Santa Bob

25/06/2022

Lunch yesterday with Kira Hall a friend that I first met in Muskoka when she came to be part of Eva Moore's New Actor's Colony Theatre.
Kira is an accomplished actress, puppeteer and an emerging puppet maker.
She gave me the 2 puppets I had commissioned to be part of a new story I have written for my Christmas 2022 Story Time With Santa, called Pinochio and Ghianda Go To School.

21/05/2022

Some interior pictures of Santa's House. Looking great, again, this year.

21/05/2022

First day at Santa's Village 2022.
Back and ready for the children and families.
Easy ride down from the North Pole with the reindeer.
Hope to see you soon!!!

16/12/2021

With just 9 days to go before Christmas Eve, I am happy to tell you it has been an outstanding season. Mainly as VIRTUAL Santa with a few LIVE Events.
Many Story Time With Santa Events with schools, libraries, community living organizations and with Event Planners and their Clients, half hour events with poems, nursery rhymes, stories, singing "Jingle Bells", and a few Santa chats, much with PowerPoint support.
And a good number of Visits With Santa, 8 to 10 minute chats with Santa in your home again with a PowerPoint supported reading of The Night Before Christmas.
One of the best seasons ever for this Santa.

09/09/2021

A few friends asked if I will be doing Virtual Santa for FAMILIES in their own homes, after seeing my POST on September 1st that included OPTIONS mainly for ORGANIZATION Clients and Prospects.
Yes, I will be!! And I will be setting aside Dates and Times in my Calendar once it becomes more established and settled, likely by early November.
However, if you would like to be included in my initial E-MAIL SEND with available Dates and Times, please drop me an email at [email protected] You will be amongst the first to have access to Visit With Santa 2021.
Because many of you will be arranging virtual visits for your children, grand-children and even great grand-children, Santa is happy that 2 participant email addresses come to each Visit. Santa will admit you and your pre-disclosed 2nd family address from the Waiting Room to our Visit With Santa. Please add that address at the time of BOOKING on my Website.
For more information about my Virtual “Visits With Santa” Packages,
please visit https://www.visitwithsanta.ca/virtual-visits-at-home

01/09/2021

Visit With Santa!
Ho! Ho!! Hello!!! From Santa Bob.
I hope you are enjoying Summer and having well deserved time with family and friends. I have been seeing children and their families at Santa’s Village in Bracebridge, ON… in this my 14th year.
I’ve been thinking that we’re about 120 days away from Christmas. And only about 90 days until the first Santa Claus Parades and initial Virtual Events. And many organizations, will be considering their Christmas Plans within 60 days.
So, I have been planning some alternatives to possibly fit with your Organization's Christmas ideas. And I’m always happy to work with you to customize my ideas to fit your event.
I’ll be back in touch in September or early October, but you can contact me for an early chat or early booking whenever you are ready. In the meantime, check out my services for Companies and Organizations at: https://www.visitwithsanta.ca/companies-and-organizations

13/11/2020

As so many communitues will not be having a Santa Claus Parade this year or as families may not want to be attending replacement events out of an abundance of caution, I wanted to Post my VideoLog about the Bala Santa Claus Parade a few years ago.
Hope you enjoy it. Watch with your children or grand-children. Share it with family and friends.
Christmas is a coming!!!

06/09/2020

This Santa Takes A Break

06/09/2020

This Santa Takes A Break
I have received advice from an Agent, who I respect, that the current level of technology is going to make my Plan and others extremely difficult to actually implement well and without serious and major issues. Below I quote from his message to me.
So, unfortunately I have decided to suspend my efforts for this year and concentrate on either a few ON SITE events with Covid Protocol AND some Virtual Events for a few Clients usually of 20-25 minutes duration and some of them "pro bono".
I may also do "pro bono" individual Chats for a few "friends" who have grand-children or nieces and nephews and ask that they make a donation to The Red Door Family and Women's Shelters based in the Leslieville part of Toronto, or to the West Muskoka Food Bank based in Glen Orchard, Muskoka Lakes, ON, or to a charity of their choice.
Unfortunate, but I think prudent.
I am somewhere between relieved and regretful.
Please read the comments below in italics.
Santa Bob

"Virtual Santa - Scheduling and Payment Platforms: This is very new and not very well thought out by any of the service providers. The general issue is that no platform is setup to automate the booking and meeting components. There is a company that is working on it but hasn’t finished, which is what we were looking at trying this year, but given that its Labor Day and they are no closer to finalizing, I don’t think it’ll happen.
and....
Virtual Santa Visits: This is the future no doubt, but most Santas are not willing to invest in the proper hardware to do a good job, so my fear is that the half baked attempts, and I’ve seen a few, will kill it before it even has a chance to grow.
Other Concerns:
it is an interesting year, many legal concerns as well, for example, do you allow recording of the meeting, what happens if someone makes a claim that you did or said something inappropriate, what is your recourse if they make a payment claim, what is your recourse if they modify your video and use it in an inappropriate way or commercially, so it may not be a bad idea to just work with the people you know and trust until all this flushes through. 2020, a most interesting year....

01/09/2020

You may have heard that Muskoka has an unusually high number of chipmunks and red squirrels this year due to the abundance of natural feed.
I have been trying to tell the children that these are baby reindeer. Well before the antlers start to show.
I'm sure it is a credit to how parents have raised their children.
Not one child has believed me 🎅

31/08/2020

This year at Santa's Village we have Goats in the Reindeer Pen. Apparently better adjusted to Covid-19.
Often I say to the children that the Goats have come to me to suggest they fly with the sleigh this Christmas Eve.
I tell them one even offered to be Rudolph The Red-Nosed Goat.
Then I say that I'm taking a poll to see who wants Goats and who wants Reindeer to pull the sleigh.
The children favouring Goats always seem to have an impish grin. Like they are supporting a novel and possibly naughty idea.
The children voting to keep the Reindeer are more serious. More conservative in their traditions.
Parents usually smile and watch their children's reactions.
So far it is Reindeers 4 to 1 over Goats 🎅

26/08/2020

Virtual Santa !!!!

26/08/2020

Today, I received my first commitment as Virtual Santa 2020.
From one of my Event Planners on behalf of one of her corporate clients.
A public domain Children's story that I have edited and produced. It will go on her Santa's Workshop Holiday Website. Like a "Watch Party" I think.
And a series of 5 minute family Chats with Santa over 8 hours via ZOOM teleconferencing.
The flow begins.🎅

23/08/2020

Often, I ask the children if they have a favourite cookie.
And I hear back about Chocolate Chip. And peanut butter, oreos, sometimes oatmeal raisin and gingerbread.
Usually I am asked for my favourite so they can leave a few out on Chistmas Eve with a small glass of milk.
And, I tell them the truth. "I've never had a cookie that I didnt like. Have you?"
They almost always agree with me, except one child a few weeks ago said that Mom had baked a batch of cookies and burned them.
I said I understood, that was an exception to the general rule that "all cookies are good". 🎅

16/08/2020

Many of the children ask me ... "where are the elves?
So I ask ..." Do you mean the short ones with the pointy ears?
Invariably they say ... "Yes, where are they?"
"At the North Pole", I tell them.
And invariably they ask "... so don't you have any elves here at Santa's Village?"
And then I say .. "... of course I do, but they are all taller .. no pointy ears, and they look a bit like high school students and senior citizens.
The kids usually accept that.
The parents usually give me a knowing grin.

13/08/2020

I'm not always a sedate and ordinary Santa.
Its Hawaian Luau Day at Santa's Village

13/08/2020

So, I had been away for a few days and I asked the Sarge if everything was OK?
Not a twitch of his lips as if he might say hello.
Not a glint in his eye indicating he recognized me.
He is such a stoical character.
So, I says to him, I says .... "in your travels have you ever come across a guy named Kalijah??

08/08/2020

Where Does Santa Really Live?? At the North Pole? In Lapland? In the USA in New Hampshire? the Adirondacks or Alaska? at Santa's Village in Muskoka, Ontario in Summers? Find out where Santa really lives in this Video Log

04/08/2020

Did I tell you that when I came on stage this morning the Little Elf wanted to tell me the most recent chat.
Seems the Big Elf has taken a liking to the Sargeant.
And it seems the Sargeant feels much the same.
However, neither seems able to make the first move.

04/08/2020

So, I asked the Sargeant how he was enjoying the Summer, what with Covid-19 and the rain.
He was at a loss for words.

28/07/2020

Isn't it great that even without the rides, yet, families have started coming back to Santa's Village to enjoy this wonderful family theme park.
Santa's Summer Sleigh boat ride on the Muskoka River and the paddleboats are part of what is available.
See you here!!!

Did you know? There couldn't be a better time to get your Santa's Village Season Pass.

Buy a 2020 Season Pass and gain daily access to all activities listed below... AND GET ALL OF 2021 INCLUDED!

☑️Santa’s Spray & Play Beach Zone
☑️Santa’s Summer Sleigh (River Boat Cruise)
☑️Treasure Island Paddle Boats
☑️Elves Island Aerial Course
☑️The Playground on Elves Island
☑️Stroll around the park, visit our animals and take in the beautiful scenery and gardens.
☑️Enjoy great dining options such as the Riverside Rotisserie Restaurant, Pizza Pizza at Kringle's Kitchen, Beavertails, Dasher's Mini-Donuts, Mrs. Claus' Bakeshop and the Polar Parlour Ice Cream shop!
☑️And best of all… visits with Santa! (at a safe distance of course)

Get Yours Today! https://www.santasvillage.ca/tickets-passes/

28/07/2020

Over the years I have heard so many gems from kids, some interesting beyond their age, some thoughtful and some downright funny. I seldom write them down. But, this morning a family with Mom, Dad, sister and brother arrived and after a chat discovered that the boy had an "elf-on-the-shelf" named Buster.
I asked if Buster ever did tricks or funny things and the boy said "oh yes, , once Buster asked my sister's Barbie doll for a date"
After recovering from this first ever revelation, I asked if Barbie had accepted?
The boy said yes, that she had, but both Mom and sister had said they were too young.
Oh, the places where life's lessons are found!!
- Santa

27/07/2020

27/07/2020

Santa' Village is open on a limited basis awaiting final approval for our Covid-19 protocol plan. Really good to be seeing the families.

22/07/2020

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, derived from a story by L. Frank Baum written in 1902. Tells a North American version of where Santa is from.

15/07/2020

You can visit with Virtual or Live Santa this year

15/07/2020

Family Time With Santa ... A Virtual Visit In Your Own Home.

15/07/2020

Story Time With Santa ... A Virtual Visit At Home With Your Choice of 3 Stories

30/06/2020

Today I am re-launching my Santa Bob page.
This is part of promoting my new capability as a Virtual Santa during a time when many families may be reluctant to participate at the usual Christmas events where Santa has appeared.
I am also posting today the first of about 12 Video Logs that will appear between now and October.
They will appear on my page, My YouTube Channel as well as my new Website www.visitwithsanta.ca
Some Video Logs will explain further about VisitWithSanta.
Others will be stories or nursery rhymes or background on Santa Claus.
On my Website you may also arrange for a Visit With Santa by e-mailing a Message to Santa for either a Family Time Chat or a Story Time Chat with Santa and choose one of the books and stories available for me to read.
That is the only Fee place on the Website.
All other Postings of stories, nursery rhymes and background Video Logs are available to everyone.
I know that my main audience of “friends” to my Social Media Platforms will be Parents, Grandparents or even Great Grandparents.
And Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and best family friends.
All of whom may choose to have my younger audience view many of the Video Logs and join in the ChatsWithSanta.
I also intend to do Personal Appearances at corporate parties, schools, BIA and other civic festivals and events as a Virtual Santa and will do LIVE events only if there is appropriate Covid-19 protocols in place.
So, thank you for reading this far.
I hope to see you, on a computer screen or a TV screen, hooked up with an HDMI cable, prior to Christmas.
And I do look forward to meeting folks from many parts of the World.
Ho! Ho! Ho! Santa Bob

29/05/2020

10/12/2019

Santa at Epilepsy Epilepsy Toronto's "Holiday Fair at Nathan Phips Square"

17/10/2019

Come see me on December 14/15 and 22/23 at Toronto's City Hall when Santa visits Epilepsy Toronto's Holiday Fair at Nathan Phillip's Square.
I will be on their North Pole stage not far from the famous skating rink and TORONTO sign.
And make a donation to their worthy cause.