Missed Opportunities

The weekend before Christmas used to be our busiest weekend. Unfortunately, the economy had different plans, so we actually had no bookings the Saturday before the holiday. We were very surprised, but it gave us an opportunity to relax and catch up with each other after some busy weeks. Around 2 pm that day the phone rang with a desperate man hosting a party that night in a suburb of Scranton and can Santa make a visit? Good thing the weather was decent that day - there were ice storms the day before - so we agreed we could do the gig that night. Out of curiosity, we asked how he found us. He relayed a long and convoluted story that involved the mall Santa getting the flu, then the manager of the mall booth helping the gentleman by finding our advertisement with the local TV classifieds on-line. I do not think my PS knows this manager of the Santa booth, but he might from his mall days - we may never know.

We find the house that night and we also found the enclave of very large mansions that seem to be somewhere in every metropolitan area. This one is near a nationally known golf course (duh!), but we never knew it was there. So through a stroke of luck my PS was doing a gig for a very well connected political family in Lackawanna county. They did not know my PS does stories and songs - they thought they were getting a mall Santa who would just sit there and listen to children's wishes for Christmas. They were very pleased and the gentleman has booked for the Saturday before Christmas for next year. Many of the people at the party were talking about booking my PS next year and took our business cards. This may be the break we have been looking for up here!

The next day we had another Breakfast, as well as a private party for a little girl's birthday. This is the missed opportunity, as we got another snow storm with freezing rain all morning. Too bad we don't have reindeer! Snow is one thing, but ice is scary on mountain roads - or anywhere. We had to cancel both gigs. The Breakfast was no problem, as the restaurant where we had the booking never opened that day. But the little girl... hate to disappoint children.

Every booking, unless they are friends, gets a contract. We have a special clause (no joke) that basically states that nobody is liable if weather or 'Acts of God' prevent an appearance. Good thing, but that does not make up for the little girl...

Escapes and Turn-Arounds

Santa is a mythical creation and should have the power to magically appear and disappear before and after each visit. He is supposedly also able to know all - names, wants, etc. Well, as a Professional Santa, we use some tricks to get the information - 'elf lists,' parental intervention ("Tell Santa about the puppy..."), clues on clothing and the like. But that appearing and disappearing trick is another matter... If a party is in a business, or party room at a restaurant, or something like that - we can call ahead and arrange for a changing/preparation room. Even then, the arrival and departure is tricky; it is all part of keeping the 'magical' aspect of Santa.

This Weekend

The one party was at an Elks Lodge for one of our repeat clients. We packed up at 6 am to drive down to the spot in NJ, but roads were icy around our area, so the trip took longer than the original plan. To expedite matters, my PS wore the fur-trimmed pants to his costume, covered by a big overcoat. (This got some funny looks and some finger pointing when he had to get out to pump gas and get coffee - 6 am, after all!) We arrived with 15 minutes to spare at the gig, but as my PS was getting his gear out of the car, some children started to arrive and walk by the car. Thinking fast, he dove into the back seat and tried to look like part of the clothes laying there. Of course, I did not see the children, so I am talking to the new pretend pile of clothes. Now I am getting looks!

Seeing the coast was clear, we hurried in the front door and into the nearby room set up for my PS to change. Okay, 3+ hour drive = need restroom! We enlisted a nearby child-free adult to escort and maintain a perimeter. (If this is sounding like a military-type operation, sometimes it feels that way!) That pressing matter relieved (sorry), my PS gets ready for his gig and I wait out in the car. Usually, I read or nap; after being up since 5 am - I napped. After the party, my PS calls me on the cellphone and I bring in the change of costume for the next gig, as it is at a private home. We have to wait for all the children to leave before he can escape. Since Santa did not get to eat, I bring in only the pants (with fur trim, of course) and clean shirt so we can get some take-out food for lunch before the next party. So where does he put on the top to his costume? In the private party's garage! We call ahead to the host, who also happens to be a good friend, and ask to have the garage door opened so my PS can change. Good thing our host has a sense of humor, as well as the where-with-all to keep children away from the garage area, which has windows! Who knew?

Did we always have this trouble? Yes, and no. At one time my PS had a Volkswagen Vanagon, which had curtains and was tall enough to partially stand up so he could change. But nothing lasts forever; we still say, 'it ran well, it just did not go anywhere,' after the transmission got messed up! We bought another van, but again, nothing lasts forever... Now we travel in a Toyota Camry - good gas mileage, lousy for changing. The vans were not perfect either - every year there is at least one child who wants to 'see the reindeer' and chases my PS out of the party. Then there is a collaborative effort between parents, other adults and my PS running serpentine so the vehicle is not spotted! (Told you it was like a military thing.)

Turn-Arounds

I am beginning to think that some people assume Santa knows his way anywhere and give us directions that seem clear only to people who live in that area. Or, better still, they say "Same place as Last Year, so you know where it is." Let me say this - assume Santa is old and needs more direction! After all, the real Santa has the reindeer and Rudolf to lead - my PS has me and I do not have any magical powers! However, it is fortunate that my mother at one time went to Bingo at this Elks Lodge and I knew some back streets when we got almost impossibly lost when street signs were missing that were part of the directions. It was a case of "I think this road leads us back to..." and looking for a familiar landmark that has not changed since I was 12 (I will not tell you how many years that would be...)

So we were lucky (did I mention this all took place on the 13th!) - we did the parties, we had our fun, we are driving back to the Poconos when the cellphone rings. It is our good friend from the last party telling us we forgot the Autoharp! We were 30 minutes away already, but we turn around and go back to get it, since my PS has a "Breakfast with Santa" the next morning and that is part of the 'act.' We get home, finally, and hurry to bed - the next day is another 5 am wake-up call!

Princeton Tree Lighting

It is now twenty years that my PS has lit the tree at Princeton Palmer Square. We are proud of that and I think that we should be. But every year I try to watch the lighting, try to scope out a good location for pictures, video, etc. And every year I am overwhelmed by the turnout of people, and how noisy and tall they are. The stage is on the square in front of Nassau Inn - an original building from before the Revolutionary War, so not many modifications can be made to make viewing better. That explained, my PS still makes a spectacular entrance through the tavern's doors and is greeted by the crowd of 10,000.

This year, I think in honor of our longevity, the Nassau Inn gave us a room overlooking the square from the east side - 5 th floor. I finally got to see and, I hope, take decent pictures. (I used my old 35mm camera with a strong zoom, so they have to be developed.) I feel I need to say that the whole program was wonderful. There was a band to perform the Christmas songs, a high school choir to perform carols, and a little family theatre troop to recite "The Night Before Christmas." (As an aside, the original poem mentions smoking - "pipe in his teeth", etc. - we asked that to be left out, but tradition...)

All this was nice, and folksy, etc., but when it comes time for Santa, the crowd goes wild! The merchants association have a 'volunteer' (dressed as Santa) 'arrive' on the roof by shining a spotlight on him, then seconds later, my PS appears. He has the crowd in the palm of his hands, flashbulbs go off, children yell to him - amazing! Then, he says a few things about the songs and stories, but the people are here for one thing - to light that tree! So he has everyone yell "Merry Christmas" once, but, of course, they do not yell loud enough. So he has the crowd yell "Merry Christmas" again and the roar that occurs is truly deafening. I have never heard such a remarkable coordinated bellow. The tree lights up, everyone sings "Jingle Bells" and then they start filing out of the square and side streets, all boisterous and happy and excited. This must be a successful event, as the merchants gear up for it every year and there are many happy faces the next morning - the kind of happy faces that occur when they feel it is a good time to be a store owner.

So my PS does the same thing every year - the two 'attempts' at lighting, the magical appearance, etc. But the crowds would not be there if they did not like it. And this year a line up of children formed at the bottom of the stage to see Santa, give him their lists, tell him their wants, etc. Usually the merchants association wants to wrap up the festivities, pack up the equipment and get back to normal. But this year they waited for Santa to visit with the children. It truly was a magical evening.