2012 Project No 2 - Santa Sleigh and Reindeer.

AussiePhil

AussiePhil

Dedicated elf
Administrator
Joined
Jun 20, 2009
Messages
1,625
Location
Canberra, ACT, Australia
2012 Project No 2 - Santa Sleigh and Reindeer.

Goal:
Have a full size Santa Sleigh the parents and children can sit in and have photos taken.

Reasoning:
One thing i noticed this year was parents and children getting out to look at the simple interactive type stuff like the little train set and the plasma ball we set up. We also had Mrs Claus this year and it got me thinking how good it would be to have a full size sit in sleigh for people to experience and be hands on so to speak.

Layout Requirements:
Sleigh and Reindeer need to go where the car is tradionally park during Dec.

Items:
Sleigh and Reindeer plans from http://www.thewinfieldcollection.com/print_catalog/Reindeer_Sleighs we are going with the gigantic sleigh and the large reindeer.
Timber from Bunnings

COST:
I'll update this bit as I go.

Estimates are as follows
Plans from the website, think the order came to - $36, with odds and ends
4 sheets of 13mm Plywood - $TBA
Yet to be factored in - odds and ends like paint and lights to decorate.


Some spin off work from this is to incorporate a video projector into the sleigh and project an image scene onto a screen behind the sleigh to create a scene, and the installation of a snow machine to create a complete winter display seperate from the actual light display.
I will update these build threads as we do things with photos and text.


Cheers
Phil
 
Phil this sounds like a awsome idea look forward to seeing it all come together thoughout the year. good to see so other ideas just besides more lights and things for the kids like this is fantastic
 
Hey Phil,
awesome idea. Its great to be ablr to have that interactive aide for the kids, and also, its good for the parents too. Look forwars to seeing it complete.
Luke
 
My Uncle did this for the past 2 years, and they sold the photos to raise money for a local charity which mu Aunty is associated with. Turned out to be very popular. ill get some photos and dimensions
 
We have had a sleigh for the last 2 christmases and do Santa photo's in it - it's been VERY popular, with close to 1000 images a year for the last 2 years.

For 2012 I want a more christmas like background instead of the mottled blue backdrop we have used.
 
David


Do you take the photos and send out or just have people take there own, do you do it as a charity raising extra?


Just trying to get some ideas as the whole donation for a photo was suggested but i couldn't wrap my head around making it work.


Chuck: happy new year to you to.


YL: yes, i've come to realise that this has to be more than just lights, in my opinion anyway


Cheers
 
We have santa 4 to 8 nights over the month. People can take their own photo's and quite a few do. I also take pics and email them, or print some (I try to minimise them) for nothing. I do ask for a donation to the charity and most people have eithor already given a donation to my wife, or are willing to drop some coins in the tin for the charity

We dont require a donation for eithor the pics or lollypops which we give to everyone who comes to the display, but people are often willing to at least drop some silver in the tub. I also ensure I let people know about the radio station, then ask them if they want lollypops, then tell them about santa etc. Once they get that I then tell them we are raising for Redkite, tell them a little about the charity, and how much we have raised so far, and ask if they would like to donate, and also specify that 100% of donations is forwarded to them, as we take nothing. If they look unsure, or have already been before I dont continue (sometimes I dont even ask if they dont look like they will donate or cant afford it), and then I wish them a great night and move on to the next car.

We do the lights for the visitors and ourselves, but also the charity, and raising over $12,000 in the last 4 years seems to show it works ok (Considering the town only has 12,000 people here), but we learn as we go.
 
Sounds like a great idea Phil, unfortunatly for me i dont want people getting out to see the display due to being in a back water suburban street where there is only limited street parking. But the value of adding a prop like this will definetly increase the experience and enjoyment of those that come to see your display.

You could possibly get one of those backdrop scenes to hang behind it to give the photos that real christmassy feel.
 
Dano, thanks for confirming, now i just need the plans to arrive so i can take the jigsaw to all the Ply i have sitting in the Garage

Cheers
Phil
 
I am planning on doing the same thing this year and just wanted to know how you got on with yours? Did you actually build it? Was it difficult? How much did it end up costing? Do you have any photo's?

Sorry for all the questions.

Marc
 
I like the idea Phil.

Each year Rotary has a Santa & sleigh do the rounds of our local suburbs, 1 night in each area. This year (2012) when they reached my display, they were waylaid for about 90 minutes before they could carry on. Definitely very popular.

Another thought from my expereience. If you can include some interactive experience on the sleigh - eg a button (or buttons) to turn on extra flashing lights, or even Rudolph's nose and link use of these to donations at an adjacent box, then you may well see a rise in donations.

My main viewing areas are across the street from my house on the opposite footpaths. My donation box is secure but unattended at the gate. It is lit, but not immediately obvious. In my introduction which this year ran each 25minutes, I mention the charities and donation box and also noted that "when you donate, you can push a button to turn on additional flashing lights". These were controlled using the LOR interactive controls and ran for 20-30 sec. Kids loved it and of course kept pushing. (There was no check on whether donations were made), For 2012 I collected over $6000.

All the best for 2013.
 
I'm planning on adding a dashboard to my sleigh. I know someone who's a stay-at-home mum but is also a qualified auto-electrician. I figure I'll make a trip to the wreckers to get a whole heap of gauges and switches, mount them in a box and then get her to wire it all up so it lights up. It will all be 12 volt and perfectly safe.

I thought about trying to find some aircraft instruments (after all, it is a flying sleigh), but they seem to be hard to come by. I could try knocking on some doors at Archerfield airport which I drive past daily. They don't need to work, just light up.

I can see all the kids having a ball flicking switches and pretending to fly the sleigh. It's funny what impresses kids. Last Christmas I had kids asking to ring Santa's bell. My wife told me later that it was one of the highlights for the kids and they felt really special being allowed to ring it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top