S4S Home Study Agenda

The School4Santas Home Study Thumb Drive includes all of the following as part of the video presentations. 

Day One – Session One

  • It Starts with Character – Set an Image to Admire.  You represent all Santas!
  • S.M.I.L.E. –  Smile, Movement, Image, Language, Energy
  • The Origins of Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus – A Brief History from St. Nicholas to Present Day.

Day One – Session Two 

  • Starting with the Basics
  • Three Goals to Success
  • Know who your work for – The Children, Parents, Photographer and Host/Sponsor
  • You are there for the Children
  • Parents have their needs/goals from a visit
  • What your Photographers needs.
  • What your host Sponsor wants from you. 
  • Santa’s Greeting – Your Ho, Ho, Ho’s
  • Santa’s Arrival & Departure
  • Seating & Photo Set-Ups – Seating Babies / Children – One or many

Day One – Session Three

  • Talking with the Children – The Basic four Questions
  • What to do when . . . ?  When it is not the basic four questions
  • How to Handle problems.
  • Handling difficult question – Pets, There is no Santa, Children who don’t believe, etc
  • Answering Very Difficult Questions – Divorce, Death, Economy, Absent Parents, Child Abuse.
  • Do’s and Don’ts when sitting in the Chair. 
  • Training your Helpers
  • Know what the Audience is Expecting.
  • Posing  Suggestions.

Day One – Session Four

  • Posing – continued – Special Techniques
  • Guests with special needs
  • Your Image as Santa and Mrs. Claus – Everything is Seen
  • While Santa, you should not . . . . .
  • Your Physical Condition, Look and Image
  • Designer Beards & Wigs
  • Styling your Hair and Beard
  • Bleaching your Hair and Beard
  • Grooming and Make-Up

Day Two – Session Five

  • Santa & Mrs. C’s Wardrobe – 
  • Padding, cooling Vests, Gloves, Toy Bag, Glasses, Jewelry
  • Finding the right Dry Cleaner
  • Your Dressing Area.
  • Wardrobe examples.
  • What should you buy first? – Wardrobe suggestions
  • What to add to your Suit – Real Boots, Belt, Trim, etc.
  • Wardrobe Options – Other Characters

Day Two – Session Six

  • How does Santa Find Work – 
  • Volunteer and Charitable work
  • Malls and Photo Companies – Mall History
  • What does a Mall Pay – How to negotiate with a Photo Company
  • Rate Computation Chart – How to use it.  Special Excel Spreadsheet.
  • Different Mall events – “Paws with Claus” etc.
  • How to find a Mall position
  • New Mall Promotions  – Marketing to get more customers
  • From HGTV – To Warner Brothers – to DreamWorks
  • Seasonal Festivals and Major Promotions – 
  • Christmas Dreams Project

Day Two – Session Seven

  • Working for Yourself – What do you need to consider and think about?
  • The Pluses and Minuses
  • How do you find other Work
  • Enhancing and Adding to what you have and offer
  • Where do you find other Work?
  • What to do at the Event/s
  • Big Event vs Small Events
  • What do do – When no-one shows up!  When too many show up!
  • Charitable and Non-Profit Events- When is it Charity and When should they be paying you.
  • The Entertaining Santa – Why – 
  • Remember the focus of your appearance/visit
  • Storytelling Santa – Techniques to Story Telling/Reading a Book
  • Suggested Books for Storytelling
  • Storyteller Secrets
  • The Magician or Magic Santa 
  • Other Entertainment – Mrs. Claus or other performers
  • Face Painting, Cookie Decorating, Balloons, Crafts
  • Other Characters.  – Can you be someone else the rest of the year
  • Other Services – Santa’s Chair, Santa’s Sleigh, Gift Deliveries, Elves and other entertainers
  • Adding Snow to  your visit.

Day Two – Session Eight

  • Setting your Rates –  What is reasonable for your region, neck-of-the-woods!
  • Doing Rate Surveys – Home Visits – Company Parties 
  • Compute your own Rates – Special Excel Spreadsheet. 
  • Marketing – How do you make Santa’s Phone Ring?  Marketing, Marketing, Marketing!
  • Where do  you find more work – Where you need to distribute your business cards.
  • Event Locations –  Event Coordinators and Caterers
  • Entertainment Companies
  • Gig Salad and Gig Master
  • Becoming an Actor or Model
  • Santa’s Business Cards
  • Having the right photos for Marketing
  • How to get FREE Professional Photos!
  • Working with the Media – How to get publicity
  • Business Start-Up – Calendar/Appoint Book 
  • Booking Agreement
  • Budget and Record Keeping
  • Liability Insurance
  • Background Checks
  • Being Prepared – Being Organized
  • Physical Preparedness – Health and Fitness
  • Material Preparedness – Wardrobe – Supplies – Dressing Area
  • A Santa of Character – Set an Image to Admire – You Represent every Santa and Mrs. Claus.
  • Santa Emeritus – What to do when you can’t perform any more.  You can still be a Santa or Mrs. Claus.  
  • The Santa Claus Oath – Mrs. Claus Pledge – Knights of St. Nicholas Creed.

Support Materials

During the video presentation and throughout the book there are references to certain documents and support files that are valuable tools for a Santa and Mrs. Claus.  These are all on-line her on this web site.   

And for those who order the school on Thumb Drive, a few of the documents and work sheets are included on the drive. 

  • Mall Rate Computation Chart
  • Computing your own Rates
  • Handy Hints for clients

 

Also available on Thumb Drive our Advanced Training Session:

Making the Moments   

Click here for details