Christmas Entertainment for Children & Families
A festive puppet show packed with Christmas characters, magic, comedy and audience participation — with additional entertainment available for larger parties and family events. Based in Richmond, North Yorkshire, we provide Christmas entertainment throughout Yorkshire, County Durham and the North East.
Santa's Busy Day
Christmas is approaching and Santa Claus has an awful lot to do. Unfortunately, some of his helpers are not making life any easier. Presents end up where they shouldn't, Rudolph creates chaos, magic doesn't always go according to plan — and Santa needs the children to help sort everything out.
Santa's Busy Day is our own Christmas puppet show, developed and performed over many years. It combines puppetry, storytelling, magic, comedy and plenty of joining in to create a lively festive show particularly suited to younger children and family audiences.
Jolly Good Productions has been providing professional entertainment since 1990.
Meet some of the characters
Santa is joined by Rudolph, mischievous elves Ralph and Alf, Sammy the Seal and other festive friends. The characters interact with the children rather than simply acting out a story behind the puppet theatre.
The result is deliberately playful. Children warn the characters when something is going wrong, volunteer to help with magic, answer questions and become part of the show.
Ideal for
- Company and staff children's parties
- Clubs and organisations
- Community Christmas events
- Town halls and council events
- Shopping centres and retail venues
- Museums, visitor attractions and garden centres
- Nursery and younger children's groups
- Family Christmas celebrations
Make the Christmas party easy to organise
Tell us the ages, numbers, venue and how long you need entertainment. We can provide the puppet show on its own or help build a larger Christmas programme around it.
Request a Christmas QuotationChristmas Eve at Richmond Town Hall
The Christmas Show has become a familiar part of Christmas in Richmond. On Christmas Eve 2025, Richmond Town Hall was packed with children and families enjoying the puppets, magic and festive fun.
Events like this show why the format works so well: younger children can sit close to the action, parents and grandparents enjoy watching their reactions, and everyone can join in together.
For public venues, the show can also be presented several times at advertised times during the day, allowing different audiences to attend each performance.
More festive entertainment
For a larger company, club or community party, the puppet show can become the centrepiece of a wider entertainment programme.
Christmas Magic
Comedy magic and audience participation with seasonal routines. Useful for mixed-age groups or as a second show within a larger programme.
Disco & Party Games
Music, dancing, games and joining in. Particularly useful when the party includes older children as well as the younger puppet-show audience.
Christmas Face Painting
Hazel can create festive designs including snowmen, reindeer, elves, winter scenes and other seasonal favourites. See our Face Painting page.
Christmas Crafts
A quieter hands-on activity where children can make festive decorations and creations to take home. We bring the agreed craft materials.
Balloon Modelling
Festive balloon models can add another colourful drop-in activity to a family party or public event. See our Balloon Modelling page.
Santa
If your plans include a visit from Father Christmas, tell us when you enquire so that we can discuss how this fits with the entertainment and your arrangements.
Children become part of the story
The show is not designed for children to sit silently. They are encouraged to talk to the puppets, shout warnings, answer questions and volunteer to help.
At different points they might help make a cake for Santa by magic, tell Rudolph what he should be doing, help find something that has disappeared or become involved in one of the show's other comic problems.
That participation is one reason the show works particularly well with younger audiences: they are actively involved in what happens next.
Puppets, characters and festive fun
Photographs from Jolly Good Productions Christmas shows and festive events.
Frequently asked questions
What age is the Christmas Puppet Show aimed at?
It is particularly suited to younger children, approximately three to eight years old, although older children and adults often enjoy the humour and joining in too.
How long is the show?
The full version is approximately 60 minutes. For shopping centres, museums, garden centres and similar venues, shorter shows of around 20–30 minutes can be scheduled at fixed times.
Is it just puppets?
No. Puppetry is at the heart of the show, but it also includes storytelling, comedy, magic, audience participation and plenty of interaction with the children.
Can you entertain a larger mixed-age Christmas party?
Yes. For larger groups or a wider age range, we can combine the puppet show with magic, a disco, party games or other activities so that the programme has something for everyone.
Can you provide face painting or crafts as well?
Yes. Hazel can provide Christmas face painting and we can also include festive crafts, balloon modelling and other activities depending on the size and format of the event.
Can the show work at a shopping centre or visitor attraction?
Yes. Several shorter performances at clearly advertised times can work particularly well because visitors can plan when to watch rather than expecting one audience to remain for a long programme.
What space do you need?
A clean, dry performance area with enough space for the puppet theatre and for children to sit where they can see clearly. We will discuss access, power and practical requirements when booking.
What information do you need for a quotation?
Please give us the date, venue or postcode, approximate number of children, age range, timings and whether you want the puppet show alone or a larger Christmas entertainment package.
Plan your Christmas entertainment.
Tell us about your party or event and we'll recommend a festive programme to suit the children, venue and timetable.