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Questions Santa Asks Kids on a Call

Curious what Santa actually says to children on a video call? Here are the kinds of questions he asks, why he asks them, and how to help your child answer.

Published October 4, 20264 min readLive Santa Call

On this page
  1. How a Santa call usually flows
  2. Question types, with examples
  3. How questions change by age
  4. If your child gets stuck
  5. Practice at home, lightly
  6. Questions your child might not expect
  7. A last word on pressure
  8. Frequently asked questions

Most advice about Santa calls tells you what your child should ask him. This post flips it. What does Santa ask your child? Knowing the kinds of questions coming helps you prepare answers, share the right details when you book and relax when the call begins. Think of this as a peek behind the beard.

How a Santa call usually flows

On a live Santa video call, the conversation is a warm meet-and-greet, 10 minutes, one-on-one. There are no games or activities, just a real-beard Santa in a velvet suit talking with your child. It tends to move through four stages.

  1. 1

    Hello and name

    Santa greets your child and says their name.

  2. 2

    Getting to know them

    Questions about home, pets, school and favorite things.

  3. 3

    Kindness and wishes

    What your child has been proud of, and what they hope for.

  4. 4

    Goodbye

    A kind send-off and a wave.

Santa draws on what you share in the booking form: your child's name, age, wish list and fun facts. The more specific you are, the more natural the questions feel.

Question types, with examples

Warm-up questions

These are easy and low pressure.

  • "How are you today?"
  • "Is it chilly where you are?"
  • "Did you decorate your tree yet?"

Help your child: practice a simple answer ahead of time, like "Good!" or "Yes, we did it with Grandpa's ornaments."

Questions about family and home

  • "Who is sitting next to you?"
  • "Do you have any pets I should know about?"
  • "What is your favorite thing to do with your family?"

Help your child: put pet names and family details in the fun facts, so Santa can ask by name. Try writing: "Has a cat named Waffles and a little brother, Theo, age 2."

Questions about school and hobbies

  • "What is your favorite subject?"
  • "I hear you play soccer. Are you a goalie?"
  • "Are you reading any good books?"

Help your child: add one hobby or interest to the form. Older kids enjoy talking about what they are good at.

Questions about kindness

  • "Can you tell me about something kind you did this year?"
  • "Who helped you lately?"
  • "How do you cheer up a friend?"

These are often the heart of the call. Santa asks them in a friendly way and never as a test. If your child freezes, a parent can help: "You helped Dad shovel the walk, remember?" Our kindness and the nice list post has more.

Questions about wishes

  • "What is at the top of your list?"
  • "Is there something you would like to give someone else?"
  • "If you could ask for just one thing, what would it be?"

Help your child: talk about the wish list ahead of time. Put the top wish or two in the booking form. For help with the list itself, see Santa's tips for writing a wish list.

Fun, silly questions

  • "Have you been practicing your reindeer noises?"
  • "What would you feed my reindeer if they visited you?"
  • "What is the funniest thing that happened this year?"

Help your child: laughter is part of the call. Silly answers are welcome.

How questions change by age

Ages 2 to 3: very short questions that need a nod or a single word. "Do you have a teddy?"

Ages 4 to 6: simple, concrete questions about pets, toys, school and cookies.

Ages 7 to 9: more detail. Hobbies, friendships, favorite books, big wishes.

Ages 10 and up: more like a chat. Goals, favorite things, ways they are growing up.

See Santa call ideas by age for more on adjusting.

If your child gets stuck

It happens, and Santa is patient. Here are ways you can gently step in.

  • Repeat the question in simpler words.

  • Offer two choices

    "Did you like the pumpkin patch or the apple farm?"

  • Whisper a hint

    A quiet "Tell him about Waffles" works.

  • Let it pass

    A moment of silence is fine.

Practice at home, lightly

A few days before the call, play a pretend conversation at dinner. You be Santa for two minutes.

  1. "Hello there! What is your name?"
  2. "What is your favorite thing about winter?"
  3. "Who is your best friend?"
  4. "What is one nice thing you did this week?"

Keep it silly, and stop if it starts to feel like homework. Our prepare your child for a Santa call page has additional ideas.

Questions your child might not expect

A few moments can surprise kids:

  • Santa might ask for their full name.
  • He might know something specific, like a pet's name.
  • He might ask how they are getting along with a sibling.

Knowing these might happen reduces the "how does he know that?" gasp, though that gasp is also part of the fun.

A last word on pressure

The best Santa call is not a quiz. If a question falls flat, Santa moves on. If your child wants to talk about something unexpected, he follows along. For a gentler option, a Santa video message is about 30 seconds and $19, no answers needed.

Frequently asked questions

Will Santa ask my child tough questions?

No. His questions are friendly, simple and based on what you share in the booking form.

Can I help my child answer?

Yes. Families are welcome to sit with their child, and gentle prompts are fine.

How does Santa know about my child?

You share your child's name, age, wish list and fun facts when you book, and Santa uses them in the conversation.

What if my child does not want to talk?

That is okay. A wave or a nod counts, and Santa can fill the time with his own stories.