How does Santa get in without a chimney?

Answers kids love

• The magic key. Santa has one key that opens every door in the world. It only works on Christmas Eve.
• A Santa key on the door. The family leaves a special key outside for Santa, and Santa takes it back to the North Pole.
• The front door. Santa knocks very softly, and the house lets him in.
• Magic dust. Santa can make himself small and come in through the keyhole.
• The window. For apartments high up, the sleigh parks right next to the window.

Make a Santa key

1. Buy a large decorative key, or spray-paint an old key gold.
2. Tie a red ribbon through it.
3. Add a tag: "Santa's magic key. Only works on Christmas Eve."
4. Hang it on the front door handle before bed.
5. In the morning, the key is gone, or it hangs back up with a thank-you note.

Leave clues that he came in

• Boot prints from the front door to the tree. Use a card boot shape and flour.
• Snow by the door (a pinch of flour or fake snow).
• A note on the doormat: "Thank you for the key!"

More ideas are in 12 ways to leave proof that Santa visited.

For apartments and flats

Kids in apartments often worry the most. Tell them Santa parks the sleigh on the roof, and the magic key opens the building door too. Put the cookies and milk by the door, not by a fireplace. See what to leave out for Santa.

Questions

How does Santa get in if we don't have a chimney?

Many families say Santa has a magic key that opens any door on Christmas Eve. Some hang a Santa key on the front door for him.

What is a Santa key?

A decorative key that families hang outside on Christmas Eve, so Santa can open the door. It disappears or comes back with a note in the morning.

How does Santa get into apartments?

Say the sleigh parks on the roof and Santa's magic key opens the building door and the apartment door.