Being Santa is hungry work – it involves an awful lot of travel, plenty of baggage handling and there’s all those chimneys to shimmy down (not an easy task when you’re an elderly, somewhat portly gent in a red suit). Luckily for Santa, there’s a wonderful tradition of leaving food out for him and his reindeers, which means he can refuel and recharge between stops.
Santa’s rest-stop treats vary from country to country with children in Denmark offering him a sweet rice pudding, while those in Sweden leave him an energising cup of coffee. German children tend to leave Santa letters (requesting presents, we presume), which leaves him with plenty of room to eat the ginger and honey sponge cake that’s traditionally left out for him in Chile.
In Australia, where summer temperatures make wearing a fur-trimmed coat a little uncomfortable, Santa is often appreciative of a cold beer that’s the perfect accompaniment to a mince pie or a slice of Christmas cake. However, sometimes there’s only so many mince pies a busy Santa can take so why not make your place memorable this Christmas by offering Father Christmas and his reindeer some of these delicious alternatives:
Keep it simple by getting the kids to put out Woolworths Reindeer Carrots before they go they go to bed. Reindeers also love oats, especially when they’re mixed with glitter to put a little pep in Blitzen’s step. If you think your reindeer have a more sophisticated palate, sprinkle this gluten-free granola out for them. Add some edible glitter so they can find it in the moonlight and then serve it up to the kids for a fun Christmas morning breakfast. Carrot-loving reindeer (and dip-loving Santas) will enjoy a change from the usual offering with this healthy and tasty carrot hummus.
Cupcakes are a lighter option than traditional fruit cake and we think Santa will appreciate these white chocolate mud cakes that are decorated just like him – get the kids to help with the decorating. Aussie Santas always seem to enjoy a beer, but you could also leave him a glass of this refreshing watermelon spritzer or non-alcoholic summer punch (if you’re worried about his sleigh driving).
Christmas baking (whether it’s for Santa or holiday guests) is great, but sometimes present-wrapping takes precedence, in which case Woolworths has a great selection of Santa-worthy goodies including buttery shortbread, a fruit and nut jewelled Christmas cake, fresh mangoes and luxurious pates and cheeses to make a tempting snack plate.
Whatever you decide to serve Santa, make sure it’s all eaten by the time the kids wake up early on Christmas morning to find reindeer footprints by the door and presents under the tree!