“Is this how you put fuel into one of these?” A Green Flag patrol helps get Father Christmas’s stalled sleigh going again
Green Flag is spreading festive cheer for the hundreds of temporary workers playing Father Christmas this year. Any Santa who breaks down on his way to the grotto will be entitled to complimentary cover over the holiday period courtesy of the break down provider.
Although Rudolph and friends have never let the real Santa down yet, the men who grow beards and don the famous red outfit every year are more likely to require roadside assistance. That’s why whether it’s a stalled sleigh or a flat tyre, Green Flag will come to the rescue this Christmas.
The offer has come about via a partnership with the UK’s biggest Santa school. To celebrate the initiative, Green Flag has created this video depicting a real-life Christmas crisis – Santa and his sleigh breaking down in London – overlaid with a rewrite of the festive poem “T’was the Night Before Christmas”.
“Ho ho ho, young man!” Santa gives his saviour an Xmas gift for rescuing him
Neil Wilson, head of rescue claims at Green Flag said: “Christmas is a frantic time for everyone and especially so for the many Santas who will be in grottos all over the country this festive period. They go the extra mile to make Christmas special for kids, so we wanted to go the extra mile for them. Unfortunately not every Santa has a magic reindeer to help his journey, so if any car related problems arise, we’ll be ready to get them to their destination.”
James Lovell, director of the Ministry of Fun Santa School said: “Obviously the 30-or-so Father Christmases we train up every year are just helping out the real one. After all, with 840 million houses and a thousandth of a second at each house he visits, things are pretty hectic for him!
“But seriously, this is a genuinely great Christmas idea. We know the joy seeing Father Christmas brings to a lot of children so if one breaks down and is late to the grotto, it could ruin Christmas for some kids. Spare a thought for these Santas. A lot of grottos close late on the afternoon of Christmas Eve meaning many Santas will travelling home when the traffic’s really busy. Breaking down could ruin their Christmas which would be a shame after they’ve brought so much happiness to so many.”