The Prague Post
November 22nd, 2008
Endowment Fund     Business Listings ONLINE      Reservations      Classifieds    Subscriptions
Hotel Prague Centre

Home » Archives » Tempo

Child's Play Cecilia Sanchez Beltran

Santa Claus is coming to Prague

December 12th, 2007 issue

Santa Claus
Obchodní Centrum Chodov
Daily, 2–6 p.m. through Dec. 23
To make gift arrangements, call 267 312 180
www.santaprodeti.cz

Holiday Park Liščí Farma
Christmas dinner: Adults 500 Kč,
children 300 Kč
30-minute dog sled ride: 1,000 Kč
10-minute dog sled ride with photo: 350 Kč
www.liscifarma.cz

Angels and devils running around Old Town Square on Mikuláš Day are great holiday fun. But for many expats, it just isn’t Christmas without Santa Claus.

This year you can take your kids to see Santa at Obchodní Centrum Chodov, the largest mall in Prague 4. You can’t miss him — a red carpet lined with giant candy canes on the first floor (second level) leads to an oversized green chair surrounded by presents, where the big guy wears his traditional bright red coat and laughs in his trademark “Ho ho ho!”
Zach Chricton, the organizer of “Santa pro děti” (Santa for Kids), says he decided to bring Santa Claus to Prague in response to his mother asking him every year for a picture of his son with Santa. This multilingual Santa speaks English, German, Russian and Czech through his snowy white beard. And for 250 Kč ($14), your child can have his picture taken with him, just like mom asked for.
If you call in advance, you can also arrange for Santa to give your child a present. You provide the gift, something you know your child will want. But just imagine how your child will react once he sees what’s inside the present Santa gave him. What an incentive to be a good boy for the entire year ahead!
At the booth in front of Santa’s chair, lollipops are handed out to the children. Santa’s helpers are on standby to escort your little one to Santa’s lap when it’s his turn. Then it’s time for the photo-op, with the finished photo available in just a few minutes.
Santa will be at the mall from 2 to 6 p.m. every day through Dec. 23. To get there, take the metro C to Chodov. The mall sits right on top of the metro stop, so there’s no need to worry about getting lost.
If you’re looking for a family-friendly change of scene during or after Christmas, consider an excursion to Holiday Park Liščí Farma in Dolni Branna, near Vrchlabí in north Bohemia, about an hour and half from Prague. If you take the bus to Vrchlabí, a courtesy mini-bus will take you to Holiday Park.
A four-day-long Christmas party with music and dancing for families starts Dec. 22 and ends Dec. 26. Christmas dinner at the Fox Saloon restaurant Dec. 24 will be out in the snow, around a big Christmas tree.
After the meal, you can stay in the hotel or camp out in an electrically heated cabin sitting outdoors on the white snow. Be prepared to rough it in the cabins, which are small, with just two bunk beds, a wardrobe and table and chairs. The toilets and kitchenette are a 30-meter walk away.
On Christmas morning, you can wake up to a view of the Krkonoše, the biggest mountain range in the Czech Republic, famous for its ski resorts. Take the kids on a hike along snow-covered paths in the park known as the Gates to the Giant Mountains.
On Dec. 26, the dog sled arrives. You can go for a 30-minute ride with your child through the forest, with eight beautiful barking huskies taking you past a frozen lake. Or take the 10-minute ride option, which includes a photo of you and your child on the dog sled.
Frame that side-by-side with your child’s photo with Santa Claus, and you’ll have a classic Christmas to remember.
Cecilia Sanchez Beltran can be reached at
features@praguepost.com


Other articles in Tempo (12/12/2007):

Browse the Current Issue

If you enjoyed this article, why don't you subscribe to the print version!
We accept secure online transactions provided by PayPal and Moneybookers

Be the first to add a comment!


Full Name: *
City: *
E-mail: **
This comment can be published in the print version of The Prague Post
Enter the text on the right:
 visual captcha
Comment: *
* Required field. In order to be approved for display, comments must have a first and last name and a city.
** E-mails are required and will only be used for internal purposes.

Most visited in Business Listings

Hotel booking
The Prague Post Online contains a selection of articles that have been printed in
The Prague Post, a weekly newspaper published in the Czech Republic.
To subscribe to the print paper, click here.
Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.