National Santa

National Santa is experienced in working almost every type of event from a simple home visit to live television appearances for audiences from 300 to 300,000. He is a professional Master of Ceremonies, Corporate Spokesperson, Singer and can also do Comedy. He is extremely photogenic and has a magnetic personality and is in high demand for media events and special programs.
He has been the personal Santa for celebrity and dignitaries home visits and events including Dr. Phil, Reese Witherspoon, Candi Spelling, Jimmy Ione, Marvin Davis and Stephen Spielberg.
Additionally, he has worked major media events for NYSE, Hallmark, ABC, CBS, NBC, Hallmark Channel, Grand Ol Opry, Coca-Cola, K-Mart, Hershey's, Abbot Laboratories/Binax, Old Navy, Auntie Ann's, J C Penney, Microsoft, Southwest Airlines.

• NationalSanta™ - Marine Toys for Tots Foundation
• Host of "Santa has a Podcast,: on YouTube, Instagram, Apple, TikTok and other Social Media
• Santa - Mariah Carey Concerts and television special from MSG
• 20 years as Official Santa for the Hollywood Christmas Parade.
• Producer of “Discover Santa 2016” the World’s largest Santa Convention.
• One of America’s foremost experts on Santa Claus & the Business of Santa.
• Santa in commercials for Oreo, Sears, Target, Dannon, Swisscom, Ritz, Cool Whip, Planters, & More
• Celebrity spokesperson for major national and corporate promotions
• Author – “Behind the Red Suit – the Business of Santa” and "Santa's Hints for Surviving the Holidays"
• 2011 Inductee – International Santa Claus Hall of Fame.
• Graduated over 5,700 Santas & Mrs. Claus from his School4Santas!
• Former President to one of America’s Largest Santa Groups.

America's #1, Real Bearded, Celebrity Santa, “National Santa,” will truly Make your event spectacular. Whether he is visiting with children and families, or presiding over a Tree Lighting Ceremony, National Santa adds sparkle and excitement to any event.

Based in New York City during the Christmas Season, National Santa works all over the United States and even overseas. With more than five decades of wearing the Red Suit, (trimmed with hundreds of Swarovski Crystals) he creates magic at any party, media event, live performance, commercial, broadcast, or special occasion. From company and corporate parties to nationally televised tree lightings, to appearing with Mariah Carey in her Holiday Concerts at MSG, National Santa has done it all.

Santa Tim is an accomplished performer, comedian, public speaker, producer and consultant, and author of “Santas Tips to Surviving the Holidays, “a guide to Holiday Organizing and having a “Stress-Free Christmas,” with advice and handy hints on how to enjoy and get the most out to the holiday season. He has also written many newspaper and magazine articles on preparing for the holidays.

He hosts the ever popular national podcast, "Santa has a Podcast," which airs weekly until Thanksgiving and then daily until Christmas.

NationalSanta™ is a major figure at national and international televised events, tree lightings and parades. He appears at corporate events for Fortune 500 companies and at many celebrity parties. Millions of children & their families have been delighted with appearances from Santa Tim.

You have seen him on over seventy-five television shows and specials, plus motion pictures, and hundreds of media interviews. During the Holiday Season he resides at the Marriott Marquis on Time Square, his base for NYC media, corporate and family events with clients such as American Express, Capitol Records, ABC/Disney, Paramount/CBS, Hallmark Channel, NBC/Universal, New York Marriott Marquis, NYSE (New York Stock Exchange), Los Angeles Country Club, The Salvation Army, The St. Regis Resorts, K-Mart, The USO, Dr. Phil & Robin McGraw, Reese Witherspoon, Candy Spelling, Joel Silver, Marvin & Barbara Davis & Steven Spielberg.

His title “National Santa” was an honor given him by the Marine Corps Toys for Tots Foundation where he still volunteers annually. He also supports the Langenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU, Tunnel to Towers, disaster relief, and events like Magical Maui Christmas. From 2004 to 2023, he was the Official Santa for the Hollywood Christmas Parade. In 2011, he was inducted into the International Santa Claus Hall of Fame and

Additionally he has been seen by millions on Dr. Phil, The Today Show, CBS Morning Show, Fox and Friends, The Mariah Carey CBS Christmas Special, The Grand Ole Opry, NASCAR, Magical Maui Christmas, The Tonight Show, The Doctors, Mad-TV, Deal or No Deal, & Ryan Seacrest Show, he has acted in movies & television shows, including: “Castle,” “It’s Complicated,” “Southland,” “Suburgatory,” “Cinema Vérité,” “The Mentalist,” and many more.

He travels around the country when called and has worked for The Kodak/Dolby Theater, The Grove in Los Angeles, Hollywood and Highland, Rodeo Drive Merchants, Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce, Capitol Records, The Grand Ole Opry, Los Angeles Country Club, The Salvation Army, The St. Regis Resort and Spa, Arnold Palmer Resorts, K-Mart, The USO, Dr. Phil and Robin McGraw, Reese Witherspoon, Candy Spelling, Joel Silver, Marvin and Barbara Davis and Steven Spielberg.

National Santa has appeared in commercials and advertisements and served as a celebrity spokesperson for brands including Amazon, Abbot Laboratories, Auntie-Annes Pretzels, Coca-Cola, Dannon, Hallmark, Hershey’s, J.C. Penney, Kraft Foods, Macy’s, Marriott, McDonald’s, Microsoft, Nabisco, Old Navy, Oreo, Target, Planter’s, Ritz, Sam’s Club, Swiss-Com, Southwest Airlines, Tiffany’s, Walmart, White Castle, among others.

A 24-7-365 Santa, Connaghan also directs School4Santas, officially known as the International University of Santa Claus, where he has awarded diplomas to over 5,700 Santas and Mrs. Claus in the last 23 years. The school is recognized as the largest annual Professional Santa School in the world and is based on his book: “Behind the Red Suit – The Business of Santa Claus.” Alumni of the School are recognized as members of the “Red Suit Society.” In recent years the school has been presented on select Princess Cruises in the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii and Europe, and featured on various television shows including The Travel Channel which featured the School on Princess Cruise as part of a Holiday special.

In his spare time, should he have any, he does Virtual Visits, Cameo Calls and hosts the national, "Santa has a Podcast,' which is distributed on many popular social media platforms.

He has also been featured in many documentary and news shows including History Channel, National Geographic, Travel Channel and the USA Network.

Santa Tim’s annual release of Santa Statistics and his position in the Santa community are well known and have led to appearances on the Neil Cavuto Show, CNN, NBC, ABC’s Nightline, Bloomberg News, Fox News and PBS,

His interviews have been featured in Time, the Wall Street Journal, Reader’s Digest, Los Angeles Times, and via hundreds of stories in many local, regional, national and international media.

Many honors have been presented to Santa Tim, including being awarded the United States Navy's Meritorious Public Service Medal, which was presented to him for his many years of volunteer work for the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. But the most prestigious is his induction into the International Santa Claus Hall of Fame at Santa Claus, Indiana in December of 2011.

Santa Tim is an accomplished performer, comedian, public speaker, producer and consultant, and author of “Santas Tips to Surviving the Holidays, “a guide to Holiday Organizing and having a “Stress-Free Christmas,” with advice and handy hints on how to enjoy and get the most out to the holiday season. He has also written many newspaper and magazine articles on preparing for the holidays.

To help make National Santa’s visit/appearance a most enjoyable event, we have prepared the following list of suggestions. Some of these may apply to your event and we hope this will assist you.

1. National Santa's appearances are a minimum of 2-hour, except for personal home visits, which can be one hour.
2. Each venue is different. Santa is a senior citizen and needs to park as close as possible to the event location. If at home, a parking space in front of the home is required. For NYC events he will arrive by Uber/Lyft/Taxi at the venue address, where the host or a representative will meet Santa and escort him to the event location. He normally like to arrive in full red attire, but can arrive incognito if requested to preserve the surprise of his appearance.
3. NationalSanta has the option of arriving fifteen to thirty minutes in advance, in full “red” wardrobe, unless otherwise requested to arrive incognito. If incognito, he will often arrive thirty to sixty minutes in advance and client needs to provide an area or office for him to change into his wardrobe.
For Early morning schedules, before 10:00 am, and late-night schedules, after 7 pm, or rigorous work, pre or post event lodging near the venue may be necessary. This is a definite for NYC or if the work is outside of Santa's normal work area. Additionally, transportation more than fifteen miles to and from the venue may be required.
4. Depending on the event, location, and times, etc., it may be necessary if Santa has to dress at the event, for Santa to have a dressing area with privacy. The dressing area does not need to be a formal dressing room and can be a simple meeting room with a private restroom nearby where he can take care of his hair and make-up in privacy. In no case shall Santa be in the same restroom with children or event guests. In this case you will need to supply a restroom or office where he can change in privacy.
5. National Santa has his own wardrobe and takes care of his own hair styling and make-up, whether for a normal public event or television. Of course, the client can consult with National Santa and arrange other wardrobe and details as they desire.
6. When Santa arrives, he requests that a host or guide meet him curbside, at the entrance to the venue, and assist him getting to the venue. This is important, especially if there is more than one company or corporation in the building. Having a guide allows him to quickly get to your location without being stopped or being the victim of a friendly hijack by another company. The Host can also assist Santa with details on the venue and help load any presents.
7. If there is a balance or payment due, we suggest that this be taken place at the beginning of Santas arrival and before he makes his appearance. Never pay Santa in Public! If needed, place any payment inside a Christmas card or envelope. Never give Santa money in front of the Children. It can ruin the magic of the moment. The host or coordinator meeting Santa outside may also take care of any final payments that are due before Santa enters.
8. Have a sturdy chair or Santa-throne, if the work is sitting for photos. The seat must not be any higher than eighteen inches or should have a stool that compensates for a higher seat. Or you can supply a sturdy chair for Santa to sit in. Folding and resin chairs are unacceptable as they will not support the weight of Santa and guests sitting on his lap. Additionally low chairs (the one’s you sink into) are not good. Santa usually likes a chair that is sturdy and stable. A good straight-back dining chair, with no arms, works well. He should be able to sit comfortably, and the chair needs to support him plus a child on each knee.
Place the Chair near your Christmas tree or in a holiday setting. Your photos will have more impact when the background has a festive look. Place a wreath, a few Christmas cards, or your children’s drawings on the wall to make a wonderful difference. Leave a foot or two between the chair and the tree or wall. This will allow room for others to gather around and behind Santa’s chair for group photos. Fireplaces do look nice but remember putting Santa too close to a real fire is not good for his comfort or health! Additionally, if any fire is with natural wood, the creosote and smoke residue can permanently damage Santa's suit and especially his fur. The client is liable for the cost of deep cleaning and any damages Santas Suit, Robe, and/or hat.
9. It is recommended that set temperature be around 65 Degrees or that something is arranged to keep Santa cool while working. Due to Santas thick and heavy wardrobe, efforts must be made to keep him cool and comfortable to ensure peak performance for the client. If working on a set or special venue where the temperatures could exceed 75 - 80 degrees, a small fan nearby is necessary to keep him cool.
10. If the work involves moving around the city, limousine or Livery SUV is required with maximum Air Conditioning and Large doors for ease in entering and exiting. This is necessary due to the restrictions of his wardrobe, etc.
11. Cool Water is always necessary, and appropriate performance breaks are necessary, usually ten minutes after the first hour and then hourly after that. If this is an all-day job, a lunch break should be scheduled half-way through, however this can be adjusted to fit the event.
12. MEALS - Please note that due to his 'Real" white beard, any meals or foods must be easy to eat. National Santa wants to look his best for you, so please no Pizza, Ribs, Chicken Wings, or anything with Marinara sauce, or other dark sauces, which could end up in his beard or mustache. Most Salads, sandwiches, etc. are fine as he can make sure everything is bite sized and can easily get past the beard and moustache and into his mouth. Oh, and straws help him in drinking any beverage without tell-tale signs.
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