Students in Gay Fritz’s second grade and Sarah Kaper’s first grade class submitted question for a Mahomet Daily exclusive interview with Santa and Mrs. Claus.Many students submitted similar questions, so our team narrowed them down. Thank you for your questions, students!
The Elves
How many elves do you have?
We really have too many to number. There are 40 elves who work in our office. We have several hundred elves in our workshop.
How many presents do the Elves have to make?
There are billions of children on Earth. Each elf has to make a couple hundred thousand presents so all the children receive a gift on Christmas.
Do you know our Elf on the Shelf?
We know them personally, but we can’t reveal their true names for the simple reason that they are our secret weapon. They’re the ones that have the bird’s eye view, and report back to the pole.
How do the Elves make all the toys in time for Christmas?
Our workshop is becoming more automated like everywhere else in the world. The toy layouts are done by computer, and then the elves have an assembly line. It’s a more sophisticated process than in the past.
How many Head Elves do you have?
Because there are so many toys to be made, we have found it works best to have one lead elf for every 15 elves.
The Reindeer
How old are the Reindeer?
They’re as old as Santa. A thousand years old.
Where do you get the reindeer?
We get them from the Reindeer Ranch. Then, of course, they have reindeer babies. So there are always new reindeer at the North Pole. I use the original eight reindeer, but Rudolph was born in the North Pole.
How many reindeer do you own?
We use eight for our team, plus Rudolph. We don’t really own the reindeer. We just let them live here, and then they work for us. You can’t own reindeer.
How do the reindeer fly?
The only thing I can tell you is it’s magic.
Travel
How do you deliver all the presents in one night?
It’s very difficult. I just do. It’s also magic. There are different time zones, so when it’s night in on place there is daylight in another. That is helpful.
Have you ever been through a storm that made delivering presents difficult?
That’s where Rudolph comes in handy. I see all kinds of bad weather, fog and snow on my route, but the reindeer have a sense of knowing where to go.
Mrs. Claus: I remember that one winter was really really hard, and we couldn’t get ahold of anybody by radio or telephone. We finally got a hold of those elves, and they talked to the reindeer and they reindeer got ahold of Rudolph and he chased you down.
How do you get your sleigh to fly?
The reindeer pull it fast enough to get air underneath it and pull it up. Once they get going, we fly very quickly.
Santa:
How old are you?
I am a thousand years old.
Do you eat all of the cookies?
Oh no! I can’t eat ALL the cookies! I eat a few and I bring a lot of them back to the elves.
Do you really give coal to the bad kids?
Mrs. Clause: Do we really know any really, truly bad kids? (She shakes her head “no.”) I don’t think so.. I think some are just naughty.
Is your shop made out of ice, snow or ice and snow?
The buldings in the North Pole are made out of ice block, which are similar to concrete blocks. Snow is packed in around the buildings to insulate them.
What is your favorite kind of cookie?
Oatmeal and chocolate chip are my favorite, and Mrs. Claus likes snowballs.
Have you broken any bones before?
One time I got a hairline fracture along my ankle when I hit the floor too hard after I slipped down the chimney. It was towards the end of the run though, so I went ahead and finished. I heal very quickly.
How many presents can you carry in your bag?
It’s a magic bag. Somehow, they just keep appearing in there. Just when I think it’s about empty, it’s full again. Once in a while I go back and get some more toys, but usually it just keeps filling itself. It’s just part of the magic.
Mrs. Claus
How old are you?
You never ask a lady her age.
What do you make?
I make cookies, little gingerbread houses, and I make aprons for the girl elves to wear. I also make little leather shoes for the elves who work in the tap dance department. They have special shoes that go “clickety clack, clickety clack.”
I also make dinner for the Elves on Christmas Day.
Do you make pies?
Oh! I make pies. Yes, I do. I like to make pumpkin and pecan.
Do you ever ride in the sleigh with Santa?
I only get to ride in the sleigh on rare occasions. First of all, I’m an old lady. I don’t tell my actual age, but I am an old lady, and I get chilly. Also, I’m so busy back there working with those elves and baking and getting ready for Christmas Day that I just don’t have a lot of time to be in the sleigh.
What do you go after Christmas?
We rest. We just take a few days off to travel to Florida or Cancun, but then after a few days’ rest, we are back at the North Pole again to prepare for the next Christmas. It takes nearly the entire year to prepare for Christmas.
