Santa Marty Plas is an educator, parent, grandparent, and professional Santa. He taught special education for 34 years. Now he helps families connect at Christmas. His book, All Aboard Santa's Futuristic Express!, is a twelve-year journey of conversation, self-discovery, and holiday tradition for children and parents.
Santa Marty Plas is a retired special education teacher of 34 years, father of three, and grandfather of seven. A graduate of the Charles Howard Santa School, he has performed as a mall Santa for ten seasons. He received the Lions International Melvin Jones Fellowship Award for humanitarian service. Drawing on his career as an educator and career coordinator, he creates tools to help families build meaningful connections with their children.
“The further from the engine a child gets, the more independent they should become.” – Santa Marty Plas
All Aboard Santa's Futuristic Express! by Santa Marty Plas offers a unique 12-year parent-child Christmas tradition. Using the metaphor of a train journey from kindergarten through high school graduation, the activity book prompts children annually to reflect on their evolving values, interests, and skills. Stored with holiday decorations, each year's entry captures a snapshot of personal growth, starting with parental guidance and transitioning to child-led independence by sixth grade. Designed to spark meaningful conversations, the completed book becomes a cherished graduation keepsake and a celebration of self-awareness, replacing pressure with curiosity and fostering lasting family bonds through a simple, repeatable ritual.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Quis sed donec quis nunc aliquet cursus mauris ut. Enim fermentum maecenas rutrum dapibus sodales quis.
Explore what our readers are saying about the book. This twelve-year Christmas tradition turns holiday moments into meaningful self-discovery. Simple, repeatable, and surprisingly powerful, it has earned praise for sparking genuine connection and creating a graduation keepsake parents and children genuinely look forward to each year.
Finally, a tool that bridges home and school without feeling like homework. The three simple questions—values, interests, skills—give me instant insight into what motivates a child. I've recommended this to every parent at my last parent-teacher conference. It builds self-awareness from day one.
Reader
The caboose page—where graduating seniors summarize their top values, interests, and skills—is pure genius. It gives students a clear, positive summary of who they are before leaving for college or work. I wish every incoming freshman had completed this journey. A truly practical keepsake.
Reader
What I gain from this book is a structured way to ask my child the questions I never think to ask. 'What do you love?' sounds simple, but having it on paper each Christmas makes it intentional. It turns holiday downtime into genuine connection without pressure or lectures.
Reader
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Quis sed donec quis nunc aliquet cursus mauris ut. Enim fermentum maecenas rutrum dapibus sodales quis.
Stay current with fresh perspectives on holiday traditions and child development. Recent articles discuss turning Christmas break into a meaningful family connection, building self-awareness year after year, and creating a keepsake that grows alongside your child—all without screens or complicated planning.
Christmas traditions often begin with excitement but fade over time as children grow older, schedules change, and interests shift. What feels magical for a five-year-old
Many parents believe high school offers students a complete “fresh start.” The idea sounds reassuring: a new building, new teachers, new classmates, and a chance
Every parent wants to help their child grow into a confident, capable, and happy individual. During the elementary school years, children begin developing habits, preferences,
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Quis sed donec quis nunc aliquet cursus mauris ut. Enim fermentum maecenas rutrum dapibus sodales quis.
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing.
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Venenatis pulvinar sapien urna blandit sit adipiscing. Quis parturient quisque malesuada pharetra scelerisque orci consectetur pulvinar. Consequat viverra morbi morbi vitae tincidunt tristique mi. Cursus sollicitudin augue imperdiet lectus gravida.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. In vitae turpis massa sed elementum tempus egestas sed. Diam in arcu cursus euismod. Dolor sed viverra ipsum nunc aliquet bibendum enim facilisis gravida
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. In vitae turpis massa sed elementum tempus egestas sed. Diam in arcu cursus euismod. Dolor sed viverra ipsum nunc aliquet bibendum enim facilisis gravida
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. In vitae turpis massa sed elementum tempus egestas sed. Diam in arcu cursus euismod. Dolor sed viverra ipsum nunc aliquet bibendum enim facilisis gravida
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. In vitae turpis massa sed elementum tempus egestas sed. Diam in arcu cursus euismod. Dolor sed viverra ipsum nunc aliquet bibendum enim facilisis gravida
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Quis sed donec quis nunc aliquet cursus mauris ut. Enim fermentum.
