This morning I am sitting here thinking about Santa’s nice list. I printed out nearly 100 pages, over 4,000 of the most common boys and girls names in the United States. This document will serve as one of my many props. Many thoughts and speculations are given to “The List” by children during the holiday season. In fact, it is talked about not just by children, but Adults bring it up as well. Here are some of my thoughts on it.

Chances are if you talk with a Santa Claus or even a Mrs. Claus portrayal artist they share some of the same thoughts on the matter as I do. We tend to believe that the list is to be used in a positive way only. This is to say that all children are on the nice list. Far too often parents weaponize the list in an attempt to get their child/ren to behave better. Often using threats of calling or writing Santa to let them know that their child/ren is/are misbehaving. Some Santas even report that parents have specifically asked them to tell their child that they are not on the list. Most if not all will deny the request.

Fostering a child’s confidence is one of the greatest joys for portrayal artists and assuring them that they are on the list helps do this. This also helps to ensure a good experience and build rapport between Santa and child.

Even before having a physical document to serve as my list, I have used the mythos of it in my discussions with children. Children, especially of an age where they are questioning the existence of Santa, will ask me “If you are the real Santa, then what is my name”. This is probably the most common test put to a portrayal artist. And to a child, this would be the absolute proof of my identity as Santa. This is where the nice list has come in. If I do not know the childs name I will respond first with a question. Do you really think I can remember the names of every child in the World? Of course not, I remember the names of the children on the naughty list. It is much shorter than my nice list. The elves are in charge of remembering the names of the children on my nice list.

Sometimes older children will banter me and say things like you must not know me well enough, There is no way I could be on the nice list. Or they say this of a sibling or friend with them. This gives me the opportunity once again to use the list as discussion. I explain that the list is not an absolute of perfect all the time. If it were then nobody would ever make it onto the list. No, the acts of kindness, honesty, and being nice are weighed against the times when they were not kind, honest, or nice. If the good out weighs the not so good, then they are placed on the nice list.

Of course, my “book” of names is nowhere near complete, I could never possibly write all of the names of the children in the world in order to show them their name in the book. When I am visiting with children where I will know their name in advance of our visit, I will be able to quickly pull up my stored list and add their name in the place where it should be, printing it out and adding it as a page to my book.

In closing I want to share with you the 1st page of my new prop for this sums up my views on “The List”.

This book, simple yet profound, holds the names of those whose kindness, generosity, and pure-heartedness light up the world, especially during the holiday season.

The Nice List is more than just names on a page. It’s a testament to the quiet, everyday acts of goodness that often go unnoticed but never unappreciated. These names belong to children and adults alike who have shown that the true spirit of Christmas lives within their hearts.

Each name represents a story of kindness: a child who shared their favorite toy, a neighbor who lent a helping hand, a stranger who offered a smile. Though the stories themselves remain untold, the presence of each name on this list is a beacon of hope and a symbol of the enduring power of goodness.

As you read these names, picture the joy, the warmth, and the magic that each individual has brought into the world. In the simplicity of this list lies the profound truth that anyone, anywhere, can make a difference. It is in these names that the magic of Christmas endures.

There is no greater sound in the world than the rustle of sleigh bells on Christmas Eve. And no greater joy than to see your name written in the annals of these pages. This book holds much more than names. Indeed it holds the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of goodness.

Father Christmas of the Three Mountains