The title says it all. My household has just experienced their first Christmas but without Santa Claus. He is still supposed to show up at the front door if you have no fireplace, right? Or did they change that? It's now 10pm and still he hasn't shown. 7 very disappointed sims (one materialistic sim who is planning to sue the North Pole if he doesn't get that visit) are waiting anxiously for him to show. Camron has already put in a phone call to his attorney at Sue Daily and Associates I'm sure.

Not a dumb question and all I did was change the name. And if I'm not mistaken, I believe I've only ever had 2 houses that had fireplaces because that's one thing I always forget to add to my builds. But anyway, I desperately put in a fireplace at 11pm and wouldn't you know it? It showed up immediately upon returning to live mode! He didn't appear at the fireplace though. He appeared outside the front door. By that time, I had to wake some very angry toddlers and children to talk to him. The adults and children were able to get their presents but the toddlers didn't make it in time because of tantrums and distance from their rooms. ugh, three toddlers at one time... what were they thinking???

I've always had him show up in plenty of time for everyone to get their present and never so late. Camron just talked to Sue Daily herself and she's agreed to take the case. She really does live up to her name.

Oh and the important point is that when he finally showed it was immediately after I put in the fireplace. So if I had not done that, I don't know if he would have showed at all. I wonder if it's a glitch from the last patch/update?

It's not at all uncommon for him to not show--I've learned that Father Winter is quite selective as to who he graces with his appearance lol

Was there a blizzard? He almost always shows up around 8:00 pm (no fireplace needed) and leaves around 11:00 pm, but if there is a blizzard - he often will not even make it in time - you can usually see him struggling down the street. Poor dude should really be allowed to have a sleigh and reindeer or at least be able to ride the cable car or train or they should have given us cross-country skiing too so he could get around easier in the snow!

Father Winter (Santa Claus) Did Not Show Up!

PenguinFoop
4 years ago
Winterfest is a Sims holiday. It comes every Sim year. It has nothing to do with what is happening in real life.
RouenSims
Seasoned Traveler
4 years ago
You have to have the Seasons expansion pack in order to celebrate Winterfest or see Father Winter.
ticluao
4 years ago
"SimsLady2000;c-17758105" wrote:
There has to be a fireplace at least nearby.

NO. You dont need a fireplace (again, people seem to lack the ability to read). I mean, i NEVER EVER buy a fireplace since the last two years, and he shows up basically always.

The times he didnt was because i had the door locked (he will come and leave) or i wasnt in the household by then, or whatever. Also if you invite him before he needs to come back for the event, the game goes crazy and he will leave and never come back again. So you are not going to see him and you will fail the event. There are some situations where he wont show up, specific situations. Otherwise, he will always show up as long as you have a gift pile in your household.
PenguinFoop
4 years ago
"Tantalus;c-17758591" wrote:
"SimsLady2000;c-17758105" wrote:
There has to be a fireplace at least nearby.

NO. You dont need a fireplace (again, people seem to lack the ability to read). I mean, i NEVER EVER buy a fireplace since the last two years, and he shows up basically always.

The times he didnt was because i had the door locked (he will come and leave) or i wasnt in the household by then, or whatever. Also if you invite him before he needs to come back for the event, the game goes crazy and he will leave and never come back again. So you are not going to see him and you will fail the event. There are some situations where he wont show up, specific situations. Otherwise, he will always show up as long as you have a gift pile in your household.

I have many houses that have no fireplaces and have never had an issue with him. He's always showed. This was the first time that he arrived so late and only immediately after I built the fireplace. So I know that he did not need a fireplace in the past. And I know the wiki states that if there is no fireplace present, he will simply come to the front door. However, I don't remember reading anything about having to have a present pile for him to show (but I always do so that's never been an issue). In fact, I did not even know that there were "situations" in which he may not come as I've never had this happen before.

The whole point of this thread is that it was getting closer and closer to 2am and I had 8 people who wanted that extra present. Then as I posted later, he did finally show exactly when I returned to live mode from b/b mode where I bought the fireplace. I hadn't even had a chance to light the fire and he showed.

So yes, in the past and according to the wiki, a fireplace is not required. So I was just wondering if that had changed with the latest patches and updates.
Simmerville
Seasoned Ace
4 years ago
"Tammors;c-17758293" wrote:
Today is Christmas Day in real life. Is Winterfest on now, or is it over?

If you have Seasons pack there is a calendar with scheduled holidays. The holiday don't even need to be Winter Fest, as long as Father Winter is added as a feature. So, I guess he can visit even in Summer if you want that - you would just need to add a new holiday including Father Winter.
Kathykins
Seasoned Newcomer
4 years ago
I've had plenty of houses without fireplaces, and he still showed. He just spawned outside, and used the mailbox to vanish again.

Probably a dumb question, and you probably already checked....but if its a custom holiday, did you add him to the traditions? Forgot to do that myself once.
Simmerville
Seasoned Ace
4 years ago
LOL @ suing Northpole :)

I see you solved it. Just want to add that in my experience he don't show up at a set hour, might be quite early or very late. Guess he is busy. Not sure if kids/no kids in the household affects that hour. I had him visit no kids houses, too.
ticluao
4 years ago
Erm. You dont need a "fireplace" at all. Just a gift pile (ï guess). And probably not even that. And yes, sometimes he wont show up. Happened to me several times. So?. Welcome to The Sims 4.
PenguinFoop
4 years ago
Hmm, interesting. I've never had him not show. This would have been the first and again, it's odd that he showed exactly after I went back to live mode after placing the fireplace.
GypsyRozLyn
New Spectator
4 years ago
@simslady2000 I rarely have a fireplace in my sims homes and often have them live where there are no neighbors and I have never had him not show up unless a blizzard slowed him down.