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The Santa Sleigh After the Holidays: A Christmas Coda

Illustration of Santa sleigh from The Night Before Christmas

It is January 2024. Last December’s holiday recedes into the past, and the excitement of 2023’s Christmas morning has faded away. The children, no longer snug in their beds, opened their presents long ago and have been enjoying them for weeks now. Santa’s magical reindeer are back at the North Pole, along with the equally magical Santa sleigh. The reindeer are resting from their day-long journey around the world, feasting on frosty mosses and lichens or, as a special treat, a big dish of raisins; yet, truth be told, they long for the spring day when they can munch on fresh willow and birch leaves. And, for the moment, the Santa Sleigh remains as still as a midwinter’s night. But now what?

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How Life-size is a Life-size Santa Anyway? (Asking for a friend…)

Santa Claus looking surprised

Long seen as a symbol of Christmas, embodying the spirit of giving and joy that is associated with the holiday season, Santa Claus statues and figurines are a perennially popular choice for indoor and outdoor decorating in December. Thanks to the distinctive appearance and timeless allure of these statues, they are guaranteed to spread holiday cheer around homes and businesses. The variety of styles and designs available means that there is a Santa Claus statue to suit every taste and preference. From cute and exquisite shapes to lifelike figurines, there’s something for everyone. In addition, they come in a wide range of sizes, from hold-in-your-hand small to gargantuan large, and everything in between. The most popular, however, is doubtless the life-size Santa Claus. Which leads us to consider: How large, exactly, is a “life-size Santa”?

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The Outdoor Santa Sleigh: A Jovial Decorating Tradition

Outdoor Santa sleigh

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

— From “A Visit from Saint Nicholas” by Clement Clark Moore

Santa Claus has long represented a veritable movable feast of happiness and love. Whether known as Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, or Kris Kringle, this legendary character appears each December, bringing gifts of all kinds and spreading the joy of the Christmas season around our beautiful planet. On the evening of every December 24, holiday celebrants in the United States and elsewhere in the world wait with anticipation for the jolly old elf to make his rounds, flying from house to house through the frigid outdoors. Santa’s sleigh—pulled by eight trusty reindeer (sometimes nine if you include Rudolph, who joined the club in 1939)—is even tracked by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) as it makes its speedy progress through the hemispheres!

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