Santa in Chicagoland

2010-02-22T09:36:00.000-08:00

Santa and the Family in Homer Glen getting ready for Christmas

The picture is a little girl from Senator Michael Noland's holiday party

Santa "Goes to the Dogs"at Urban Outsitters

2009 was an incrediably busy Santa year. I spent many months putting up my website

Santa in Chicago http://www.santainchicago.com/ which includes hundreds of different Santa events in the Chicago area.

I had many new and exciting Sana events this past season starting on December 4th with Pet Pictures with Santa at Urban Out Sitters in Chicago. This was a first for me so I really didn't quite know what to expect. As it turned out I had four hours of having my picture taken with hundreds of dogs and a couple of cats. Most of them were ok posing with Santa but there were a few that didn't want to have anything to do with me. At least I didn't get bitten. A week later I had a second event with Urban Out Sitters at their other Chicago store and of course there were another 300 barking dogs to greet me. The picture you see above is from that event from that event.

December 4th was a busy day for this old Santa I also was at Senator Michael Noland's Holiday Hoot-Anny in Streamwood and from there I had to rush fifty miles south to Homer Glen for a private party in a home.

The next morning I was at the Arrowhead Golf Club in Wheaton for the Homeowners Breakfast with Santa where the kids couldn't wait to tell Santa what they wanted for Christmas. This was the start of my 2009 season—I'll be telling you much more in future posts.

The Little Guy and Santa

2009-09-08T10:08:00.000-07:00

It's September already and before you know it the 2009 Christmas Season will be in full swing. This year will be different for me, and along with it there will be many new challenges. For one thing, I'll be doing all my own bookings so I'll be much busier. One Santa suit has been cleaned and is ready to go plus I have a beautiful new very expensive Santa outfit for this season. Another thing is I'm making some Santa videos which I'm excited about—I can't wait to get them online. In the coming weeks there are a number of other things I'll be telling you about.

I really love this picture which was taken at a party last December. This guy was just the sweetest little fellow with the nicest expression on his face. When it comes to Christmas the little ones are really special. There is so much to do before the new season begins I really don't know if I'll get it all done.

2009-04-02T12:27:00.000-07:00

Woops -- I got so excited about talking about this cute little baby I almost forgot to upload his picture. When I look at this picture there is one thing that strikes me, did they really have to put up the sign saying "Santa" above me? I really thought most people could figure that one out. Best Wishes and hope you're having beautiful spring weather where ever you are. Until next time HO HO HO!

2009-04-02T11:53:00.000-07:00

Gosh spring is here and its been awhile since I have posted anything. The calendar may say spring but last Sunday when I got up it looked like Christmas all over again. There was about six inches of snow and all the early spring flowers were covered. Feeling lazy and not wanting to shovel one more time I figured if I waited a couple of days it would be gone and I was right.

The Picture you see here is Santa at home wearing a tee shirt my son Mark gave me for Christmas. If you can't read it it says:

Four stages of life:

1. You believe in Santa

2. You believe Santa is fake

3. You play Santa

4. You look like Santa

Well, I sure hope I look like Santa, you don't have much credibility with the kids if you don't.

Here is a picture from a couple of years ago that I really love. It was at a company party and I was really been nervous before I got there. What happened was it was a Saturday afternoon in mid-December and two lanes of traffic were closed on I-88, leaving only one open lane. Even though I had given myself more than enough time to get where I was going, nothing moved for about forty-five minutes. When traffic finally started up I was really worried I wasn't going to make it so I raced as fast as I could to the company headquarters. Fortunately I was only about ten or fifteen minutes late because the children were really anxious to see old Claus. This little guy was one of the last ones I saw that afternoon and because he was only a couple of weeks old the parents really wanted to get his first picture with Santa. They were really delighted and so was I. Until next time.

2009-02-20T13:59:00.000-08:00

In the photo you see here , is a Muslim family. I think that's really nice because for one, it goes against the stereotype that all Muslims are anti-Christian, since Santa is a symbol of Christmas, the ultimate Christian holiday.

Santa Never Knows What to Expect

2009-02-20T13:37:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week I had a call from Marty Chasen. Marty is a Chicago area photographer who asked me to be a Santa for a corporate client of his in Skokie, last December 6th. His call reminded me of that event. The company had a holiday party in their plant and about two hundred families attended. Each family was offered a free picture with Santa and most people accepted. It was an incredibly busy three hours because that's a lot of pictures to take in that time frame. No one, of course had to have their picture taken.

Santa You're Great! You're the Best!

2009-02-13T11:30:00.000-08:00

The first picture you see below is a little guy who was at the Carmen Marine Co-op party in Chicago on December 19th. His parents both came from Romania and his dad drives a semi. The second picture is of a boy who met Santa at the Church Creek Senior Home party on December 6th. He was a great kid and had a very sweet smile.

2009-02-13T10:45:00.000-08:00

Santa you're great, you're the best! My children were thrilled meeting you! Like anyone else, I'm human and love to hear things like this. While it's all very flattering, you're probably thinking, "this guy is too good to be true," and you're probably right! You shouldn't let yourself get a big head when you get a little praise. Now what do I think about myself? If you were to ask me, without trying to be overly modest about it, I think I'm a pretty good Santa. Some, maybe even a lot of the men who play the part are with out a doubt, a lot better at it than me. That's what keeps me on my toes. Unfortunately there are too many people who think all they have to do to be the 'old guy' is to get a red suit, a white beard, some boots and instantly they are transformed into Santa Claus. Possibly so, but unless you have done it for awhile, you really don't know a thing.

If you're ever thinking about playing the role, take a look at the five most important qualities a really good Santa should have, which are listed below. I really hate to see someone who doesn't take the job seriously, or worse yet is totally unconvincing or ignorant about how to play the part. Now lets be honest, you can never take anything for granted and when it comes right down to it, none of us are really all that great! I am always trying hard to be a better Santa, and I'm always looking ahead. As a matter of fact I'm already getting ready for the 2009 Christmas season. Why? Well, I know things aren't going to be easy this year, so I've started contacting people and preparing for November and December, even though it's only February. A lot of the bookings I had last year aren't going to be there when Christmas rolls around this season. Incidentally, it's one thing to lose some Santa work, but something entirely different if you have lost your livelihood. I know a lot of you are going through this and my heart goes out to you. Let's all hope things start to come back before the end of the year.

Pictures from John & Rich's Children's Holiday Tea

2009-02-04T08:25:00.000-08:00

John Dalton gave me a couple more pictures from the Holiday Tea Party he and Rich hosted on December 13th. I couldn't help thinking that these pictures looked like a Christmas from another time and place, almost like the way the Holiday might have been celebrated a hundred years ago. Their old house in Elgin really takes you back in time. The little girl in the shaded picture is Maria Biddelman who was very sweet and really loved Santa. The other picture is of Anna Bicanic Moeller and her mother. Like many children she was a little nervous about sitting on Santa's lap so her mother held her and everything was fine. When I look out of my window today, the sun is shining and snow is still on the ground but all the Christmas decorations are down. In another month the flowers will start poking up out of the ground. The Holiday Tea Party is something Rich and John do every year. They give every child who attends an expensive present and it's really something to see when John gives the signal and all the children start tearing their presents open. These guys really know what the true spirit of the season is and of real giving.

The 5 Most Important Qualities of A Really Good Santa

2009-01-29T13:48:00.000-08:00

This morning at breakfast, while having my coffee I started thinking about what makes a really good Santa. Now there are lots of people playing Santa out there, but frankly most of them are mediocre, uninspiring and very run of the mill. Now to be honest there have been times when I haven't always been the best Santa Claus. Yes, we all make mistakes and I have certainly made my share. However, I do try hard, and I think most of the time I'm a good Santa and over the years I believe I have gotten better. I guess you could say my ambition is to be a really great Santa. After giving it some thought, this is what I came up with as the five most important qualities a really good Santa should have.

Someone playing Santa Claus may look the part and dress perfectly, but is he really right or ready for the role? External things are important but the things I think that really matter are innate and should almost be second nature. I've been a Santa for a long time and when you boil it all down, these are the things that come to mind:

1 - Santa should be a warm caring person. This is something that is inborn. A warm caring person doesn't play Santa to gratify his own ego, he really loves people and knows how to communicate this, especially to small children.

2 - He should be outgoing and enthusiastic. How often have you been to a mall and the Santa sits there like a rock or when he does see kids, he handles them like he is working on an assembly line in a factory? Santa should be full of joy and no matter how long he has been working this joyful outgoing happiness should still come through.

3 - Common sense -- you don't need to be a genius to be Santa but good, basic common sense goes a long way. You have to be able to deal with unruly children, those with special needs, crying babies, nervous and fidgety kids, parents who are irritated and may have had a bad day or impatient photographers who don't know how to get the picture, plus numerous other things that always come up when you're Santa.

4 - Santa should be great with children. Being great with children means you listen to what they have to say, make sure you understand their wants while at the same time never promising them anything specific since, you really don't know what they are going to get. At the same time you let them know they will like what they find under the tree. Also, you know better than to grab a child and put them on your lap because when you do sit a child down, you had better be sure he or she is ready, otherwise you will have someone screaming for mom or dad! A good Santa knows how to interact with children and how to communicate with them on their level. When the child has had time to say everything on his or her mind, he then gently knows how to ease them out of his lap leaving them with happy thoughts.

5 - Be believable -- small children, especially up to the age of six (and usually a few years beyond) absolutely believe in Santa. Because of this it's important you not only look the part but that you are a totally credible Santa. You must live and breathe the part because you are Santa. When you start to believe it yourself this is when you really become Santa Claus.

The picture you see above is from way back in 1993 when I was playing Santa at the Charlestowne Mall in St. Charles, Illinois. I may not look the happiest in that photo, but I sure have learned a lot over the years and I try my hardest to be the best Santa I can.

2009-01-20T11:15:00.000-08:00

Santa had a great time on Saturday, December 20th. That morning I went to Sunrise of Schaumburg a senior center in Schaumburg. They had their holiday party for the seniors and their families so there was a great mix of ages, everything from the very young to the very old with everything in-between. I remember one lady who was turning one hundred who has seen more Christmas's than most of us will ever remember. Just about everyone seemed to be having a fine time as you can see here.

They had some wonderful music and I was enjoying myself as much as anyone else. When they started playing "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" I gave the vocalist a red nose which everyone thought was great. A little girl was dancing so Santa joined in and she loved it. Santa gave out presents to the children and listened to what they wanted. I really had to wonder what this young man was thinking. I love the expression on his face. And of course I love the expression on the mother's face as she listens to her daughter talk to Santa.

2009-01-07T12:16:00.000-08:00

This is Santa with Tatiana. If you're wondering why she has that deer in the headlights look, it's probably because she knows Santa is really grandpa. While she still believes in Santa she knows grandpa is just one of "Santa's helpers" and that is a secret she has to keep from the other kids. She is the youngest of Santa's nine grandchildren.

2009-01-07T11:30:00.000-08:00

Mid month in December is an incredibly busy time for Santa. Saturday December 13th started out with a Breakfast with Santa at the Arrowhead Golf Club in Wheaton. That afternoon was the Dalton-Jacobs Christmas Tea in Elgin. This is one I really enjoy because Ariane (Mrs. Claus) was there along with my daughter Connie and grandchildren, Christopher and Tatiana. John and Rich the two hosts go all out to make this a really memorable occasion for the children and their parents. The kids have the run of their beautiful old home with several beautifully decorated Christmas trees, contests, visits with Santa, a harp playing Christmas music and finally presents for all the children.

2009-01-05T10:26:00.000-08:00

The sun is shining and most of the snow we had in December has melted, but burr, it is cold out. Time to put my boots away and take Santa's suit to the cleaners. this year I had to walk through a lot of deep snow to get into some buildings and homes I was visiting. Most years we don't have that much snow in December or for Christmas but this year was definitely different. I can't remember such a snowy or bad December in the forty years I have lived in Illinois. There were several very snowy days, the worst for driving was on Tuesday, December 16th. I had a Santa job that day from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 in Woodridge at a Kindercare. Because they were predicting snow and wanting to give myself plenty of time I left home about three that afternoon. Normally it would only take about thirty-five to forty-five minutes at most to get where I was going. It started snowing a few minutes after I left and by the time I got to the Elgin - O'Hare Expressway it was coming down hard. It took me an hour and a half to get to the end of the Expressway which is only six miles. It took me another forty five minutes just to get on I-290 heading east. By this time it was a blinding snowstorm and according to the radio, nothing was moving on any of the area expressways. I called the Kindercare people and explained I wasn't going to make it, they understood because all the parents had called telling them they would be late. To make a long story short, I finally got home after eight that night and I had only gone about twenty five miles total. That was the only time in all the years I have been doing Santa that I wasn't able to make it to a job. Fortunately I had an open date so I was able to reschedule this job. That was a day I sure wish I had a sleigh and reindeer and could fly over everything!

The New Year is Here

2009-01-02T10:55:00.000-08:00

Today is the second of January and I am still recovering from the Christmas season. I haven't got a Christmas present for Ariane (Mrs. Claus) because I was so busy in December I never had time to go shopping. I think I'll run over to Woodfield Mall today and see if what she wants is still around.

The photo you see here is one of the pictures from Bass Wonderland in Gurnee, Illinois on Friday, December 12th. The Santa I replaced that day wore a long fake beard which I never think looks very realistic. The Bass Pro Shop's Wonderland is a mall type of operation. These are the hardest to do as a Santa because the lines are usually long and the pay isn't nearly as good as company or private parties (or nearly as much fun). However, they are the best training ground for a Santa as you will get every type of question from every type of kid (and adult) that you can imagine. It's important when you are Santa that you control the conversation with the children and their parents. For example, for some reason many mothers and fathers think Santa can really make children mend their ways if they have been misbehaving. Often a parent might say something like, "Now Kyle, you have to do what Santa says, it's important you pick up the mess in your room and not to fight with your sister, and to listen to me when I tell you something, or Santa Claus isn't going to bring you any presents." The thing is, if little Kyle (or Madison or whomever) has a behavior problem at home, a word from Santa isn't going to undo years of mom and dad spoiling and giving in to their little darlings. I frankly resent being the "bad guy" or disciplinarian in these situations. They way I usually handle this is to throw it back to the parents by saying something like, "well Kyle, I know you are really a good boy and you're going to do what your mom says and help around the house, right?" The child looks at me and says, "right". Problem resolved! I then say, "tell old Santa what would you like for Christmas?" I'm still the "good guy", however mom and dad still have their problem.

2008-12-30T22:24:00.000-08:00

The next morning I went to Arlington Heights to a top of the line senior residence that was having a Christmas party. Most of the people there ranged in age from their sixties to some almost one hundred or older. It always seems strange to see some of the people who are younger than me in a senior facility, and to realize they have absolutely no idea who they are or where they are. Very sad. The majority of the old people I saw that Saturday were with their children, grandchildren and even their great grandchildren. Some people, however, were all alone. I made it a point to talk to them and hoped I was able to bring some joy and happiness to their day. I remember in particular one very old woman who I wished a very cheery Merry Christmas! She gave me a hard look and in a very gruff voice said, "what do you want"? I guess you can't please everyone.

2008-12-30T21:58:00.000-08:00

In case you started counting again there are 359 days left until Christmas 2009. When you are Santa the month of December seems like a mad rush and the lines of cuhildren waiting to tell you what they want never seem to end. For Santa, December is the fastest month of the year gradually building to a crescendo as anxious children can barely contain their excitement and anticipation of the big day. When there are only a few days left things are really at a fever pitch.

In my early years as Santa most of my work was mall related, however in recent years I do a wide variety of events covering many different Chicagoland cities. This year for example, I started in my hometown of Streamwood on a frigid early December, Friday night for state Senator Michael Noland’s Holiday party. The picture you see is Senator Noland playing Rudolph for me. He was a very good sport about it.

2008-12-30T21:55:00.000-08:00

When the New Year Arrives Santa is Burned Out

2008-12-30T21:41:00.000-08:00

How I became the Chicagoland Santa

2008-12-29T19:54:00.000-08:00

I call myself the Chicagoland Santa because I have been playing Santa since the Charlestowne Mall first opened in St. Charles, Illinois about 1990. The first year I was there I managed the Santa concession for Cherry Hill Photo and played Santa on occasion. I enjoyed being Santa more than anything else. After the second year I quit managing and only played Santa. Since those early years, my Santa activities have taken me all over the Chicagoland area and I have been featured in area newspapers and this year I also appeared on NBC 5 News.

The 2008 Christmas season has just ended and here I am with Ariane (Mrs. Claus) on December 5th, at my first event this year, the Holiday party for State Senator Michael Noland.