What to look for to help Kris Kringle get in on Christmas Eve
There are so many iconic symbols and traditions associated with the Christmas season, but one of the more important ones is often taken for granted.
Of course we always associate the decorated tree, houses lit up with thousands of little twinkle bulbs, candy canes, turkey dinners, presents, family gatherings, the Yule log and stockings with Christmas. But what of the fireplace?
It is easy to overlook the importance of the fireplace to our traditional Christmas celebrations. It’s where we hang those stockings, roast those chestnuts and burn that Yule log. Families gather around the fire on Christmas Eve, sipping egg nog. It is also the main entryway for Santa Claus.
The magic of Santa Claus helps him get into any place where good girls and boys live, but as noted in the classic Clement Clark Moore poem A Visit From St. Nicholas, the fireplace is the preferred method of entry.
While Santa is traditionally known for entering your home through the chimney (“Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound,” wrote Moore), he is also known to adapt with the times to enable a visit through a more modern gas or electric fireplace as well – plus there is less soot to tarnish his vibrant red suit!
To make it easier for the Jolly Old Elf to leave your loot under you Christmas Tree, it’s best to have a fireplace that is large, with ample width, height and depth to allow ease of entry for both Kris Kringle and his sack of toys and presents.
There is a wide variety of fireplaces on the market today that can meet the needs of Santa Claus, and that includes gas and electric fireplaces that have a classic look and feel.Today’s fireplaces can fit in almost any living space, allowing everybody to bring a little more Christmas ambiance into their homes.
Of course, caution must be exercised when you have children around a fire. Protect against inadvertent contact with hot surfaces with Napoleon safety screen, and all guests and children should be warned about hot glass panels and surfaces.
