You may not find Santa selling fruits and vegetables at a farmers’ market, but he sure does have all the skills necessary to be a farmer! In fact, there’s solid evidence that he runs a farm up at the North Pole, alongside his toy workshop. It’s hard to know exactly what happens up in Santa’s domain, but here’s some of the best evidence that Santa either is a farmer or grew up on a farm:
1. He cares for and trains his reindeer. Reindeer are Santa’s main way of getting around, and he must take good care of them so that they’re strong and healthy enough to fly around the world on Christmas Eve. They also must be trained to pull a sled, which takes a lot of dedication. Santa does a great job caring for his reindeer, which is super important to any farmer who keeps livestock.
2. He grows corn for his reindeer. Regular grocery stores and farmers markets don’t sell magic corn that helps reindeer fly, so where does he get the stuff? Santa is all about making things from scratch with a touch of magic (think about his toy workshop!) so it makes sense that he would grow the magic corn himself. Of course, the North Pole is too cold to grow corn outside in the ground, but it seems like he probably has a large greenhouse where he can grow the corn. Maybe the technology he uses is similar to these cool greenhouses built by Green Iglu, or maybe he uses some Christmas magic to keep the greenhouse warm. Growing corn would make Santa a farmer, made more impressive by the harsh winter conditions!
3. He cares for his equipment. Every year, Santa takes his sled around the world, from rooftop to rooftop. This is a long trip, and the sled must be in great condition to make it through Christmas Eve every year. Being able to care for equipment and make necessary repairs is a trait valued by farmers. Farmers have to make sure their equipment, like tractors and combines, are in good condition year after year. Santa’s mechanical know-how is a very farmer-like quality!
4. He has a farmer’s work ethic. Santa works long hours. From taking care of his reindeer in the frigid cold, to helping elves build toys, to making his list and checking it twice, Santa has a lot of work to do in preparation for Christmas. He knows how important all of this is though, so he’s happy to work until the job is done! This is like how farmers work. There are often long days and nights because the job needs to be done in a certain amount of time. For example, crops need to be harvested before the first snow, so farmers work hard to get it done in time. They also know how important their work is, just like Santa does.
5. He really values food. Santa loves food—especially milk and cookies! This shows how much he appreciates agriculture. He supports all farmers growing the ingredients to make his favourite Santa snacks, like dairy farmers who provide the milk to drink or grain farmers who grow wheat to make the flour for cookies or chicken farmers, whose eggs are used in baking. And don't forget the farmers who grow carrots - the favourite treat for Rudolph and his friends! Farmers love supporting one another and celebrating other people’s hard work!
6. His workload depends on the seasons. In December, Santa is getting ready to travel all around the world. That takes a lot of preparation. Farmers know all about preparation and planning. In winter, farmers spend a ton of time planning and preparing for the coming season, so that when the weather warms up, they are ready to spring into action. Santa is the same way. In the summer months, he plans and prepares by making toys and training his reindeer, and when Christmas comes, he’s ready to go.
Are you convinced? Do you believe Santa is a farmer? Let us know any more evidence you have!
