WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE SANTA"How does it feel to be Santa Claus?" was asked of jovial Tom Vance, farmer and business man of Tennessee., who has performed as Santa for years.
"It's a top-of-the-world feeling. Riding in a parade, ever waving hand and bobbing head is concentrated on you. You never tire of it and you look forward to each year. A child looks up at you with a special mixture of awe and delight and you're king for aday."
"You feel you really are Santa Claus. Realizing you are not, doesn't take away the desire to really be -- especially when you're with a less fortunate child. You want to grant the child's every wish and know you can't. When you see the shine of hope in their bright always bright eyes, you know you've given them a little happiness by upholding the magic of believing."
"Being the right size is not a requirement for Santa, although it helps if the suit fits.", says the over six-foot Vance. "The most important things are your feelings for children and belief in the magic of Christmas."
Vance, bears a marked resemblance to the old fellow with his jolly humor and ability to charm children.
His career as Santa began many years ago in a department store in Johnson City, TN. Working as a stockboy for 50 cents an hour, he was offered the "golden opportunity" of playing Santa for 75 cents an hour.
"At first, I dressed in the stockroom and the girls from the cosmetic department made up my face. I was instructed not to use the elevators because 'Santa doesn't need to ride' and, besides, if Santa didn't, room was saved for more customers. I was told to be especially nice to children whose mothers wore fur coats." Vance chuckled. "I thought anyone can put on a red suit and talk to children; not dreaming how scared I'd be facing those children and even more scared with the parents. When I hesitantly picked up that first tiny girl, she burst into screams. I don't know who was more frightened!."
"It takes a lot of tact, kindness, imagination, and ingenuity to be Santa. I learned by experience and reached "the big time" of playing Santa. I've talked to hundreds of children each year at business and civic club par- ties. I've served as Santa in the big Christmas parade in Nashville, and was accepted as the "official" Santa by state employees in the sixties. I visited each of the state departments to bring them the spirit of Christmas on the last working day before the holidays. It was fun breaking into the Governor's Cabinet meetings with a big "HO! HO!" and a "Merry Christmas". There's always pleasure distributing gifts to children but it get's a little old at adult parties.
"There are some bright spots. One or more of the pretty women want to sit on Santa's knee and tell him what to bring. Santa is always fascinated by children," he said, adding that it's surprising how many children seem to be afraid of Santa. "If they are, you don't try to force them to come to you. As I talk to them they gradually inch closer and begin to warm up, then, they are on your knee with their little arms around your neck. Excitement mounts. Words rush out telling you what they want. You get the feeling they believe if they don't talk fast, they will forget something. Often they will change their minds and start over again." "Santa has to be non-committal," he said. "The standard answer to their question is 'we'll have to wait and see'. It helps if the parents nod or shake their heads so you can give a child a definite answer. But, these nods are sometimes misunderstood so it is best to maintain the 'wait and see' attitude."
"Of course, the child wonders if he has been good enough. When you ask the key question, 'Have you minded mother and daddy?', the child almost always hesitates, then usually answers with a yes. Some will say 'most of the time' but none will give you a flat no.
"One of the big problems is getting the child to leave so you can talk to another. One time a clerk brought me a small toddler who was lost from her mother. They announced over the speaker that the child had been found and was with Santa. Her mother came to claim her but the little girl refused to go, telling her mother she rather stay with Santa."
Citing some of the problems Santa has to contend with, Vance said one of the most annoying are the quick starts and stops in a parade. The float often jerks and you could be thrown off. "It wouldn't uphold the dignity of Santa Claus to be tossed on his backside in the middle of the street". "The costume is uncomfortable, the makeup burns, the wig hair irritates the back of you neck. the chin and lip straps on the beard get in the way when you're talking and the glue for the beard is pretty painful. Still, you don't remove any of the costume regardless of the discomfort. A good Santa never wants to disillusion anyone, not even the adults. It would be unthinkable for a truly dedicated Santa to remove even his cap when anyone could see." he added.
"When the season is over and you've been to the final holiday gathering and helped the last child down off your knee and reached the privacy of your room to take off the costume, until next year, you become nostalgic. "The wish is powerful that you could actually be Santa Claus and the happiness and love of mankind which is the spirit of Christmas could last throughout the year."

Patricia Vance, February 3, 1997


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