What’s it like to be Santa Claus?

Former Cambridge Council member shares his experiences.

CAMBRIDGE – What’s it like to be Santa Claus?
Ask Joe Morin of Cambridge. He worked as Santa Claus for 49 days in Harrisburg, Pa. during the 2008 Christmas season.
Every day at the Bass Pro Shop his beard would get yanked. Yeah, it’s real, he’d tell the kids. Others needed even more convincing and checked out the belly (no padding) and his hair (also attached).
One day he saw 274 kids in a four-hour shift. That’s 55 kids an hour.
He had every age group and gender. “We had girls in their ‘packs,’ dating couples, and war veterans,” said Morin. “We had generation pictures, family shots, and a dog. We had people that dislike Santa, and people who love Santa. We had the disabled, and a religious sect.” One day, he even visited with two newlyweds.
In all, Morin posed for 10,345 photos with over 16,000 people during his 49-day run as Santa. The youngest baby was three days old, and the oldest person was 97.
He also welcomed over 100 dogs. There were other animals, too, but Morin drew the line at snakes. One day, he almost posed with a horse, but because it was pouring rain outside they had to forego the plan in consideration of his suit.
He even posed with two stuffed animals, one of which was a project for a local elementary school.
WHY DID HE DO IT?
“It’s the kids. I do it for the kids,” explained Morin.
“You never know what’s going to come out of their mouths.”
Morin put on his first Santa costume in 1986 at his own floral store in Coon Rapids. Earlier this year, a friend (who has played Santa around the nation) encouraged him to check out the opportunities out there. He looked into Santa for Hire, and was put in touch with the Bass Pro Shop in Harrisburg, Pa.
Santa’s Wonderland at the sporting goods store spread out over 5,300 square feet. Over 25 elves assisted Santa. In addition to Santa’s workshop there were various activities for the kids. Everything was free – including photos with Santa. That policy was in sharp contrast with the mall Bass Pro Shop was attached to which charged $8 for a visit and $10 per photo.
LONG REWARDING DAYS
Morin didn’t have a day off the entire time he was in Pennsylvania. During the weekdays, Morin worked four-hour shifts from 4 to 9 p.m. On Saturdays, he was there for 11-hour shifts from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. On Sundays, he worked from noon to 5 p.m. The last week and one-half before Christmas every day was an 11-hour day.
Sitting that long in Santa’s log chair was difficult at times, especially considering Morin’s own disabilities. There are many days when he doesn’t feel good to begin with. But somehow when he put on the Santa suit and began talking with kids, his own pain disappeared.
People came from afar to see Morin. One day, he posed with a person who had driven 150 miles. He pulled in people from a five-hour radius of Harrisburg.
He also got more than five minutes of fame. His first day in Pennsylvania was spent at the local Fox television station filming a Christmas special. The three-hour show included many shots of Santa Joe with kids. Later, he participated in several commercials, and also appeared with a weatherman during a television broadcast.
MOST POPULAR TOYS
Morin became well acquainted with the most popular toys for 2008. They were Wii games, Star Wars Legos, Nintendo DS, Barbies and Bratz dolls.
Once on Santa’s lap, 80 percent of the kids grew too shy to share their lists. Morin had a couple standard questions to inspire them. He’d ask the boys, “Would you like a dress and a Barbie?” To the girls, he’d asked, “Would you like a truck and a Superman outfit?” The questions never failed to get the children rolling.
Some came with a list 10 pages long. Others wanted little but a stint on Santa’s lap and a hug.
There were the kids that ran down the red carpet and jumped into Santa’s arms. On the other end of the spectrum were the kids that screamed and kicked the entire time.
“It’s amazing the number of kids that will tell Santa anything,” Morin observed.
THE BEST CHRISTMAS A CHILD COULD HAVE
There were some visits that brought tears to Santa’s own eyes, such as the teen-age boy whose father died the day before. He asked Santa to pray with him.
One little girl was afflicted by old-age syndrome. Doctors don’t expect the seven-year-old to make it to next Christmas.
Perhaps the most touching for Morin was the nine-year-old blind girl. She had been adopted by an American couple along with her two siblings. Knowing that the blind see through their fingers, Morin asked if she wanted to touch Santa. He led her hands to his beard - an amazing thing for a child from a country where men don’t typically grow beards. She touched his hair, and his hat – all the way to the tassle on the end. When she reached the tassle she laughed and laughed.
There is usually a lot of commotion in Santa’s workshop, but when the little girl was done, Morin looked up and found that the place had gone quiet. Everyone nearby was crying – including her family members and the elves.
Her mother told Morin, “This is the best Christmas she could ever have.”
While many of the local Santas didn’t accept visits from handicapped kids, Morin made no exceptions. All kids were welcome.
One such child left a present with Santa, instructing Morin not to open it until he was gone. “He must have used up a whole roll of scotch tape wrapping it,” Morin noted. Inside was a folder the boy, Joe, had decorated himself.
One day, Santa looked up to find Mrs. Claus standing in front of him. The 97-year-old woman came wearing a costume dating from 1927. She had worked as a Mrs. Claus for years before hanging up her suit when her husband died.
Morin captured those stories and more on his blog, santajoe2008.blogspot.com.
Santa himself made it home just in time to spend Christmas day with his own family, wife Cheryl, son Daniel, and daughter Jill and husband.