Acting Out Santa – What it Takes to be a Great Santa
Can anyone play Santa? Yes, more than likely but can everyone make a convincing Santa, the one that spread Christmas cheer to all ages and a sprinkle of festive magic?
The lights are beginning to twinkle, the anticipation of the season is in the air as Santa Clause is coming to town. Due any minute, there is row upon row of expectant, excited faces – disappointing them is not an option. Whether it is a sea of children’s happy faces waiting for the Man in Red or a group of older people at a nursing home Christmas party, Santa needs to hit all the right notes…
Step 1 – Get The Santa Look
We know Santa today as a large, white-bearded gentleman clad in a red suit, broad black belt and a matching hat.
As Christmas nears, you can hire or buy Santa suits for no more than a few more pounds BUT, not all Santa suits are created equal. Some look and feel cheap, the jacket is a simple wrap-around in design and it just isn’t convincing at all.
Santa’s suit is his uniform. He wears it to zoom around the world, delivering gifts to children. He travels at supersonic speeds, evidence of which you’ll find on the Santa Tracker, zig-zagging across time zones and so his suit needs to be warm yet cool. It needs to sit his ample proportions. It needs to protect him.
Can a cheap Santa suit do that? We think not.
Step 2 – The Santa Attitude
He is always smiling – he never frowns even when he is tired.
He is NEVER off-duty – whether you spot him at Christmas photoshoot in the summer or sitting in his Grotto, he will always have that twinkle in his eye.
He can relate to everyone – whether they are young or old, happy, sad, verbal or non-verbal…
Santa is the jolliest man you’ll ever come across. His aim in life since the day he was invented is to make people smile, to help them believe in the magic of the festive season, persuading even the most practical of people to let go and believe in Father Christmas.
The thing is, this is not a natural state of being for a human. We find acting ‘jolly’ difficult (embarrassing, even!) and being jovial all the time, even when we have a headache after being in Santa’s Grotto all day, or our feet hurt in our boots, difficult.
It’s a tall order – have you got what it takes to be a jolly Santa all-of-the-time?
Step 3 – The Santa Patter
He knows what to say to every person he meets. How knows how to answer the question ‘are you the real Santa?’.
He also knows that children and their comfort and safety are important. So he’ll always ask if they would like his arm around them or would they prefer to sit on a chair next to him? They never want anyone, child or adult, to feel uncomfortable in his presence.
And that’s why he knows how to start to conversation…
Step 4 – The Ho-Ho-Ho!
It’s his call sign. It is as recognisable as his shape and his red suit, the hefty black boots and the snow-white beard. Every Santa must practice his ho-ho-ho call sign and get it right every time.
Of course, you could hire a trained, professional Father Christmas performer. You won’t be disappointed…
Call us on 0844 800 0071 to chat through your requirements this festive time.
