Nice work, Mike. Next time try and give Santa a smile. Thinner eyes with smile lines off the nostrils.
A suggested finish is a coat of boiled linseed oil, then diluted acrylic paints just enough to have color and still see the wood grain. No paint on the face except for a hint of rosy cheeks, nose tip, and lips. But light on the paint so it won't look like something from the Christmas Tree Shop for $1.97