Santa's Workshop
The Legend of Santa's Workshop
Santa's Workshop or Santa's Grotto, is the workshop where Santa Claus makes the toys and presents given out at Christmas. In Santa Claus mythology, the workshop is a sprawling complex located at the North Pole. In addition to housing the factory where toys are either manufactured or distributed by the elves, the complex also houses the residence of Santa Claus, his wife, and all of the reindeer.[1]
[edit] Department Store Santa's Grotto In the 20th century it became common during December in large shops or department stores to have a "cavern" in which an actor dressed up as Santa Claus would give gifts to children. Grottos can be large-walk through fantasy cavern-like areas incorporating animatronic characters such as elfs and pantomime characters. This tradition started in Britain in 1879 and then extended in the 1890s to Australian and American department stores seeking to attract customers.
The world's first Christmas grotto was in Lewis's Bon Marche Department Store in Liverpool. The grotto was opened in 1879, entitled "Christmas Fairyland".[2] Many generations of people across Britain first visited Father Christmas here and it is a tradition which is carried on by Lewis's to this day. The grotto now covers over 10,000 square feet (930 m2) and is a staple of Liverpool's festive season. The grotto became 130 years old in 2009.
In Adelaide, South Australia, the first "Magic Cave" was set up in 1896 at the John Martin's department store on Rundle Street. An annual store-sponsored parade, Adelaide Christmas Pageant, was initiated in 1933 during which Father Christmas was conducted to the Magic Cave to formally herald the holiday season. Since the closure of John Martin's, the David Jones stores, the world's oldest department store chain (est. 1838) still operating under the same name, have continued the tradition of the Magic Cave, in Adelaide as well as in other Australian capitals while the annual South Australia parade marked its 75th anniversary in 2007.
Nowadays department stores and shopping centres in the UK still host Santa's Grottos.
It is traditional that the children receive a toy from Father Christmas upon visiting his Grotto be it in a shopping mall or a little garden centre. Grottos are sometimes free and sometimes they charge parents to let their kids see Santa and receive a surprise gift.
[edit] Santa's Workshop reproductions A themed attraction in Santa Claus, IN, named Santa's Candy Castle emulates the traditional depiction of Santa's Workshop.
[edit] Location of Santa's Workshop In 1879, Thomas Nast, revealed to the world in a series of drawings that Santa's Workshop is at the North Pole.[3] However, it is less clear which North Pole Thomas Nast was referring to.[4] The two commonly referred to North Pole's for Santa's workshop are the Geographic North Pole and the Magnetic North Pole.[5] However, one can deduce from film and pictures the aurora borealis centres on Santa's Workshop, indicating the workshop is at the Magnetic North Pole in Northern Canada.[6] This is further bolstered by the fact that the geographic North Pole is not located on a land mass, whereas the Magnetic North Pole was over the Canadian Arctic Islands at the time of Nast's depictions. (Due to polar drift, the Magnetic North Pole drifted northwestward out to sea in the 1990s.) Once a year a train, the Polar Express travels to the Santa's Workshop.[7] It is doubtful train tracks could be rebuilt on polar ice each winter.[8] In 1994, Canada Post issued Santa's Workshop its own postal code H0 H0 H0.[9].
Santa's Sleigh
Santa's Sleigh is where the reindeer push him into the sky. Santa has presents in his slay for good girls and boys. Santa jumps into the chimney and delivers presents in kids' stocking and under the Christmas tree. Then, he jumps out and continues with his present delivering.
-Zoe Dietz
The Legend of Santa's Workshop
Santa's Workshop or Santa's Grotto, is the workshop where Santa Claus makes the toys and presents given out at Christmas. In Santa Claus mythology, the workshop is a sprawling complex located at the North Pole. In addition to housing the factory where toys are either manufactured or distributed by the elves, the complex also houses the residence of Santa Claus, his wife, and all of the reindeer.[1]
[edit] Department Store Santa's Grotto In the 20th century it became common during December in large shops or department stores to have a "cavern" in which an actor dressed up as Santa Claus would give gifts to children. Grottos can be large-walk through fantasy cavern-like areas incorporating animatronic characters such as elfs and pantomime characters. This tradition started in Britain in 1879 and then extended in the 1890s to Australian and American department stores seeking to attract customers.
The world's first Christmas grotto was in Lewis's Bon Marche Department Store in Liverpool. The grotto was opened in 1879, entitled "Christmas Fairyland".[2] Many generations of people across Britain first visited Father Christmas here and it is a tradition which is carried on by Lewis's to this day. The grotto now covers over 10,000 square feet (930 m2) and is a staple of Liverpool's festive season. The grotto became 130 years old in 2009.
In Adelaide, South Australia, the first "Magic Cave" was set up in 1896 at the John Martin's department store on Rundle Street. An annual store-sponsored parade, Adelaide Christmas Pageant, was initiated in 1933 during which Father Christmas was conducted to the Magic Cave to formally herald the holiday season. Since the closure of John Martin's, the David Jones stores, the world's oldest department store chain (est. 1838) still operating under the same name, have continued the tradition of the Magic Cave, in Adelaide as well as in other Australian capitals while the annual South Australia parade marked its 75th anniversary in 2007.
Nowadays department stores and shopping centres in the UK still host Santa's Grottos.
It is traditional that the children receive a toy from Father Christmas upon visiting his Grotto be it in a shopping mall or a little garden centre. Grottos are sometimes free and sometimes they charge parents to let their kids see Santa and receive a surprise gift.
[edit] Santa's Workshop reproductions A themed attraction in Santa Claus, IN, named Santa's Candy Castle emulates the traditional depiction of Santa's Workshop.
[edit] Location of Santa's Workshop In 1879, Thomas Nast, revealed to the world in a series of drawings that Santa's Workshop is at the North Pole.[3] However, it is less clear which North Pole Thomas Nast was referring to.[4] The two commonly referred to North Pole's for Santa's workshop are the Geographic North Pole and the Magnetic North Pole.[5] However, one can deduce from film and pictures the aurora borealis centres on Santa's Workshop, indicating the workshop is at the Magnetic North Pole in Northern Canada.[6] This is further bolstered by the fact that the geographic North Pole is not located on a land mass, whereas the Magnetic North Pole was over the Canadian Arctic Islands at the time of Nast's depictions. (Due to polar drift, the Magnetic North Pole drifted northwestward out to sea in the 1990s.) Once a year a train, the Polar Express travels to the Santa's Workshop.[7] It is doubtful train tracks could be rebuilt on polar ice each winter.[8] In 1994, Canada Post issued Santa's Workshop its own postal code H0 H0 H0.[9].
Santa's Sleigh
Santa's Sleigh is where the reindeer push him into the sky. Santa has presents in his slay for good girls and boys. Santa jumps into the chimney and delivers presents in kids' stocking and under the Christmas tree. Then, he jumps out and continues with his present delivering.
-Zoe Dietz