He’s making a list, checking it twice — and he’ll also be taking note of whether you’re nice to his famous herd of flying reindeer.

For the 26th year in a row, Santa Claus and his elves will set up shop at the Cougar Mountain Zoo for the Issaquah Reindeer Festival, welcoming children of all ages to share their Christmas wishes and engage in holiday cheer beginning Dec. 1.

Rumor has it the Zoo is the secret home of Claus’s stable of reindeer. Zoo staff care for the mountainous deer year-round, allowing Claus to focus on the manufacture of toys at North Pole headquarters. Zoo spokesperson Cari McKinstry suggested, but would not confirm, that Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer lives under the secret identity of “Wishes the Reindeer” during the off-season.

Claus’s reindeer originally hail from the frozen of tundras of Siberia, the vast eastern region of Russia. (Fun fact: in some Russian and Slavic cultures, Claus is known as Father Frost and delivers presents with the help of his granddaughter Snow Maiden).

Visitors will be able to watch the reindeer at home as they prepare for their Dec. 24 flight, meet Claus and sit in his Grand Traveling Sleigh.

“The whole habitat is transformed into a wonderland,” McKinstry said. “Even the adults turn into kids when they see it.”

For the zoo, the Issaquah Reindeer Festival is an important fundraiser. All proceeds support the reindeer herd and the zoo’s educational programs.

The festival is open 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Dec. 1 to Dec. 23. Santa is available until 4 p.m. each day.