Santa Clause

A round frame, good height and loads of patience and gentleness — is what it takes to play Santa, be it for money or for your own kids

Christmas without Santa Claus is the kind of stuff that nightmares are made of. It's that time of the year and the city is brimming with Christmas festivity, taking in its fold children and adults alike. So wherever one may go, it's hard to miss the many Santas at work — distributing gifts and making merry at malls, markets and public events. This time, however, one stopped to wonder — who are these people dressing up as Santa, and more importantly, what does it take to play Santa Claus.

Among the many celebrations this December, iSkate, an ice-skating rink in Gurgaon, is hosting a special Christmas Grotto experience, a concept extremely popular in the UK, where Santa greets people and gives out gifts from a North Pole-like setting. Talking about the specifications of a perfect Santa, Ankur Bhatia of Bird Group, the organisers of the event, says, "Children grow up with an image of Santa Claus in their heads, so we tried to find a suitable face who can develop a connect with that traditional image." He adds, "We wanted someone with kind eyes and a warm face. Plus, he also needed to be round, patient and great with kids."

Schools that celebrate Christmas, too, seem to face the dilemma of selecting a Santa. Last year, Anukriti Khare, an IGNOU campus resident, dressed up as Santa for the children of their nursery school. "My mom teaches these children and we thought it'd be a fun way to teach them about Christmas. We distributed chocolates and taught them carols. Although many children came up to me and asked me if I was Santa's wife or sister (since I didn't look like him), I had to tell them I was Santa's representative," she recalls. "I might do it again this year, but I'm trying to convince my brother to play the part. He's taller and broader; I'm sure he'll be more convincing," she adds.

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