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...

Princeton

As I write this, we are getting 6 to 10 inches of snow. Appropriate for Christmas, but can be miserable for getting to a gig. But more on that later. The Lighting of the Christmas Tree in Princeton, NJ went wonderfully well. Ten to fifteen thousand people all watching my PS, as well as a band, dancers - a great show! This year there was a script with elves played by the local high school thespians and more lights than ever. Beautiful night, cool, not too cold. After leading the crowd in the counting down to the lighting, Santa leaves and all the spectators go about the real business of Christmas = Shopping! But this year several families followed Santa off stage to tell him how much they enjoyed the show and to get pictures with Santa. This is the first time in the over ten years my PS has been doing the tree lighting that this has happened!

Now, what does Ms Claus do during all this? I hide in the hotel room and watch the festivities from the window. Not that I do not have the Holiday Spirit, but I know my PS - he needs to keep his mind on what he is doing and not have to worry about me in the crowd. Besides, I have noticed that sometimes he drops character around me, and we cannot have that happen!

Thanksgiving

November 22, 2007

Thanksgiving to a Professional Santa (PS) is the real start to the busy season. Some PS's work this day, particularly for parades (think Macy's). Can be a grueling day, but very exciting and rewarding.

In our case, the day after the holiday is very big, for it means lighting the tree in Princeton, NJ. Last year the count was 10,000 people watching one guy in a red suit turn on a tree. But it is much more than that - choirs singing, bands, getting the crowd to count down to the moment of the tree lighting. The people who run this show in Princeton know that having Santa there brings the crowds - and the money.

And we can honestly say that the real start for this PS was working in Princeton. It started almost 20 years ago being the weekend Santa walking around Palmer Square in the costume from A Christmas Carol - the Ghost of Christmas Past. That costume was a very authentic and heavy, being all fur and so long that it swept the ground. If it was a warm winter day, it was unbearably hot. If it rained, it dragged. If it snowed, well, that was okay - warm and cozy. Speaking as Ms Claus, this when I realized that my Santa needed lighter weight costumes, or at least a selection for the weather conditions.

Anyway, the people who had hired him liked how my Santa handled crowds and customers and offered to let him light the tree the next year. How wonderful, as my Santa loves being the center of attention. That first year he did not come down off that high for a week! And he still gets excited about this event.

So we are making the three-hour drive down to Princeton again tomorrow. We have moved away from NJ this year, but there is a commitment to go back. It is supposed to be clear and cold and possibly snowy - perfect!