Hosts who rent Santa Claus for a party in Denver get the most out of the visit when they decide ahead of time exactly where in the evening he will walk in.
Put the arrival on the invitation
Pick the arrival time first and put it on the invitation, such as Santa arrives at 6:30, so families with young children get there before he does. Nobody wants a toddler who missed the walk-in because the family arrived after he came through the door. A printed time also helps grandparents plan their own arrival. Write the time in the same size as the address so it cannot be missed.
Before he comes in
Before Santa comes, the guests have arrived, the children have eaten, and the music is turned down. The living room should be ready: tree lit, a clear path from the front hall, and coats already put away. One host is free to go to the door without leaving a pan on the stove. The other host can stay with the children so nobody wanders off right before he walks in.
The moment he walks in
One host meets Santa at the front door with the bag of labeled gifts. Another grown-up gathers the children near the tree so they see him walk in. He greets the whole room first, then each child has a turn beside him, youngest first. Older children can wait a minute without losing the magic if the little ones go first.
A real bearded Santa suits close-up photos during those turns. A traditional Santa, in the traditional suit with a full styled beard, is the lower-cost choice. Say which look you want when you book so the portraits match the evening you planned. Close-up photos next to the tree are why the real beard is on the call.
The group photo and the goodbye
The group photo comes right before he leaves, while everyone is still in the room. Santa waves from the front door, the children wave back, and the party goes on with dessert or games the hosts already planned. Mrs. Claus can join once as an add-on if you want her in that last picture; Santa remains the booking. Keep the goodbye short so the children remember the wave, not a long linger in the front hall.
A party can also collect toys for a toy drive, with the pile of donations next to Santa. That pairing is described in Santa at a toy drive. Families call from Cherry Creek, Congress Park, Lakewood, and Highlands Ranch when they want both the party and a collection on the same evening. The pile should sit where the photos can include it without blocking the tree.
Guests who arrive after Santa has already waved goodbye will miss the walk-in. Put the arrival time high on the invitation so it is hard to skip. Young children need that time more than anyone else in the room. Grandparents need it too if they came only for Santa. A host who is still in the kitchen at 6:30 will miss the walk-in as well.
Tell us the party address, the arrival time on the invitation, and about how many children. A Santa Claus impersonator stays in character from the front door to the wave goodbye. You can get in touch if you would rather send the time in writing. The invitation time is the time Santa walks in, not the time guests were asked to arrive.