Santa Claus patents and New Year’s patents
The holiday season is here (and winter has started with the solstice, although on much of the US East Coast it doesn’t quite feel like winter… yet). And with the holidays, of course, come patents! Whatever holidays you celebrate, I think you’ll enjoy reading about a few Santa Claus patents and patents related to New Year’s.
Santa Claus patents:
A detector 
Of course, Santa Claus travels impossibly fast: roughly 650 miles per second (that is, over 3,000 times the speed of sound at or near sea level atmospheric pressures), according to this entertaining discussion of the physics of Santa, and whether he exists. Assuming he does, anyone would want to know when he arrives. US Patent 5523741 has you covered, with a Christmas stocking device that, when triggered, lights a bright light to signal the arrival of Santa. And with someone traveling at over 650 miles per second, you’d want to know right away, or you might miss them.
A “visit kit” 
Maybe Santa didn’t visit your house, or you or your kids are not sure he’s going to (in which case you may have problems that not even a patented item can resolve). Maybe you just need to make it look like he did. Why? Why not! Maybe he left a load of presents and/or coal, but you need a stronger suggestion that it was Santa… Despair not, for here is US Patent 7258592, for a Santa Claus visit kit. The kit includes a Christmas diorama, with items to share with one or more children, that the children may believe will help Santa Claus to make his visit. The kit also includes items to help simulate a visit by Santa Claus,such as a stencil to make boot prints, and items to help convince those children (or anyone else?) that Santa Claus did visit, such as a letter claiming to be from Santa Claus. What more could a parent put on their wish list? If you need additional inspiration, US patent application 2006-0116049 (abandoned) disclosed making hoofprints (from reindeer, of course), scattering corn, and leaving a bit of torn fabric from Santa’s jacket.
Santa in a tub 
Traveling impossibly fast and climbing up and down all those chimneys must be tiring. And messy, too. Which makes US patent D372207, for a Santa Claus figure in a tub, make a lot of sense. Note the rubber ducky with the matching hat.
Santa jacket as bottle cover 
Not all Santa Claus patents relate to Santa traveling, or cleaning up. After all those deliveries, Santa Claus may deserve a drink. US patent D481267 may be just the ticket: a bottle cover styled as Santa’s jacket. Perfect for when Santa gets to relax and enjoy New Year’s, before next year’s Christmas rush. He’ll probably appreciate these New Year’s patents.
New Year’s patents
Synchronized ball drop and confetti sprayer 
Who doesn’t like to celebrate the New Year with a descending light-up ball? And confetti? I don’t know either. But, if you’ve had trouble synchronizing your dropping ball with your confetti spray (and who hasn’t?), read on: US patent 6260989 has you covered, with a “synchronized confetti sprayer and descending illuminated ball.” With a support pole, a track, a light-up ball to descend that track, and a confetti sprayer, the invention can spray the confetti at just the right moment, so you can concentrate on celebrating!
Mobile celebration device 
While you’re celebrating, unconcerned with needing to coordinate your ball drop with confetti, you may want to wear any of a number of celebratory accessories. US patent 8936503 has you covered, with an array of mobile and person-scaled celebratory devices, including a ball-dropper mounted on a hat (pictured above), and a ball-dropper mounted on sunglasses (pictured here). Now you’re ready!
Happy holidays!
Whatever you’re celebrating, and whenever, happy holidays, and best wishes for a happy and healthy 2016!
