You've been training for months.
And it has been grueling.
You've been pushed to your limits,
mentally and physically.
The time comes,
and it's your moment to step up.
You don the red suit and hat,
and step onto the stage.
Here's
It's Christmas time,
and you're enjoying some exciting things.
The season is changing,
you're decorating a tree,
and eggs are being nogged.
And a very special man is coming to malls
and shopping centers around the world.
Santa Claus.
You might see the rotund, happy man,
sitting there talking to kids
and posing for photos,
and think that his job is simple.
But it takes a lot of work
and preparation to be a mall Santa.
The chances are that Santa's
a graduate of Santa University,
a four-day course in Arvada, Colorado.
To attend, potential Santas must pass
background and security checks.
They go through interviews,
where they're asked about
their experiences with children,
fondest memory of playing Santa,
and most importantly,
what Christmas means to them.
If they're successful,
the Santa students will learn
the ethics of playing Santa,
how to stay in character,
some inside tips on playing the big man,
and how to handle
tough questions and situations.
If you find yourself
playing Santa over the Christmas season,
It's your first gig as the jolly man in red.
How are you going to survive this for six weeks?
The most important part of playing Santa
is that you must stay in character at all times.
This includes outside of
Santa season too.
Talking to Santa can be
incredibly important to a young child,
so giving them the best experience
possible is your top priority.
Most Santas say they do it for the smiles
and joy it brings to the kids,
not for the paycheck.
You'll need to be an expert on Santa.
Be sure to know things like Mrs. Claus' name,
the reindeers' names,
and how to deliver presents to
houses without chimneys.
And stay up-to-date on Santa movies.
Children might ask you why you did
certain things in a movie,
so you'll need to know what
they're asking about.
Browse a toy catalog too,
so you know what a child might ask for,
and talk with them about that toy.
Remember, you make all of them
in your workshop,
so you need to know your products.
Children don't always speak English,
and some children can't speak at all.
It helps if you speak more than one language.
Students of Santa University learn the essentials
of sign language as part of their training.
And you'll be encouraged to learn
key phrases in Spanish,
or other common languages
used near your shopping center gig.
Communicating to a child
in their native tongue
can make a huge difference to them.
You need to look the part.
While a child might not notice
that you're wearing a cheap, felt Santa suit,
parents will.
The best Santas invest in a
hand-sewn Santa suit with white fur trim.
Your clients will range from babies to children.
And there may be some unforeseen accidents,
such as vomiting
or a surprise bathroom visit on your lap.
So bring several red suits with you.
A small amount of red makeup
on your cheeks and nose
can also help give you that jolly disposition.
Santas are encouraged to have their beards
professionally bleached to the Kris Kringle white.
If it isn't done right,
a beard can turn out yellow.
Who wants to be mobbed at the urinal?
Peeing privately also helps maintain
the illusion of being Santa.
Some malls have a private dressing room
and bathroom for Santa.
But if you don't have this luxury,
find the most
out-of-the-way bathroom there is.
Or, ask nearby stores
if they'll let you use their staff restrooms.
Who's going to say no to Santa?
Mall Santas have the capacity
to talk to over 50,000 children
in the six week period they work.
That is a lot of heavy lifting,
a lot of weight focused on your lap
and the capacity for an large
amount of germs to be around you.
At the end of your shift,
make sure you go home and get
plenty of rest and recovery.
Have heat packs to warm and relax
your back and arms from
lifting a child while in a sitting position.
Have ice packs on hand
for the bruising that can occur on your legs
from the children sitting there all day.
There will also be plenty of germs
in your beard if the kids stoke it
play with it,
cough,
or sneeze near it.
So plan for a daily washing
and styling session.
Be sure to carry with you
plenty of hand sanitizer.
Germs can easily spread when in contact
with so many children so do your best to
protect both yourself and
any other child from these germs.
Playing Santa can be an intimidating job,
but the joy it brings to thousands of children
keeps the Santas coming back.
Remember the Christmas spirit,
and the joy you're bringing to the kids,
and you can survive being a mall Santa.
What if you took it one step further,
and went to the North Pole?
Even with your red suit on,
you might not be prepared for
such extreme cold.
But if Santa can do it, you can do it.
Just watch How to Survive Being Frozen,
here on How to Survive.