to get away and see scenery besides ice and snow all the time. She so loves seeing all the children! She’s a big part of the reason I decided to bring gifts to all the good children of the world.

Are you ready for the big night? What do you still need to do?

There are preparations made every minute right up until I launch on Christmas Eve. There are more good children this year than ever before, so there’s even more to do this year to prepare for the big night!

What have you been up to in Chico, leading up to Christmas?

I like to meet and visit with the children as much as possible during the Christmas season, to hear what their wishes are, to hear stories of how they help their Mommies and Daddies, and to see the love they share with their friends and families.

If someone wanted to invite you to their home or event, how would they contact you?

I would love to come to your events and parties, and even visit the homes of children whose parents might like to let their children catch Santa as he leaves their presents on Christmas Eve! I can be reached by email, at santa@jollyfolly.net.