``With no men available to play Santa Claus one Christmas, we decided to get a woman to do the job,'' smiles Beena Mandrekar, a teacher at Ankur School, Aundh, who has been doing such a good job of playing Santa Claus that the idea of finding a man to don the get-up has now been discarded.

``Think Santa and you think of someone fat and jolly, and since I was both, I guess I was the obvious choice,'' she smiles. Added to this was probably her love for children, allowing her to slip into the role conveniently.

A trait that has also led Manisha Desai, a teacher at Sapling Nursery School, to opt for this surface gender change every Christmas for two years now. What probably started as a stop-gap arrangement became a permanent fixture with the lady, a much-in-demand Santa Claus today. ``According to the observers, the minute I fasten the pillows and put on the white beard, I start seeing myself as Santa Claus,'' laughs Desai, who enjoys every minute of the act as she pulls a scared toddler onto her lap or asks an older kid, who has recognised her because of the tell-tale chappals she forgot to change, to hush.

While it may be a natural extension of duty for teachers to don the get-up for their school kids, it was heartening to find a lady in government service doing the same for the Anandban Club, Aundh, this year, as she loves kids. ``The real meaning of Christmas - to bring joy all around - is being forgotten over the years. It was primarily to reiterate this that I volunteered,'' says the lady who wished to remain anonymous.

``Since Santa is supposed to be the epitome of love, good cheer and love for children, don't you think women are actually more fit for the role than men?'' queries Mandrekar, her eyes twinkling.

The ladies pooh-pooh any problems with the get-up or the bag of gifts they have to lug around. All they seem to remember is the joy on the children's face as they hand out the goodies. ``Of course, it is difficult when in their over-enthusiasm they start pulling at your beard,'' states Mandrekar, who has perfected the art of thickening her voice and walking the manly gait. ``Once there was a mini traffic jam outside the school when parents drowned me with invitations to their homes. What was sad was when most kids came to know that `it's only Bina aunty' and revoked half the offers!''

And this year, things have gone a step further. Now we have had Christmas dos with women Santas dressed minus the beard and robe. This time, they're in snazzy skirts, tops, with a Santa cap bobbing on their head. Says Sameera Singh, of Genesis (an event management company), responsible for bringing this new look Santa here, ``They are prettier, more natural and different, giving the event a USP.'' Like we said, She's a jolly good fellow.