Podcast: Season 3, Episode 23: The One with the Elves

We are Holiday World and we LOVE holidays.
We also happen to reside in Santa Claus, Indiana so Christmas is a big deal here!

In this episode, we dive into Santa letters and our inaugural All-You-Can-Eat Buffet at Santa’s Merry Marketplace! Nell shares a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the magic that makes Santa letters happen!

What you need to know about writing Santa letters!
Since 1914 the town of Santa Claus has taken on the task of receiving and responding
to Dear Santa letters from all over the world!

If you want a response from the elves, please send your letter by December 18 to:
PO Box 1
Santa Claus, Indiana, 47579

Make sure your return address is clearly written and our elves will get you a response!

Can I write them in Santa Claus, Indiana?
Absolutely! Click here to plan out your visit!

Want to help the magic?
The Santa Claus Museum & Village is a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization that is dedicated to preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting the history of the town of Santa Claus, Indiana and perpetuating the tradition of answering letters to Santa. You can support them by clicking here!

Interested in volunteering? 
Email elf@santaclausmuseum.org or leave a message at 812-455-2434

December is an exceptionally busy month in Santa Claus, Indiana!

After you finish writing your letter at the Santa Claus museum, you can come to eat at Holiday World!
The community draws large crowds and there is a need for places to eat, so we will be open on
December 11 for the All-You-Can-Eat Buffet at Santa’s Merry Marketplace!

From 3-7 pm CST, Santa’s Merry Marketplace will be serving favorite food items that we regularly offer there!  Our team planned the buffet to work well with other events going on in town, like the Santa Claus Town Fireworks on December 4 and the Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 11. Be sure to check the Santa Claus Tourism page for details about all the activities in Santa Claus!

Last week we sold out several time slots, so be sure to purchase your parties tickets early! 
It was great to see family members gathering for a fun family meal in Merry Marketplace.

We hope to see you and yours this weekend!

Get Tickets Now

 

 

Have something to share with us or feedback, reach out here:
Email us: podcast@holidayworld.com
Leave a voicemail: Phone (812)-937-4401 Ext. 8081
Reach out on social media: @holidayworld using #HoWoPo

2022 Season Passes are now $35 off now through January 5!
Head to HolidayWorld.com/Passes for all the details.

Subscribe Links:

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Podcast: S3E22 – The One With More Self-Promotion Than Usual

Not sure what to get someone for Christmas?
Try one of our #NiftyGiftys! Cranberries are not included.

 

Leah K, Matt E, Matt B, Lauren C, Nell H and Sabrina talk through
Holiday World gift options and how-to gift experiences!

This episode was recorded on November 8 so we hope that gives you plenty
of time to beat that December 15 shipping deadline for your gifts to arrive!

Have something to share with us or feedback, reach out here:
Email us: podcast@holidayworld.com
Leave a voicemail: Phone (812)-937-4401 Ext. 8081
Reach out on social media: @holidayworld using #HoWoPo

2022 Season Passes are now $35 off now through January 5!
Head to HolidayWorld.com/Passes for all the details.

Subscribe Links:

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Would you like to receive HoliBlog notices – along with news releases and sweepstakes – by email? Sign up here and you can choose whether to receive the emails weekly or the same day the blog posts are published

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All-You-Can-Eat Buffet at Santa’s Merry Marketplace

Light it Blue - Christmas Fountain

One glance at the 2021 Christmas Event Guide will tell you that Santa Claus is a hopping place in December!

2020 proved to be a VERY busy year in our magical town full of Holiday activities.
We wanted to give festive fun-seekers an additional option for dining, so the All-You-Can-Eat Buffet at Santa’s Merry Marketplace was created!

Tickets are on sale now, click here to purchase them now!

When will the All-You-Can-Eat Buffet at Santa’s Merry Marketplace take place?

On December 4 and 11, from 3-7 pm CST, Santa’s Merry Marketplace will be serving favorite food items that we regularly offer there!  Our team planned the buffet to work well with other events going on in town, like the Santa Claus Town Fireworks on December 4 and the Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 11. Be sure to check the Santa Claus Tourism page for details about all the activities in Santa Claus!

How does it work?

Guests will pick an hour-long time slot that their group would like to eat. You can arrive as early as 3 pm to shop and play, but make sure you are in line at Santa’s Merry Marketplace for the start time of your dinner. Guests should plan to arrive early to take full advantage of their time slot, do some shopping, and enjoy activities like face painting that will be available for purchase. Tickets must be purchased in advance at HolidayWorld.com/Buffet

How much does it cost?

Adult meals will be $19.99, Children 4-10 years old are $14.99 and include a take-home cookie kit, and Children three and under eat for free.  Cookies kits will be available at Candy Cane Confectionary for purchase. Tickets are on sale now, click here to reserve your time slot now! We’ll be limiting the number of guests per session, so if you have your heart set on a session, be sure to purchase early!

What’s on the menu?

We plan to serve a true taste of Holiday World, featuring favorites from Santa’s Merry Marketplace and Plymouth Rock Cafe! Expect to see items from Santa’s Merry Marketplace like pizza and breadsticks, chicken tenders, and orange chicken. The menu will also include Plymouth Rock Cafe favorites like green beans, mac n cheese, and chicken and dumplings. Of course, guests won’t leave without a sweet treat! We plan to serve items like brownies, sugar cookies, jello cups, and dirt pudding.

Will the rides, shops, or games be open?

Rides will not be opening, but we’ll have a Santa letter-writing station, face painting, Saint Nick’s Gift Shop, and fudge available for purchase in the park. Weather permitting, Skee Ball will be available in the Christmas Plaza.  If you choose a 6 pm time slot and plan to use that full time for eating, be sure to arrive early to get your shopping done before they close at 7 pm when all games and shops will close.

Where should I park?

Please park in the Raven Parking lot, it will open at 2 pm.  

How can I get my tickets?

Tickets are available online now! Click the button below to reserve your time slot. Now is a great time to browse the Spencer County Tourism page to maximize your time in Santa Claus this Christmas season!

Buy Now!

 

 

 

Important reminder: Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari is on Central Standard Time.

Be sure to subscribe to our e-newsletter so that you’ll get event information and off-season updates all winter long!  Sign up here and you can choose whether to receive the emails weekly or the same day the blog posts are published.

 

Veteran’s Day 2021

“Thank You.”

The phrase seemed insufficient and I felt unworthy as I wrote down the names, military branch, and years of service of each of the men pictured.

Standing before me was a combined 70 years of military service.

They were the only words I had, but thanks and on behalf of our veterans, we have such a great country to call our home.
We want to acknowledge our very own team members who have answered the call to serve our country.
We offer up our sincerest appreciation to you!

Our veterans from left to right front row:

  • Elmer, United States Army
  • Jerry, United States Army
  • Todd, United States Army
  • Ethan, United States Army
  • Billy, United States Army

Our veterans from left to right back row:

  • John, United States Coast Guard
  • Jeremy, United States Marine Corp

  • Josh, United States Marine Corp
  • Jeff, United States Army National Guard
  • Josh, United States Army
  • Joe, United States Air Force

Thank you to these – and all other veterans – for their service to our country.

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How do you measure fun?

A few weeks ago, a question popped into my head. 

How many soft drinks do we really give away each year? 

The answer? Approximately 5,000,000. 

That led me to another question: can we measure fun? 

If you’re a data nerd like me, the answer is OF COURSE! 

So I asked some questions of many of our departments. Here are some of our favorite numbers from the 2021 Season: 

Click here to download a high-resolution version.

Fun Facts about the 2021 Season. Holiday World welcomes approx. 1 mil guests, gave away 283,000 gallons of free soft drinks and 57,600 ounces of free sunscreen for a total of $11,741,382 in freebies given away.

Disclosing assumptions behind the $11.7 Million figure: 

  • 50% of soft drinks consumed were water, would not have been purchased otherwise, or would have been included in a meal
  • Price of $2.99 per 12-ounce cup of soda 
  • Approximately 3 and 1/3 Guests per car
  • Parking price of $15 per car

Kind of cool to think our Guests saved $11 millionin freebies this year! 

And if that’s not enough, we pulled some more numbers together for you

They’re a little less… precise than our first infographic, but just as fun!

 

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