Santa’s helpers, elves Juliet Scrine and Ian McColm from the Eaton Gorge Theatre Company, have been spotted helping Mr Claus check in to see how naughty or nice children in the Illawarra have been.

“We found most children were doing extremely well and they were helping their parents prepare for Christmas very well,” said Ms Scrine. “Most children have been very polite … and there are not many on the naughty list this year.”

She said supervising the gift-wrappers in Santa’s Workshop had been a hard task, as she would continually get paper cuts, though the elves wrapping skills had stepped up a notch this year.

A statement released from Mrs Claus has asked children to check with their parents before leaving a midnight snack for Santa as he’s watching his weight. However a glass of milk is always welcomed, as is a carrot or apple for the reindeer.

WEDNESDAY 9:00am

Australia will be one of the first countries Santa Claus will visit this Christmas eve, and is expected to cross the Illawarra skies with his reindeer between 12:30am and 1:30am.

Airservices Australia spokeswoman Amanda Palmer said relevant safety checks being undertaken by their Santa Commanders.

“Usually he enters Australian airspace around midnight after skipping past New Zealand and the South Pacific, but he has to go to Tasmania first before heading up through Victoria and into NSW and eventually past the Illawarra,” said Ms Palmer.

TUESDAY 3:30pm:

Santa Clause spotted with a helper, Elf Juliet, in the streets around Figtree.

A spokesperson from the North Pole said it was part of checks to ensure every home of every good little boy and girl was able to get Mr Claus’ deliveries on Christmas Eve.

TUESDAY 9:00am:

Santa’s Workshop head elf, Elf Benard, has told the Illawarra Mercury the toys are nearly all packed in the sleigh and ready to depart on Wednesday at 11:59pm.

At Airservices Australia the Santa Commanders are continuing to prepare various airports around the country for the arrival of Mr Claus into the nation’s airspace, including at Illawarra Regional Airport in Albion Park.

MONDAY 2:00pm:

Video released of Santa Claus visiting air traffic controllers to ensure the flight path on Christmas Eve will be a smooth ride. They have been discussing his flight plan with reindeer in tow, and alerting all airports including Illawarra Regional Airport at Albion Park.

MONDAY 10:30am:

Images have been released showing the flight path Santa Claus and his reindeer will take on Christmas Eve.

It follow’s the submission of the flight plan last week by Mr Claus, which has allowed Australia’s air traffic controllers – including at Illawarra’s Regional Airport in Albion Park – to finalise where the jolly old fellow enters our skies and leave, along with the time he will arrive and depart.

Airservices Executive General Manager Air Traffic Control Greg Hood said that everyone at Airservices had been working hard to ensure Santa’s flight goes safely and efficiently.

“This year Santa is sticking to a flight path he’s used previously which sees him enter Australia via the south and make use of Australia’s different time zones to zig zag his way across the country.”

Mr Hood said Mr Claus and Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer had completed a test flight to Melbourne to ensure all his navigation equipment was working correctly ahead of Christmas Eve.

“Our staff around the country, together with our crew of Santa Commanders, have been working hard behind-the-scenes in ensuring that Santa’s flight will go as safely and efficiently as planned while making sure that all those travelling to visit family and friends on Christmas Eve are also kept safe in our skies,” he said.