Is your child starting to wonder if Santa Claus is actually real? Keep suspicion at bay with my super easy but effective Santa evidence ideas. With a bit of time and these Santa proof ideas – and even help from the US Postal Service! – you can make sure your kids believe in Santa magic for many years to come.
Kids are only young for such a short time. One minute, they’re playing with dolls and refusing to eat anything green; the next, they’re coming in late and handing you a Christmas wish list with makeup and gas cards.
It’s so important to make the most of the magic while they’re young. But there does come a point when they start to wonder if Santa is real. Maybe they overheard a kid in their class, maybe they were just totally unimpressed by the half-hearted Mall Santa they saw last festive season. Eventually, a bit of suspicion will always sneak in.
And if you’re ready to tell the truth, go for it. But if you’re not, don’t worry! There are so many cute, imaginative ways to prove that Santa is most definitely real. For a few more Christmases, at least.
Whether it’s Santa’s lost button or boot prints in the snow, cookie crumbs or tracking the sleigh, I’ve rounded up my favorite low-cost, or free, ways to keep the Santa magic alive. You could even incorporate some of these fun Santa proof items into your Elf on the Shelf ideas!
*This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click a link and make a purchase, I earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Santa’s Lost Button
This is a really easy way to bring excitement, and give your little ones a special keepsake from Santa. If you have a spare button tin (does anyone else have one of these?!), you could dig out a big red button or shiny gold one, and drop it on the floor by the fireplace.
But I’ve seen some really cute buttons available to buy on Amazon, and they often come with a little personalized poem or note from Santa to spread a bit of extra magic. *This is the Santa button that I bought to leave on a bit of ribbon on our Christmas tree.
Santa Lost His Driver’s License
Oh no, I hope Santa doesn’t get pulled over by the sleigh police! A more humorous take on the lost button, Santa’s lost driver’s license is a fun idea for slightly older kids. Also available from Amazon, you can get licenses that include some really fun details, from Santa’s height and eye color to which vehicles he’s qualified to drive!
*This is the Santa Driver License that I bought from Amazon – pictured below.
Santa Leaves Behind Snowy Footprints
This is a classic bit of Santa proof! Make it look like Mr Claus has just stomped his way from the North Pole to your living room with my make-your-own Santa footprints.
Just download the template, cut out, and dust with flour for snowy Christmas-morning proof. But if you don’t want to print and trim the stencils yourself, you can also buy them ready-made on Amazon (just add them to the bulk order!)
Send a Letter from Santa
This has to be one of the best Santa proof ideas. Kids LOVE Santa, and a letter direct from the big guy himself is like the holy grail for kids at Christmas.
I’ve created a range of free printable letters to choose from, but you can also buy letters from different makers (or Amazon!). You can get letters personalized for your kids, with unique messages, big red wax seals, or custom stamps – there are so many options to bring the magic, and the proof.
Santa’s Nice List Certificate
We all know that kids all of a sudden become very concerned with being nice this time of year, so it’s good to reassure them they’ve made the list (despite that little tantrum yesterday!)
And a Santa’s nice list certificate is the perfect way to do it. I have three different designs to choose from – simply personalize with your child’s name and print. Then you can include a certificate with a letter from Santa, mail it directly to your house from the North Pole, or let your Elf on the Shelf deliver it.
North Pole Shipping Labels
Now, the letter from Santa might be the showstopper, but I personally love the little details. The ones that the kids don’t notice at first, then they look again and you see their eyes light up as they excitedly shout: “Hey, Mom! This is from the North Pole!”
Adding one of these printable North Pole shipping labels to a gift to make the box look extra official!
Leave Cookie Crumbs Behind
After a long and tiring Christmas eve prepping for the big day, this is the proof that every parent looks forward to! Most families leave cookies out for Santa, so taking a few bites, just leaving some crumbs here and there, proves that Santa paid a visit – and you can get a well-deserved treat. Do the same with a glass of milk (or soda, depending on what Dad, I mean Santa, likes to drink at Christmas!).
Capture Santa Claus in Photos
If you’ve seen the film Christmas Chronicles (an absolute classic!), you’ll know that the story begins with the kids catching a blurry Santa on film. And whether or not it’s possible to get a photo of Santa himself has been discussed – at LENGTH – by my kids over the years.
Well now there’s an app to help us do it! Impose an image of Santa on your own photo – your back yard, Christmas tree, or roof! – and blow your kids minds with the ultimate proof that Santa is real. *I’ve done something similar with The Tooth Fairy, and my kids LOVED it!
Track Santa on Christmas Eve
This is really effective proof that Santa is real – everyone trusts Google, right?! And I just love it when the proof is done for you. All of the impact, none of the effort. Plus, as an added extra through December, kids can use the Santa Tracker site to play, learn, and count down to the big day.
Get a Letter from The North Pole
Santa is real! And the USPS are helping parents prove it. When your child sends their letter to Santa, his reply will come complete with the North Pole postmark when you follow the simple instructions on their website. They offer this service every year, and it’s such an easy way to create magic and excitement when that letter from Santa arrives in your mailbox.
Make the Gifts From Santa Look Different
This is such an easy one, but so often overlooked. It’s no good putting lots of time and effort into these magical Santa evidence ideas, and then undoing all your good work with a simple mistake – don’t wrap Santa’s gifts in the same Walmart wrapping paper as all your other gifts! There’s literally no quicker way to shatter the illusion.
Make sure you get different wrapping paper for Santa, or use brown butchers paper and decorate it with stamps and ribbons. Then use my easy free printable “From Santa” gift tags so your handwriting doesn’t give the game away, either!
Leave Behind Some Reindeer Proof
When you munch Santa’s cookies and drink his milk, don’t forget Rudolph’s snacks. I’m always worried about my teeth, but my husband takes a nice big bite of carrot so it looks like the reindeer’s have tucked in, too – the toothmarks make it extra believable.
And if you want to take it one step further, buy a small swatch of brown fur (like from a roll of fabric by the yard) and tear a piece to snag on your bushes, as if the reindeer were shedding or scratching their backs. We’ve even been known to leave a few bits of straw here and there, as if dropped from reindeer hooves as they leave Santa’s stable.
There are so many fun ways to keep the magic alive in your home for as long as possible. It just takes some time, imagination – aaaaand a bit of help from Amazon! And don’t forget to PIN this post for later:
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