Children love to know where Santa is on the night. You do not need a screen to make it feel real. A few simple ideas can carry the excitement from teatime to bedtime.
Make a paper map
Draw a rough map of your street or region and mark a route with coloured dots. Each time the children go to bed or have a snack, move a sticker a little further along. By bedtime the sleigh has reached the house.
Ring a bell
A small bell rung outside, or a jingle from the next room, is a classic way to suggest that Santa has just passed by. Keep it to one or two rings so that the children stay excited rather than overexcited.
Set a countdown
A chalkboard or a paper chain with one link removed each day gives children a clear sense of how close the night is. On the last evening, let them tear off the final link themselves.
Leave clues in the garden
Footprints in glitter, a single reindeer hair, or a dropped sprig of tinsel can all be arranged in the garden before bed. Children who go outside to check are rewarded with a small treat.
Keep the detail simple
Children do not need a complicated story. One clear moment, such as a bell or a note, is more memorable than a long plan that falls apart at bedtime.