Santa school in full swing in London ahead of Christmas celebrations

Instead of hammering away in his workshop ahead of Christmas, this group of Santa Claus impersonators are heading to the classroom, learning facts, figures, tips and tricks to make St. Nicholas proud and to ensure every visit to see Santa is truly magical for all. There's always the Santa inside of you. You listen to your best self. You also listen to the child that's in front of you. How do you reflect that child? Some children are boisterous, some are shy. For some, it's their first time. For others, they're old hands at this sort of thing. On the agenda is learning how to say Merry Christmas in sign language and keeping up with the latest toy trends. The school, organised by event company Ministry of Fun, brings together Santas, elves and Mrs Clauses to learn how to perfect the role of the man in the red suit and how to bring joy to the world over the festive period. In order to deliver an encounter that is magical you have to take it seriously and you have to really care about the encounter that you have with the child and about the content. It's a duty we have, really. It's an obligation we have, and it's a privilege to be able to represent Father Christmas, who is someone so special to children. It's often called the most wonderful time of the year, and these Santa impersonators will certainly go to great lengths to ensure people have a holly, jolly Christmas.