Santa's Coming to Daycare!

[Josiegirl]

I got an email from one of my dcms and she knows someone who plays Santa at some of the local daycares. She asked if I'd be interested, Oh heck YEH.
The kids would LOVE it!
I'm sure some of you have had Santa come visit before. How did you work it? Invite parents too? Was it during the day, end of day, during your Christmas party? Any advice?
I'm thinking the Friday before Christmas we'll have our party, maybe tell the parents to come about 3ish, have Santa arrive shortly after, then cookies and take your kids home!

[CraftyMom]

I've thought of it, but given the ages (3 and under) I think more of them would be scared than excited, I imagined lots of crying

[butterfly]

I've thought of it, but given the ages (3 and under) I think more of them would be scared than excited, I imagined lots of crying

::

[sahm1225]

Santa comes to our annual Christmas party (it's after hours usually on a Friday). Most of the kids were excited to meet him. Santa brought everyone a gift and the parents took candid pictures/shots with the kids taking turns on santas lap.

I have no idea what I'm going to do this year. We own the costume so one year it was an old friend, then a Dcd (our planned Santa backed out the day of the party!), then last year it was my uncle. My ds is 7 and says he knows it's not the real Santa that comes. I told him 'of course not! Santa sends his elves! The way you know it is that only Santa wears the black shoes. The elves wear brown!' (Then made sure Santa had on brown shoes!).

[DaveA]

I've thought of it, but given the ages (3 and under) I think more of them would be scared than excited, I imagined lots of crying

This would be my group. Could be worse- took kids to see Santa one year. Kid in front of mine hauled off and decked Santa hard enough to bend glasses.

[Sunshine74]

I got an email from one of my dcms and she knows someone who plays Santa at some of the local daycares. She asked if I'd be interested, Oh heck YEH.
The kids would LOVE it!
I'm sure some of you have had Santa come visit before. How did you work it? Invite parents too? Was it during the day, end of day, during your Christmas party? Any advice?
I'm thinking the Friday before Christmas we'll have our party, maybe tell the parents to come about 3ish, have Santa arrive shortly after, then cookies and take your kids home!

We have Santa every year at our center. He comes during the day, on the day of our Christmas party. We let the parents know he is coming, and if they ask they are more than welcome to attend, but most can't (or won't?) miss work. We will allow parents to bring their kids who aren't attending that day, provided they stay with their child and leave shortly after.

Every year we do have a few kids who are scared. There aren't usually too many tears, they just don't want to go close, or want to be held. And sometimes it isn't who we expect.