There's Someone In The Chimney

The best part of this simple tune is the "mystery" of the identity of the character in the chimney. While singers speculate that it must be Ol' St. Nick, the voice in the chimney insists otherwise. Use a big cardboard chimney for St. Nick to hide behind. Or do a cutaway version where he can be seen. Be sure to pick an outgoing student to play him whether you show him (or her) or not. He could cup his hand over his mouth lightly to sound more muffled. But be aware of the ability to understand what he's saying from the audience if he does. In any event, an obvious lowering of the voice to mimic an older gentleman is definitely called for.

As for his demeanor, at first he should be concerned that he's been heard. Then he tries to cover his noise in a variety of ways (mice, raccoons, land shark...), so his attitude should be comical and even hammy. By the end of the tune, he's pretty much had it with the whole thing, and his attitude becomes more annoyed than anything. This evolution of behavior is not critical, but it would be very cute if you had an actor who could pull it off. Ours was 10-year-old Benjamin Ellsworth, who makes an excellent model, especially for timing and delivery.