THE CLAUS ARE OUT

23-11-2006

Birmingham finds itself in the middle of Claus Wars this Christmas, as rival Santas battle it out to give presents to kids - and extract cash from their parents.

The council's traditional grotto has moved from Victoria Square to St Martins, and it promises to be a lavish affair. With adults and children each coughing up £5 a head it should be.

I'm assured it will be a proper “experience” lasting around half an hour, with families being greeted by elves, then walked through a Winter Wonderland, before finally meeting Santa. All visitors will then be given goodie bags boasting around twenty quids worth of goodies, before a final “surprise” - a meeting with the West Midlands only yeti. One bonus here is that tickets are timed, so there should be hanging around in the cold.

Meanwhile, over at The Pallasades, a rival Santa is setting up camp. This grotto promises a tip to the North Pole, a Polar Bear Village, Reindeer Park and Santa's very own Log Cabin. Not bad for a fiver a head, and the difference here is that adults go free - no crying if it's only the kids who get a present mind.

It should be one in the eye for precocious teenagers who insist that Father Christmas doesn't exist. Rubbish! In Birmingham we've got a pair.

The Stirrer will be testing ‘em both out in the coming weeks, too, but we'd welcome your comments as well.

Birmingham's “official” Santa is at next to St Martins Church from Saturday, December 2.

The Pallasades Santa is around from this Saturday, November 25.