How the magic key works on Christmas Eve
The idea is simple: a house without a chimney still needs a way in for Santa, so the family leaves him a key. Before bed on Christmas Eve, the children hang it on the front door handle, on a hook by the door or on the tree. The tag explains the rules: the key opens the door only for Santa and only for this one night, and its magic ends at sunrise. In the morning the key can be gone (Santa took it back to the North Pole), turned around on its ribbon, or left with a small note, whatever your family likes.
The tag on this page folds over, so it has two faces without double-sided printing. The front carries the poem and your family’s name; the back is the note to Santa, with the year and the children’s names if you add them. A 64 × 98 mm tag hangs well from a door handle and is easy to read for a child.
Making it last
Card stock makes a tag that does not curl; 65 lb (about 176 g/m²) works in most home printers, and heavier card cuts more cleanly with a craft knife than with scissors. A ribbon of 5 to 10 mm fits the punched hole. If the key will hang outside, slip the tag into a small clear bag or cover it with clear tape so a damp night does not soften it. Kept in the ornament box after Christmas, the same key comes back every year.
If you are getting ready for Christmas Eve anyway, the reindeer food maker prints the toppers for the oats you scatter on the lawn, and the letter from Santa writes the reply he leaves behind.
Questions
What is Santa's magic key?
A key that lets Santa in when a house has no chimney. Families hang an old key, or a paper one, on the front door or by the tree on Christmas Eve, with a tag that says it only works for Santa and only for one night. Children find it gone, or turned around, on Christmas morning.
How do I make the tag?
Print the page on card stock at 100 per cent. Cut out the tag along its outer line, fold it on the dashed line with the poem outside, and punch the hole through both layers. The note to Santa is printed upside down above the fold, so after folding it reads the right way round on the back: no double-sided printing needed.
I don't have an old key. What can I use?
Leave “A paper key to cut out” ticked and the page carries a golden key, 15 cm long, next to the tag. Card stock keeps it stiff; for a key that lasts several years, glue the printed key onto a piece of cereal-box card before you cut it out.
Which poem should I pick?
“No chimney” is the classic: the house has no chimney, so the key hangs on the door. “Short, for little ones” has eight short lines that a young child can follow. “Flat or apartment” is for homes with a hallway and a front door but no fireplace at all. All three are written for this page.
Can I put the children's names on it?
Yes. Type them under “From” and the back of the tag ends with “With love from” and the names. The family name goes on the front, under the poem; leave it empty and the tag prints a line to write it by hand.
Is anything uploaded from this page?
No. The tag, the key and the PDF are drawn in your browser. The names you type are kept in this browser for next year, and no request carries them anywhere.