I want to share with you a fun activity that I started doing last year. It is The Claus Medallion. Now, I cannot take credit for the idea. In fact, it was a fellow Santa Claus portrayal artist in Canada who had shared with a group of Santas this “mysterious medallion”.

Most of you are familiar with the Elf on a Shelf. Some of you go the extra mile and have the elf do all sorts of things that are cute, funny, and clever. Growing up in the 80’s we did not have this fun activity, and it was not until a handful of years ago that I had even heard of it. I get that it is not for everyone.

This is where something like The Claus Medallion can come in handy. So what is it? The Claus Medallion is a Christmas challenge coin. (I use a new design every year so that they are collectible.) The medallion is accompanied by a “progress report”/ advent countdown.

A child must earn a star for the day by behaving, doing their chores, being nice…basically whatever it is that has been set for them to be doing at their age. They set the coin and progress report near the tree (or wherever has been designated) before they go to bed each night.

If they have done the things that are expected of them, a star is then “mysteriously” placed in one of 23 empty squares. (the 1st square is already filled in). If however they have not done what is expected of them, the medallion is “mysteriously” removed and a star is not given.

A child must then pay extra attention the next day to earn a star and cause the medallion to return. This continues every night until Christmas Eve. Though there are 23 empty spaces, a child must only get 16 stars to “remain on Santa’s Nice List”

There are several things I like about this. 1st, it is simple and straight forward. 2nd, it is a fun activity which encourages good behavior throughout the holiday season. and finally, the medallions are stunning in their detail, beauty, and craftsmanship. With different medallions, they become a collectible heirloom item that can be treasured and used for future generations.

You can see more about The Claus Medallion here https://fatherchristmas3m.com/santas-shop/

Father Christmas of the Three Mountains