Are you looking to take your Santa Claus duties to the next level? Have you been tasked with the responsibility of playing Santa at the office holiday party for years and want to give it a more professional touch? Becoming a professional Santa is a great way to bring joy to children and adults alike and display an impressive level of expertise in a beloved holiday tradition. In this blog post, we’ll provide a comprehensive guide on how to become a professional Santa. From selecting the right Santa suit, to establishing a Santa character, to developing Santa skills, to finding Santa gigs, we’ll cover it all. With this information and a bit of dedication, you should be ready to take on the role of professional Santa in no time.
- Prepare a convincing costume. To be a good Santa, you have to look the part, and anyone can create a convincing Santa costume. …
- Attend Santa school. …
- Practice your Santa impression. …
- Start with volunteer services. …
- Create a website for bookings. …
- Join Santa groups.
Benefits of being a professional Santa
Most people who become professional Santas do so because they are passionate about what they do and enjoy playing the role of Santa. Being a professional Santa enables you to spread joy to others and derive personal fulfillment and enjoyment from your work. The following are some of the top advantages of being a professional Santa:
What is a professional Santa?
The primary duty of a professional Santa is to give guests the impression that they are actually speaking with Santa. This entails assuming the role of Santa Claus, dressing the part, and maintaining the character at all times. In order to locate, set up, and get ready for their gigs, professional Santas perform a variety of tasks. A professional Santa may have the following primary responsibilities:
How to become a professional Santa
Consider taking the following actions to get ready for an exciting career as a professional Santa:
1. Prepare a convincing costume
You need to dress the part to be a good Santa, and anyone can make a convincing Santa costume. Being cheerful will help you make a great Santa Claus. You might think about including details like body padding, a prosthetic nose, and fake wrinkles depending on your age and body type. Brush and style your natural beard to look fluffy and soft if you intend to wear it as part of your Santa costume.
You should typically wear a red jacket with white trim, red pants, black boots, a red hat with a white pom, a belt, wire-rimmed glasses, and gloves to complete your Santa costume. As soon as you have your basic Santa suit, you might want to prepare additional costumes with more decorations or a different theme.
2. Attend Santa school
Attending a Santa school will teach you everything you need to know to become a professional Santa. Santa schools offer workshops where you can learn the fundamentals of posing as Santa Claus. In addition to teaching you how to dress like Santa, Santa school teaches you how to deal with the challenging psychology of playing a fictional character for children. You’ll learn what to do if a young person confides in you about worrying information or how to respond to requests for exorbitantly expensive gifts. Other things you can learn through professional Santa school include:
3. Practice your Santa impression
Spend time honing your impression to give your clients and visitors an engaging, convincing experience. You can do this to get ready for long shifts playing the part of Santa without acting inappropriately. Practice common words and phrases, and consider what you would say in various situations. Think about your mannerisms and body language as you practice using a friendly voice to convey a warm, jovial demeanor.
4. Start with volunteer services
By offering your services for free, you can gain experience working as a professional Santa. Inquire with neighborhood organizations about holiday activities or ask friends if they’d be interested in having a family photo taken with Santa. You can promote your services and eventually attract paying clients by working a few events for free.
5. Create a website for bookings
It can be simpler for people to learn about your services and arrange all of your appointments if you have a website that is specifically dedicated to your professional Santa career. Having an online booking system can make your services more accessible during the busy holiday season. Additionally, your website can easily display a menu of your prices, assist you in tracking every commitment, collect deposits, and stop overbooking.
6. Join Santa groups
A great way to find work as a professional Santa is by networking. If one of the well-known professional Santas gets sick or has an emergency, they frequently have a list of replacements they can call. By covering for other Santas, you can meet clients and hone your abilities by absorbing knowledge from more experienced people. Becoming a member of organizations devoted to being a professional Santa can also assist you in learning about occasions that use numerous Santas, such as sizable parades or mall events.
Skills for a professional Santa
By honing these fundamental abilities, you can earn a reputation as a convincing, prosperous Santa:
Acting
Character actors who specialize in the Santa role are what professional Santas are really like. Strong acting abilities enable you to embody the role of Santa and even persuade others that you are Santa. Your acting abilities include improvising dialogue, expressing sincere feelings, and adding subtle details to your actions to enhance the overall effect.
Socializing
Santa Claus is a friendly character that loves all people. Being a good Santa requires having a natural ability to interact and connect with others. This entails paying attention to body language, actively listening, and finding ways to make a conversation entertaining. Professional Santas ought to be able to communicate effectively with anyone, no matter what kind of personality they have. This is crucial when interacting with kids who are hesitant or shy when meeting Santa.
Enthusiasm
Professional Santas need to have a positive, enthusiastic attitude. Good professional Santas exhibit genuine wonder and joy throughout all interactions rather than just pretending to be happy. It’s important to develop this skill over time because it can be exhausting to keep your excitement and energy levels high all the time.
Creativity
It requires creativity to answer questions from children about their gift requests or what it’s like to be Santa. People with a lot of imagination and creativity make great Santas because they can add interesting details to every interaction. In addition to thinking of conversation starters, planning set designs, and creating marketing materials, professional Santas also exercise creativity.
A good laugh
You need to perfect the famous “ho, ho, ho” Santa laugh if you want to be a convincing Santa. Your Santa laugh should be loud, resonant and fun. A great Santa laugh also uses body language, such as jiggling your stomach and waving your arms around. By practicing voice exercises to improve the volume and tone of your laugh, you can hone this skill. Additionally, you should work on your breathing to improve your ability to laugh.
How Professional Santas Are Trained | What It Takes
FAQ
How much do pro Santas make?
Mall Santas typically make $30 per hour, but they can make as little as $12 or as much as $75. That can result in an annual income of between $7,000 and $10,000.
How do I market myself as Santa?
Santas learn how to speak and sign in American Sign Language during the three-day course, as well as how to respond to children’s inquiries. Insider visited the 84th running of the Charles W. Learn what it takes to become a professional Santa Claus at the Howard Santa Claus School.
How is Santa trained?
For that purpose, members are required to grow and maintain their own facial hair, and they also pledge to promote a positive image of Santa. The company is a non-profit, voting member corporation with its headquarters in Orange County, California.
How do I become a real bearded Santa?
For that purpose, members are required to grow and maintain their own facial hair, and they also pledge to promote a positive image of Santa. The company is a non-profit, voting member corporation with its headquarters in Orange County, California.
