“How to Be a Shopping-Mall Santa” explains what takes to make it as a professional mall Santa. Explained by Kara Baskin, mall Santas are interrogated and grilled before booking the superior job, earning about $10,000 for first time Santas. But being a Santa is not an easy task; many malls request bilingual Santas but most welcome any ethnicity. There is also a list of do’s and don’ts. Santa must stay in character and keep an authentic, jolly attitude. They need to be positive and eat healthy by avoiding alcohol, large meals, and get plenty of rest when off duty. Santa’s appearance is another story.
Santa wears a hand-sewn outfit consisting of red pants, red jacket trimmed with white fur, long white gloves, and a big black belt. A mall Santa must keep his natural beard groomed daily with trimming and bleaching done professionally. Every Santa must have his own boots, blush, and wire-rimmed glasses. Mall Santas have become such a demanded job that to set themselves apart, some Santas enroll at International University of Santa Claus in Riverside, CA. In the $89.00 class, they learn tips and suggestions to success.
After reading in the article” the average mall hires two full-time Santas to entertain almost 8,000 children” I was astounded. Who knew there was more to the job than being hefty with a jolly voice? If you want to become a Santa for hire, you should start on your beard. All Santas must be male and have a natural beard. This is unfair to women and men who can’t grow a beard. Section 1 of The Equal Rights Amendment states “Equality of Rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of sex.” Men and women have equal rights