Every December the same thing happens at grottos and Christmas fairs up and down the country. Santa gets the queue, but it's the reindeer wandering past or the giant gingerbread man by the entrance that gets the photos. A good Christmas character keeps children happy while they wait, gives parents something to share, and makes your event feel properly put together rather than thrown up in an afternoon.

We've been supplying mascot costumes since 2004, and every autumn the phone gets busier with grotto organisers, PTAs, garden centres and town councils trying to get sorted before the rush. This guide pulls together what we've learned about choosing the right Christmas mascot costumes for your event, keeping the person inside comfortable, and getting your order in on time.

Who uses Christmas mascot costumes?

Pretty much anyone running a festive event where children are involved. The orders we see most often come from:

• Garden centres and farm shops running a Santa's grotto or winter trail
• Shopping centres and retail parks wanting a walkabout character on busy weekends
• Town and parish councils for Christmas light switch-ons and parades
• Schools and PTAs for Christmas fairs, discos and end of term assemblies
• Charities for festive fun runs, bucket collections and fundraising days
• Nurseries, care homes and children's wards for a surprise visit

A question we get a lot is whether to buy or hire. If you're running the same event every year, buying usually works out cheaper after two or three seasons. You also avoid the classic December problem of every hire shop in the county being fully booked the week you need them.

Choosing the right character for your event

The best character depends less on what looks nice in a photo and more on what the costume actually has to do on the day. Here's how we'd think about it.

Santa's grotto: reindeer, elves and gingerbread

A grotto lives or dies on the queue. Twenty minutes of waiting feels like two hours to a four year old, so you want a character working the line, waving, doing high fives and keeping spirits up.

A Rudolf reindeer costume is the obvious partner for Santa, and children instantly know who he is. Elves are brilliant as working characters because they have a job built in: a happy elf or a slightly mischievous naughty elf can hand out tickets, lead families in and "check the list". A gingerbread biscuit costume works well parked by a photo backdrop, since it's friendly, a bit silly and very hard to walk past without taking a picture.

Light switch-ons and parades: big, bright and easy to spot

Outdoor evening events are a different challenge. It's dark, it's crowded, and people are watching from a distance. Go for characters with a strong silhouette and bold colours that read from across a town square. A Christmas tree costume is ideal here, and so is a snowman or a polar bear. Whatever you choose, give the performer a minder. Crowds plus limited vision plus kerbs in the dark is not a great mix.

School fairs and Christmas discos

For schools, think about the youngest children first. Soft, smiley cartoon faces go down far better with Reception than anything too realistic or too tall. Remember too that the performer is usually a teacher or parent volunteer rather than a professional, so pick something that's easy to get on and off and simple to move in.

Winter wonderlands and January events

If you want a costume that earns its keep beyond 25 December, look at winter characters rather than strictly Christmas ones. A snowman or polar bear works just as well at a January ice rink, a winter walk or a school's snow-themed week as it does at a grotto, which means more outings for the same money.

Keeping your performer comfortable on long shifts

It might be freezing outside, but a full mascot costume is warm work, and a heated grotto can get very toasty by mid-afternoon. A comfortable performer is a better performer, so build these into your plan:

• Regular breaks. We'd suggest a break at least every 30 minutes, and more often indoors.
• A private changing spot. Somewhere out of sight to take the head off, cool down and have a drink. Children should never see the head come off.
• Thin, breathable layers underneath. A sports top and leggings work far better than a jumper.
• Plenty of water within easy reach.
• A minder or helper. Vision from inside a mascot head is limited, so someone guiding the character through crowds, doorways and steps makes the day safer for everyone.
• Two performers for all-day events. Swapping over at lunchtime keeps energy high right up to closing.

Getting more out of one costume

A costume bought for the grotto doesn't have to come out once a year. A few ideas:

• Use the same character for your switch-on, school fair and New Year events.
• Give it a name and let it build a following on your social media through December.
• Already own an animal mascot? A Santa hat for mascot costumes gives an existing character a festive look for very little outlay.
• Pair your character with a proper professional Santa costume so the whole grotto looks like it belongs together.

Order early (and what to do if you've left it late)

December is the busiest month of our year. Stock costumes can usually be sent out quickly, but the most popular Christmas characters do sell out, and courier networks get stretched in the final fortnight before Christmas.

For guaranteed delivery before your event, we'd recommend ordering by 1st week of December. If you're cutting it fine, have a look at our fast delivery range, which is stock ready to go.

Thinking about a custom character for your business or town? Custom costumes take longer to design and make, so for this Christmas a stock character is the safer bet. Get in touch in the new year and you'll have plenty of time for next season.

Frequently asked questions

What's the most popular Christmas mascot costume?

Reindeer and elves are the grotto favourites because they fit naturally alongside Santa. For outdoor events, snowmen and Christmas trees are popular because they're easy to spot in a crowd.

Will one costume fit different performers?

It depends on the costume, so check the sizing on each product page. If several people will be taking turns, tell us their rough heights when you order and we'll point you towards the best fit.

Is it better to buy or hire a Christmas costume?

For a one-off event, hiring can make sense. If you run a grotto or switch-on every year, buying normally pays for itself within two or three seasons, and the costume is there whenever you need it.

How should we store the costume after Christmas?

Let it air fully before packing it away, especially the head. Spot clean any marks, then store it somewhere cool and dry rather than a damp garage or a hot loft. A breathable bag is better than sealed plastic.

Can we get a costume of our own character?

Yes. We make custom mascots for businesses, schools, councils and charities. Allow plenty of time, so start the conversation early in the year if you want it ready for next Christmas.

Ready to plan your Christmas characters?

Have a browse through our full range of Christmas mascot costumes, or if you're not sure which character suits your event, get in touch and we'll happily talk it through. Tell us what kind of event you're running and when, and we'll help you find something that'll have the queue smiling all December.