Santa and the kids

What to say, tracking Santa and the Elf on the Shelf. How much do you know?

A small person climbs into your lap, looks you in the eye and says they have a serious question about the man in red. What do you do first?

Ask what they think first

The usual advice is to start with "What do you think?" and listen. A child who wants the story to keep going will usually tell you so, and you can follow their lead. If a child is truly ready for the whole answer, many families tell them gently and invite them to help with a younger child's stocking.

Around what age do children start asking? Anywhere from about 7 to 10 is common, and some ask sooner.

It's December 24 and two small people want to know exactly where the sleigh is right now. Which command has been answering that question for more than 70 years?

NORAD or Google's Santa Tracker

Go to noradsanta.org on December 24, or call NORAD at 1-877-HI-NORAD (1-877-446-6723), where in recent years the lines have opened at 6 a.m. Eastern. Google's Santa Tracker at santatracker.google.com follows the same sleigh on the same night. NORAD posts each year's details on its own site closer to Christmas, so check there for 2026.

Why does NORAD track Santa? In 1955 a child dialed a military number by mistake, thanks to a newspaper ad misprint, and the colonel on duty played along. NORAD took over the job in 1958.

The elf has landed at your grandchildren's house and your daughter-in-law says there is one very strict rule. What is it?

New spot daily. No touching.

The elf sits and watches by day, flies to the North Pole each night to report to Santa, and turns up in a new spot by morning. Children give it a name and can talk to it, but they're told not to touch it or it may lose its magic. Families usually bring it out between Thanksgiving and December 1, and it goes home on Christmas Eve.

What if a child touches the elf? The book says it can lose its magic. A common family fix is an apology note to Santa overnight or a sprinkle of cinnamon beside the elf, and all is well by morning.

You want an envelope postmarked North Pole, Alaska in a certain someone's mailbox by Christmas. When does USPS want it on the way to Anchorage?

November 23 to December 1

USPS will postmark a letter from Santa at North Pole, Alaska, if it reaches Anchorage in time, so mail it between November 23 and December 1, 2026. Put the letter in an envelope addressed to the child, with a Forever stamp and Santa Claus, North Pole, as the return address. Send that inside a Priority Mail Flat Rate envelope or box to North Pole Postmark, Postmaster, 4141 Postmark Dr, Anchorage, AK 99530-9998.

Does USPS write the letter? No. It adds the postmark, so the letter needs to be written and sealed before it goes to Anchorage.

A small person wants the whole team by name before bed. How many reindeer were in the original poem?

Eight, plus Rudolph makes nine

The 1823 poem A Visit from St. Nicholas named eight, known today as Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen. Rudolph joined in 1939, in a story written for the Montgomery Ward stores, which makes nine.

Is it Donner or Donder? Both. The 1823 printing said Dunder and Blixem, later versions changed them to Donder and Blitzen, and Donner became the usual spelling in the early 1900s.

Next: Advent and the Christmas story