Santa tells the story of the evening
Chapter one
A cold case from the North Pole
Chapter one
A cold case from the North Pole
Ho ho ho… come in, come in, out of the cold. I'm so glad you found your way to the mill. Pull up a chair by the fire, because I have a story to tell you. You know it already. Everybody knows it. Walking home from our house, Christmas Eve. Nineteen seventy-nine. Hoofprints on her forehead. And for forty-seven years, the whole world has blamed my reindeer. But nobody ever asked which one. And nobody… ever asked if it was a reindeer at all.
To the finest detectives in East Central Indiana
You are cordially summoned to the mill on Saturday, December 19, 2026 to attend a Christmas dinner, reopen a case that has been closed since 1979, and help a very tired Santa find out who really did it.
— S. Claus, North Pole
Chapter two
The case file
Here is what we actually know. A little after midnight, Grandma left the house and started walking home, the same as every year. The next morning: hoofprints. Incriminating Claus marks. And a family that, I'm sorry to say, took it remarkably well. Grandpa went right back to the football game. Now. I have nine reindeer. I have checked every hoof, twice. Those prints do not match a single one of them. Somebody wanted this to look like a reindeer. The case was closed in nineteen seventy-nine, and it was closed wrong. On the night of the party… we are finally going to close it right.
Tap the evidence. Santa's already had a look.
Chapter three
The scene of the crime
Picture it. A hundred-year-old grain elevator, standing tall over the tracks in a little Indiana town. Garland on the timbers. Candles in the windows. A thousand warm lights strung through the rafters. And every so often, a freight train rolls right past the building, close enough to rattle the glasses. It is, if I may say so, the most magical place I've seen outside the North Pole.
- Built 1919. On the National Register of Historic Places.
- The restored loft. Dressed in garland, candlelight, and a thousand warm bulbs.
- Live trains. Freight still rolls past the building. When one does, we toast.
- Cozy by design. Up to 40 guests. Every seat is close to the action.
Santa swears the trains are not suspects. We have our doubts.
Chapter four
The feast
Now, nobody cracks a forty-seven-year-old case on an empty stomach. There will be a proper catered Christmas dinner. Warm plates, good company, hot cocoa, and a dessert that would make Mrs. Claus jealous. You'll eat between the clues, and I promise you, nobody gets run over. Probably.
Chapter five
Your part in it
Here's the fun part. You won't just be watching this story. You'll be in it. When you arrive, you'll receive a character: a name, a secret, and a reason someone might suspect you. So dress for it! Your very best Christmas outfit. Velvet and sequins, ugly sweaters, tartan, a sprig of holly in your hat. Grandma would have wanted you to look fabulous. And trust me… the best-dressed suspects always get the most attention.
Which suspect are you? Three questions. Be honest. Grandma would know.
Dress code: your best Christmas outfit
- Sequins
- Velvet
- Tartan
- Ugly sweaters
- Santa hats
- Holly in your hat
- Fur-trimmed anything
- Matching couples
There is a prize for best-dressed suspect. There is no prize for restraint.
Chapter six
How the night unfolds
The evening unfolds like this. The doors open, and you'll find your name and your character waiting for you. Mingle, snoop, and gather your first clues. Then we sit down to dinner, and the interrogations begin. Keep your ears open. By the time dessert arrives, you'll make your accusation. And then… I'll tell you who really did it.
-
Doors
Arrival at the depot
Check in, pick up your character card, and find your seat under the lights.
-
Act I
Mingle & first clues
Find your character. Mingle in character. Snoop. Every guest knows something no one else does.
-
Act II
Dinner is served
A catered Christmas dinner, served while the story unfolds.
-
Act III
The interrogations
Over dinner, Santa brings suspects forward. Alibis crack. Secrets surface.
-
Dessert
The accusation
Every table casts its vote. Which reindeer? Or was it a reindeer at all?
-
Finale
Case closed
Santa names who really did it, forty-seven years late. Prizes for the sharpest detectives and the best-dressed suspects.
Chapter seven
Rules of the game
A few things to remember. Come as your character, stay in character, and fib if you have to. Everyone has a secret, and nobody's secret is boring. Bring a sharp eye and a good sense of humor. And watch your tablemates closely… the real culprits are always the quiet ones. Oh, and please, be kind to my reindeer. They've had a very hard week.
Tick them off as you pack. The list saves itself in this browser.
Chapter eight
Close the case
So. Forty-seven years is long enough. Will you help me clear my reindeer's good name? Claim your seat at the table. Seats are limited, the mill is cozy, and Grandma… well. Grandma isn't getting any less run over. Ho ho ho! I'll see you at the mill.
Saturday, December 19, 2026 · Doors 6:00 PM
The Goodrich · 106 N Main Street, Farmland, Indiana