People around the world leave different "treats" for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.
In the US and Canada, we put out milk and cookies for Santa. I have to say when he comes to our house, he leaves a big mess of crumbs on the table… but he always writes us a note of thanks.
In England and Australia, Santa’s treated to a glass of sherry with minced pie. While in Wales and Ireland, they give him Guinness beer and cookies, mince pie or Christmas pudding, depending on the house.
Santa gets a stiff drink to help him stay warm through the night in Sweden, Denmark and Norway. Sometimes a particular elf or gnome will get risgrynsgrot, a bowl of rice porridge made with cinnamon, sugar and milk. It’s regional who brings gifts to houses in Scandinavian countries. In some places it’s the big guy Santa, in others, one of the little elf-like creatures that inhabit the land.
Some people around the world are so thoughtful they put out carrots, hay or grass for Santa’s reindeer.
What do you traditionally leave out for Santa in your house or in your country? Please let us know in the comments below…
Now imagine me lifting my glass of milk, sherry or Guinness to you and saying, "Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!"
Mama Lisa
This article was posted on Wednesday, December 15th, 2010 at 3:30 pm and is filed under Canada, Christmas, Christmas Eve Traditions, Countries & Cultures, Denmark, England, France, Holidays Around the World, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom, USA, Wales. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
16 Responses to “What Do You Give Santa on Christmas Eve?”
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March 11th, 2011 at 1:32 pm
When I was in Sweden we didn’t leave anything out for Santa because he actually came to the house!
Usually an older neighbor, sometimes part of the family, they would dress up in a ‘santa suit’ and hand out the gifts to the family.
December 19th, 2012 at 7:54 am
i leave minced pies and red wine!
December 24th, 2012 at 2:27 pm
Frances wrote from England: “Carrots for reindeer, biscuits and milk for Santa – but up to now, 1 carrot has been enough …!!”
Frances’ daughter wanted to leave out 9 carrots – one for each reindeer. So cute!
December 24th, 2012 at 2:31 pm
I leave out exactly 11 cookies for Santa and 18 carrots , 2 carrots for each of the reindeer. I love Christmas
December 24th, 2012 at 11:05 pm
I always leave out 5 cookies for santa and 18 carrots also for the reindeer. And someone please tell me what to give to santa other than the cookies?
September 30th, 2013 at 4:21 am
I live in Australia. I’m in my 40’s & my whole life I’ve never put sherry or mince pie out for Santa. They were popular beverage & dessert in the 1960’s so maybe it was a practice that happened before my time.
Always been glass of milk & a biscuit or if its really hot, the milk goes off so a beer is left out. The reindeers got a carrot.
In the morning half the milk was drunk & just crumbs of the biscuit remained but if was beer, that was always all drunk lol. The reindeers only had a nibble on the carrot, they couldn’t eat too much as they can’t fly with full stomachs.
December 7th, 2013 at 11:27 am
mikaylah you can also give santa mince puddings that’s what I do I leave him 2 mince pies, one glass of bailys and two carrots
November 21st, 2014 at 10:15 am
We leave out beer and salami
December 5th, 2014 at 2:19 am
+
I usually leave Santa 4 chocolate cookies shaped and iced Chritsmasy. And for the reindeer 8 apples.
December 24th, 2014 at 3:17 pm
I leave out some fresh cookies, sherry and 9 carrots. Not sure if thats what he likes
December 26th, 2014 at 5:26 am
The Australia part is so wrong, NEVER heard of it. Always cookies, carrots and a glass / bottle of beer or milk…
October 27th, 2015 at 1:26 am
In nz we leave whisky and scones! Sometimes cookies for him…
December 15th, 2015 at 5:53 pm
Always a large glass of chateauneuf du pape and a mince pie plus a carrot or two, Santa has been known to knock over the glass sometimes. There are a lot of elves in England (the National Elf Service) so maybe another glass of red? Or port. Or Grand Marnier.
For dramatic effect – and guaranteed to get the kids talking – one of the reindeers sometimes also has an ‘accident’. We tend to use some ‘residue’ from the stables but rolled up lumps of mud look realistic enough. Don’t get the dog involved in this part of the procedure. Can be disastrous.
December 18th, 2016 at 11:26 pm
I think that I leave 4 cookies and glass of milk for santa he did/t eat the cookies or drinking the milk he just give me a gift I think don/t like chocolate chip cookies or glass of milk
December 22nd, 2016 at 9:45 pm
I like to leave out a big mug of hot cocoa some mince buys and mint biscuits, and for the reindeer I leave out carrots!
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:43 pm
When I was growing up in England we put out whiskey and a mince pie for Santa, (which he drank and ate as the glass was empty and there were crumbs on the plate), and a carrot for 8 reindeer – I don’t think they are big eaters.