Santa Special
Encyclopedia
A Santa Special is a special Christmas
rail service, common on heritage steam railways (or sometimes on mainline railways, as is done by the RPSI in Ireland) ,, where children are given the opportunity to meet "Santa Claus
".
The revenues derived from Santa Specials make an important contribution to the finances of the railways as they attract large numbers of families during the off-peak winter period.
Common features of Santa Special services are
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
rail service, common on heritage steam railways (or sometimes on mainline railways, as is done by the RPSI in Ireland) ,, where children are given the opportunity to meet "Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
".
The revenues derived from Santa Specials make an important contribution to the finances of the railways as they attract large numbers of families during the off-peak winter period.
- Meeting "Santa ClausSanta ClausSanta Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
" (This commonly, but not always, takes place on the train) - Each child receiving a gift from "Santa ClausSanta ClausSanta Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
" - Refreshments provided for adults - for example, a Mince PieMince pieA mince pie, also known as minced pie, is a small British sweet pie traditionally served during the Christmas season. Its ingredients are traceable to the 13th century, when returning European crusaders brought with them Middle Eastern recipes containing meats, fruits and spices.The early mince...
and a Seasonal Drink - Entertainment provided for adults and children - for example, JugglingJugglingJuggling is a skill involving moving objects for entertainment or sport. The most recognizable form of juggling is toss juggling, in which the juggler throws objects up to catch and toss up again. This may be one object or many objects, at the same time with one or many hands. Jugglers often refer...
and Balloon Sculpting