Santa's Workshop Board Game: Rules Summary and Comparison of 1st and 2nd Editions.

This is an overview of the rules and a comparison of all 3 versions of Santa's Workshop -- 1st Edition (2017), 2nd Edition Advanced Game (2023), and 2nd Edition Standard Game (2023), hereafter called 1E, 2EA, and 2ES. I don't do a playthrough because there are already several playthrough videos of 1E and at least one of 2EA, and I'm sure there will be more of the latter soon.
I hope this is useful for those who:
(1) want to learn about both editions. Just watch the whole video.
(2) already know how to play 1E well and want to learn 2E. Skip to the 17 minute point.
(3) only care about 2E. In that case, you'll need to watch it all because when I get to 2E I mainly describe it in terms of comparisons with 1E. However, I think that's worth the time, since your appreciation of 2E will increase if you understand the design history, a huge part of which how 1E is played and what the changes are.
Below are a bunch of details that I left out or got wrong in the video, as well as a basic summary of setup, end game scoring and 2/3-player changes. Note anything I should change or add in the comments and I'll edit this post.
--GENERAL / TERMINOLOGY--
2E has Standard and Advanced Rules. I forgot whether the former was called Introductory, Family, Basic, Standard, etc. The Advanced Rules are closer to and of similar difficulty as 1E.
I kept calling the cards Toy Cards, as in 2E. They are called Gift Cards in 1E.
The Gift Cards require Materials and Assembly Tokens. I kept calling the latter Tools.
The 9th Reindeer in 2E is named Velvet.
--RULES--
There is a 5-Card hand limit. There is no penalty for unfinished Gift Cards (as in Ticket To Ride). However, you can't just toss a card that you think is too hard to finish to keep within your 5-card hand limit if you prefer a new card. E.g., if you already have 3 cards and go to the place to get 3 new cards, you can only get 2.
The little helper you get when visiting Donner in 1E is called Zelf. He can only get Fabric, Wood, or Metal; not Plastic.
1E has a variant called Holiday Surprise, where you choose a card at the start of each day and apply its effects for the day. These can be good (e.g., double bonus at each Reindeer Stable) or bad (get two less Coal).
In 1E all Material on a card must be placed before you can place the Assembly Tokens. In 2E(A&S) you can place them in any order. The latter is much easier! I love that change and will probably house-rule it into 1E.
Helpers: In 2E(A&S) the handshake symbols means helping. An Elf placed here scores points as marked on the board when an Elf by another player is placed to his right in the same section. In 2EA this happens only at the Assembly Hall. In 2ES this happens at the Material Shop and Assembly Hall.
--SETUP--
Coal: 1E: Player 1/2/3/4/5 starts with 2/3/4/5/6 coal. Player 5 can choose any one Training Token instead of the coal.
2EA: 2EA: Same, as 1E, w/o the Training Token option. 2ES: There is no Coal.
Cards: 1E: Deal each player 3 Gift Cards. They can keep 1 to 3. 2E(A&S): Each player is dealt 2 Cards.
--END GAME SCORING--
1E: 1 point for each Material or Assembly Token. 1 point for each 2 Coal.
2EA: 1 point for each Material or Assembly Token. No points for Coal. Various points for number of Reindeer Cards. Points on Player Mats: 2 per Training Token placed with 2-point side up + 2 for each Elf with two Training Tokens (either side up) + 4 for each type of Equipment that was Upgraded twice (mining carts, mining tools, reindeer blankets).
2ES: 1 point for each Material or Assembly Token. Various points for number of Reindeer Cards.
Tie Breaker: 1E: Most Coal, then most Training Tokens. 2EA: Most points from Reindeer Cards, then most Coal. 2ES: Most points from Reindeer Cards.
--2/3 PLAYER NUMBER OF ELVES--
1E: Use 4 Elves.
2EA&S: Choose a Santa's Helper Figure as a 4th "Elf", who works the same as Elves but can't be Trained.
--3 PLAYER BOARD CHANGES--
1E: Block one spot in each of the Reindeer Stables, Assembly Hall, and Classroom. (Also with 4 players, but this makes the game so tight that sometimes I house-rule to not do this with 4 players.)
2EA: Block 1 spot in Reindeer Stables, leaving 2 of 3.
2ES: No changes.
--2 PLAYER BOARD CHANGES--
1E: Block two spots in each of the Reindeer Stables, Assembly Hall, and Classroom.
1E: Only 1 spot can be used at each Material Station; AFTER one is used, block the other with an Elf of an unused player color.
2EA: Only 1 spot can be used at each Material Station and in the Mail Room; AFTER one is used, block the other with an Elf of an unused player color.
2EA: Block the one-point spot at Christmas Tree (leaving only the first-player spot).
2ES: No changes.