CHICAGO - Playing Santa Claus, or perhaps more properly portraying one of Santa’s “helpers,” can be a lot of fun. But jolly old elves aren’t just born; it’s something you have to work at. Doing it right is worth the effort.
“Being Santa is a true joy, a passion of mine and an amazing experience,” confirms Santa Claus Allen (Mitchell Allen), who has a website, (santaallen.com). He works the Dallas-Fort Worth area and has been performing professionally for seven years. “Most people started [doing this] at a home party or company party; someone asked you to do it, and you had a lot of fun. You brought joy to other people, and seeing that joy is a real privilege.”
Santa Allen and a second expert, Nutmeg, the lead elf at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn. (which has asked that we not print the names of Santa’s helpers),took time from their busy holiday schedules to talk about what goes into making a good Santa.
Do your homework: Have a working knowledge of Christmas and the stories that surround it. Also, know that kids get their holiday lore from different sources, so you may say something, and the child will counter with something they heard elsewhere. Don’t tell children they’re wrong.
“We use an improv trick,” Nutmeg explains. “The ‘Yes, and …’ You agree with them, and you add something.”
The Santa suit: Get a good one, not some cheesy outfit that won’t last beyond one or two appearances. Good costumes can get scarce this time of year, so reserve one ASAP. Don’t forget the white gloves, boots and hat either.
Get in the spirit: Doing this right, like a pro, is a lot of work. Preparation can take 30 minutes to an hour. Santa Allen says that while he’s getting ready, he listens to Christmas music. “It definitely gets me into the spirit. … It doesn’t matter if it’s July for a photo shoot or for Christmas Eve.”
Your entrance: Unannounced is better for most parties. Just show up, rather than have a big buildup that only overexcites the crowd. There’s nothing more terrifying than stampeding 5-year-olds.
The laugh: A hearty “Ho!Ho! Ho!” will come with practice, but do you really need it? “On different days Santa laughs more than others,” Nutmeg says. “Most days our Santa is a little more subdued.” If you’re in a small space, constant loud laughter can be overwhelming to kids.
The eye twinkle: Santa Allen says this may not be something you can set out to learn. “I think it’s more about love and joy and hope of the season. It’s a nonjudgmental look of joy. … It’s giving that child your undivided attention. And that comes across as a twinkle or just a warmth of expression.”
Stay in character: For the time you are with the children, you are Santa. Don’t screw it up.
Anchor yourself: At a gathering, don’t wander all over the place in pursuit of starry-eyed urchins. Let them come to you. Find a seat and maybe have a small entourage of elves handle crowd control.
Treats: It can be something small for each kid - Mall of America gives out Peeps in the shape of a Christmas tree - or something larger, such as a toy that skittish children can hold when meeting Santa.
Thinking on your feet: It comes with practice. “Reading ‘’Twas the Night Before Christmas’ or singing carols will give you talking points. Even watching [Christmas] movies,” Nutmeg says. Being up to speed on these things will give you a rejoinder when a child says, “Oh, I just saw you in such-and-such movie.” “If you haven’t seen it, you might have some trouble,” Nutmeg cautions.
Watch your language: Profanity is banned, of course, and Santa also has to be sensitive to the child he’s talking to. “So many are in single-parent homes,” Santa Allen points out. “You can’t talk about ‘mother and father.’If the mother is there, you can talk about helping their mother around the house.”
Making small talk: Getting a conversation started is half the battle. “They’re very interested in what they’re doing,” Santa Allen says. “Ask them how well they’re doing in school, what their favorite video games are, what sports they’re playing, who their best friends are. For girls, do they like princesses, who are their favorites? You can have a 10-minute conversation about princesses. You need to know what are the most popular toys. Those are the things children want to talk about.”
Know your venue: If you’re doing a large event in a big space, you have to be even larger than life. Make yourself a larger presence, further exaggerate your motions, be louder. But in a one-on-one with a child, it’s about being gentle, not over-the-top.
Oops: Accidents happen when you have nervous or excited kids. Sneak away to a restroom and clean up as best you can. (It makes sense to bring an emergency kit for cleanup.) Of course, don’t make a scene and shame the child; it was an accident. Mall of America has a large housekeeping staff equipped for such emergencies, Nutmeg says. “They run to our rescue to make sure we don’t have biohazards, shall we call them, that would jeopardize other visitors.”PLAYING FOR ADULTS
Sometimes, Santa’s helper is called on to entertain adult crowds: office parties, neighborhood gatherings and the like. Santa Allen says he prefers not to do adult parties, but if he does, he makes sure how the host is going to use Santa.
“I don’t want to be someone walking around with no defined purpose,” he says.
Here are some things to remember when dealing with an older audience:
Draw a line in the snow: Santa Allen says he tells the host he shouldn’t be saying or doing anything with Santa that a 5-year-old shouldn’t see.
The wise guy: You know him. He tries to grab the beard, he’s obnoxious, he ogles Mrs. Claus. You don’t want to kick him … so you must be diplomatic. “Santa might have to say in a low voice, ‘It would help me if you would keep the magic for others here at the party,’ or ‘Can you just cooperate a little bit?’” Nutmeg suggests.
Repeat: Remain in character: “Even with adults,” Santa Allen affirms. “Some older people, in retirement homes or assisted living communities, those are the most fun events because they’re reliving their childhood memories, and they’re still young at heart.”
Drinkers: Wouldn’t be a Christmas party without them. Ask the party host to help you with an overserved guest. Or if you have a cadre of elves, have them gently lead the ne’er-dowell away.
Lap land: Should Santa let adults sit on his lap? “For the most part it’s a thing you have to play by ear,” Nutmeg says. “You can usually get a feeling when people approach what kind of interaction they want to have. If you feel uncomfortable as they approach, just stand up.”
High Profile, Pages 45 on 12/22/2013