On the road with Santa Claus

Kindergartens, company events, Christmas markets, and any number of private homes: during the Christmas period, professional Santas work flat out. And that peaks in a full-on blizzard of requests on Christmas Eve. Even Santa overcomes that better if he has his little helpers – which is where the Volkswagen Touran, for instance, comes in.

Space for big surprises

Simply gifting a book? That’s in the past. “These days, it’s really full-on in most cases,” says Tobias Groß. And he should know: the man who runs the Weihnachtsmann2Go agency supplies Santas in Berlin, and has been playing Santa Claus himself for eight years. “There have been occasions where the gift was a table football game,” he says. And even if sometimes the gift isn’t such a sizeable item, anyone who has their hands full of presents will be delighted by smart features such as the "Easy Open function", which comes as an option on the Volkswagen Touran. If you are carrying the key on you, it allows you to open the boot easily simply by moving your foot under the rear bumper.

With any amount of space then also hidden behind the boot door, it’s not just a delight for Santa – although he is, of course, delighted too! The Touran can accommodate big families just as easily as big surprises in its boot, with its capacity of up to 1,980 litres. Definitely enough space to slip quickly into your Santa Claus costume – since for extra room during your costume change, the third row of seats can be folded down using the fold-flat seating system to create a single, same-level loading bay.

Klaus-Dieter Kröger, who can be found at weihnachtsmannberlin.de, knows how important the car can be for today’s Santa. He has been a professional Santa Claus for 20 years – and during the festive season he easily covers 1000 kilometres, driving between kindergartens, shopping centres, company parties and private present-givings. On Christmas Eve alone, he can clock up 120 kilometres. So what happens if one of the children, fresh from getting their present, asks about the sleigh and Rudolph the reindeer? “You need to have your wits about you at all times; sometimes I say Rudolph’s got a cold,” says a smiling Kröger. Modern means of transport also have one or two advantages over the sleigh, after all – in a car, soft toys and other passengers can definitely enjoy more comfortable seats.

Joy to the world

In fact, an experienced Santa can manage up to 15 present-givings in one Christmas – meaning joy and radiant faces 15 times over. On that point, both our professional Santas are agreed: it’s the best thing about this job. “Everyone is pleased to see you – which is simply a fantastic experience,” says Groß. And as a further reward on top, sometimes there is a special ‘thank you’ from the children who have received their presents, explains Kröger – in the form of milk and biscuits. It couldn’t be anything else, really.

With so many stops involved, organisation and technical aids are half the job. Without a navigation device, even the best Santa can get lost in the big city. The optional "Discover Pro" navigation system also gives information updates whenever building works bring changes to the city’s layout: it can be updated free of charge for five years.

For a good Christmas helper, though, one thing that counts is something you can’t see at first glance: storage. In the centre console, in the dashboard, and optionally even under the driver’s seat: the Touran has hidden opportunities for storing things everywhere – so there’s plenty of space for presents.

Saving the best till last

When the last presents have been given out on Christmas Eve, it can very easily be 8:30 in the evening, says Groß. Time for Santa to relax a little too – and he can do that in the Touran, thanks to the panoramic roof with its view of the starry skies and a hot tea in hand, if the car is fitted with the optional cool and thermos box. Perfect for reflecting on the events of that evening. And they generally leave strong impressions, says Groß: “It’s exciting to meet all these different people, to share in that special private time with them. If you like working with people, it’s truly wonderful.”

After that, there’s just one thing left to do: select reverse, check the reversing camera, and head off home to celebrate their own Christmas. Which the two professional Santas also do partly in their full outfit – at least for the present-giving. “After that, I slip into something more comfortable,” says Kröger. “I’ll put on a T-shirt – but my Santa’s trousers stay on!”