Santa Charles

Every Santa visit is a little different, and I’m happy to work with you ahead of time to make the appearance fit your family, party, or event.

For a typical family visit, Santa makes a grand entrance and spends a few minutes getting to know everyone. We might sing Christmas songs, read *The Night Before Christmas*, tell a few Christmas jokes, and have some fun question-and-answer time. Where does Santa live? What are the names of the reindeer? Is it hot or cold at the North Pole? How does Santa get around the whole world in one night? After that, it may be time to hand out gifts, candy canes, and take plenty of photos.

I don’t want a Santa visit to feel rushed or scripted. I like talking with the children, listening to their stories and Christmas wishes, and giving them a chance to ask the questions they’ve been saving up for Santa.

Parents are welcome to provide me with a little information beforehand, too. Knowing a child’s name, interests, accomplishments, or something special that happened during the year can add a little extra North Pole magic to the visit.

For larger parties and corporate events, Santa can greet guests, mingle, pose for photos, hand out gifts, lead songs, entertain children and adults, or serve as the centerpiece of your holiday celebration. I’m comfortable working with everything from a small family gathering to a large event with hundreds of guests.

And yes, grown-ups are part of the fun! Some of the best Santa photos and conversations happen with adults who thought Santa was only there for the kids.

Most importantly, Santa stay in character throughout the appearance to make the experience feel genuine. Santa should be warm, patient, funny, approachable, and able to adjust to the people in front of him... and always Jolly!

If a child is shy or nervous around Santa, that’s okay. There’s never a need to force a photo or interaction. I’ll give them some space and let them watch until they become comfortable. Sometimes Santa might even discover that he needs a special helper to hand out candy canes. Before long, that shy little helper and Santa are often exchanging high-fives and becoming great friends.

Whether it’s singing a Christmas song, handing out presents, posing for the perfect family photo, answering a very serious question about Rudolph, or simply listening to a child tell me something important, my goal is for everyone to have fun and leave with a great Christmas memory.

And if there are chocolate chip cookies involved, Santa certainly won’t complain!

I first performed as Santa Claus when I was 16 years old at a small grocery store, Young's Market, in Kensington, California, in the Berkeley Hills. On Christmas Eve, the owner gave me a choice: I could bag groceries for the next eight hours, or I could put on the Santa suit for 2½ hours, get paid for eight hours, and go home when I was finished.

I chose Santa—and I've been doing it ever since.

More than 35 years later, I've had the privilege of being Santa for thousands of children and families throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. I've appeared at hundreds of family celebrations, corporate parties, community events, and tree lightings, and have worked with clients including the San Francisco Giants, Oakland A's, The Ritz-Carlton, and Francis Ford Coppola. During the pandemic, I also began working as a virtual Santa, visiting families around the country and beyond through (link hidden). One of my favorite experiences was being interviewed by Scott Shafer for *The California Report* on NPR in 2007 about my life as Santa.

After all these years, I've learned that being a good Santa isn't really about the suit or the beard. It's about listening.

Every child is different, and I try to give each one the time and attention they need. Some children run straight to Santa and can't wait to tell me everything on their Christmas list. Others aren't quite so sure about the big guy in the red suit—and that's perfectly fine.

When a child is frightened or shy, I don't believe in forcing the moment. Sometimes the best thing Santa can do is let the child sit nearby and watch for a while. I'll talk with the other children, tell a joke, hand out gifts, and give them time to decide for themselves that Santa might be okay after all.

When I think they're ready, I might ask, “Could you help Santa with something?”

Maybe I need someone very important to help me hand out the candy canes.

Suddenly, they're not being asked to sit on Santa's lap or pose for a picture—they're helping Santa do his job. By the time we've handed out the candy canes together, that child who wouldn't come near me a few minutes earlier is often one of Santa's best friends. A fist bump, a high five, and we're friends for life!

Those are some of my favorite moments.

I try to bring that same patience and personal attention to every appearance, whether I'm visiting one family in their home, entertaining hundreds of guests at a corporate event, posing for photographs, reading *The Night Before Christmas*, leading Christmas songs, handing out presents, or appearing at a community tree lighting.

I also believe Santa should always be Santa. From the time I arrive until the time I leave, I am in character. Children notice much more than adults sometimes realize, and I never want a child to see Santa suddenly stop being Santa just because he thinks no one is watching.

I wear a professionally handmade Santa suit, and after more than 35 years, I've discovered something funny about this job: **the older I get, the more authentic Santa becomes!**

When I'm not at the North Pole, I'm a U.S. Merchant Marine Captain and operate a high-speed tour boat company at Pier 39 in San Francisco.

I've been fortunate to have some wonderful experiences over the years, but the best part of being Santa hasn't changed since I was 16: seeing a child smile, hearing what they have to say, and helping create a Christmas memory that they and their family will hopefully remember for years to come.

I also carry my own performance insurance and Santa lives by the motto: “Always on time and always jolly!”

Heat is Santa's enemy! Please don't seat Santa next to a fireplace, heater, or other heat source. That beautiful Santa suit is warm enough already. The only heat Santa enjoys is Hawaii in January while standing next to a BBQ!

Santa stays Santa from the moment he arrives until the moment he leaves. Whether children are present or not, I remain completely in character. You never know when a little set of eyes might be watching!

For longer appearances, a small private room or office where Santa can take a short break, cool down, or change in and out of costume is greatly appreciated, but not required.

If Santa will be handing out gifts, having them together in a bag or another easy-to-access location before I arrive is always helpful.

And finally, Santa does have one important technical requirement:

Chocolate chip cookies and carrots for the reindeer are always welcomed.