An interview with Santa. . .

Before his trip across the world on Christmas Eve, Santa Claus took some time out of his busy schedule to talk to The Echo for his annual interview.

Santa sounded cheerful and relaxed as he polished Christmas boots in his busy workshop in Lapland while talking to The Echo. He was getting ready for his overnight global present drop.

Santa told us in this exclusive interview that he can’t wait to visit all the kids in South Dublin County who have been very good this year.

He also discussed a time when his reindeer travelled to see all of their deer pals that dwell in the Dublin Mountains.

The Man in Red also told us that he is on track with his plans and had to stop checking his list twice to talk to us before he leaves for his trip.

Santa’s workshop was very loud because elves were singing Christmas carols while they worked tirelessly to finish their goods.

The Echo had a lovely conversation with Santa, who seemed very excited about seeing all the kids in our area.

How have things been for you over the past year?

We have been quite busy. Christmas only comes once a year, but my workshop is busy throughout the year making toys for children all around the world.

We’ll all take a break in January, which we need. We do, however, have to return to the workshop in February to clean up. After Christmas, we will have a lot of cleaning to do because some of the elves are very messy.

What does Christmas mean to you?

For me, Christmas is a time to demonstrate how thankful you are for everything you have and to think about the people who matter most to you, such as your family and friends.

It’s a moment to reflect on and appreciate all the wonderful things they do for you throughout the year.

Have you ever got lost?

You learn the route by heart after delivering gifts for as long as I have been doing it. It takes a long time to reach South Dublin County, but my job is much easier because many countries are in different time zones.

We will also practice until Christmas Eve to make sure the kids are well-behaved.

Some kids are wondering how you get into homes that do not have chimneys.

Kids should know that Santa and his reindeer are magical and can enter any house, even if it doesn’t have a chimney.

What does Mrs Claus do when you’re at work?

I may be the face of Christmas, but Mrs Claus is the brains. She makes sure my filing is up-to-date, organises all my Christmas wish lists, and plans my travel routes for Christmas Eve.

She also makes sure that all of the elves are happy while they work, and she likes taking the reindeer for walks.

What do you do to get ready for the big night the day before?

I do everything possible to make sure my trip around the world goes well.

The elves check the Christmas lists again to make sure that no gifts are missing and that the reindeer (Prancer, Dancer, Donner, Blitzen, Dasher, Vixen, Comet, and Rudolph) are all fed, happy, healthy, and ready to travel.

Would you need more than one Santa costume for all the trips you have to make on Christmas Eve?

I have multiple suits for different weather conditions because I travel all over the world on Christmas Eve.

All of my suits look the same; however, some have more white fluff on them for colder places.

I also need to change suits sometimes when I eat too many mince pies and my buttons come off, or when I get stuck in a chimney and get covered in soot.

Have you ever been stuck in a chimney?

Once, while in Tallaght, I got stuck in a chimney. I was really lucky that the fire wasn’t going.

I had eaten a lot of Christmas pudding at a lot of different places, and my huge tummy wouldn’t fit down the chimney!

To help Rudolph push me through, the reindeer had to grasp his back legs and lower him down the chimney.

It must have been a very funny sight, and in the end, Rudolph helped me get free so I could continue delivering all of my gifts.

How many snacks do you plan to have on Christmas Eve?

I don’t eat all the treats on Christmas Eve. Instead, I take many of the biscuits back to Lapland and use Christmas magic to keep them fresh all year.

That way, everyone in the Lapland workshop can enjoy some of my favourite snacks, like cookies, mince pies, and milk.

What kinds of sweets do you like for children to leave out for you?

For sure, I would enjoy Christmas pudding or a mince pie. The reindeer enjoy carrots. I used to like drinking Guinness, but now I try not to drink and fly, so I would appreciate it if kids could leave me a glass of milk instead.

I need to be careful about what I eat so I don’t get stuck in a chimney again. This one year, I ate too many treats at Christmas, and all the buttons on my red suit jacket came off.

I lost one of my buttons in a house in Clondalkin, but I couldn’t find it. It might still be there?

What do you do on Christmas Day?

I love spending Christmas Day with Mrs Claus, the elves, and the reindeer. The Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy, who are our friends, often come over for Christmas dinner as well.

I enjoy my sweets, but I’m particularly looking forward to my turkey and veggies for Christmas dinner. After a busy Christmas Eve, I can’t wait to put my feet up in front of the fire and watch TV.

What do you want to say to the kids?

Of course, I want them to enjoy their new toys, but what I truly want is for all the kids to do something special for their parents this Christmas.

Santa isn’t the only one who takes care of Christmas. All the mammies, daddies, nannies, and granddads help make Christmas a delightful time, so children should give their parents a huge Christmas hug and say “thank you”.

I wish all the kids who read The Echo and their families a very Merry Christmas, and I wish you all a delightful 2026. Don’t forget to go to bed early on Christmas Eve! Ho, Ho, Ho!