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Back in 2007, I had a part-time job at the local mall as a photographer/greeter for Santa. I usually worked Mon-Fri from 9-2. Our uniforms were a 'nice' white shirt, black pants, and a red apron~ antlers, Santa, or an elf hat were optional.
For the most part I had a ton of fun. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. My manager was pure awesome. Our Santa looked like the real deal and was great too, though closer to the end he started to burn out. He was the only Santa we had and was there from 9am - 9 or 10 pm, with only an hour and a half of break, seven days a week.
In addition to taking pictures, I sold photo packages, babysat, cleaned the set, provided basic security for Santa, acted as a gofer, and was a one girl street team.
Our set was basically Santa's chair, a storybook back drop, a Christmas tree, and a mailbox for Letters to Santa (which we would read). I'd get at least five people a day complaining how bad the set was. That it wasn't Christmas-y enough. I know it sucks, Santa knows it sucks, and my Awesome Manager knows it sucks. The mall provided the set. Yes, I know they used to do a huge castle with animatronic elves in the center of the mall. I know the mall's decorations used to rival the ones at Disney World. That the train would go around a wooded set with animatronic snowmen, bears, and other woodland creatures. Now it just goes around a box with some fake store names on it. I know, I am dissapointed too. Complain about the lack of decorations to the people in charge of the mall not to me. I have tried. They are the ones that decided more kiosk carts with their 'annoying, pushy hawkers' (their words, not mine), were more profitable than decorating for the holidays. Yes, they still have the decorations, I pass the chock-full warehouse on my way to get Santa.
I'd have to say the worst things that happened involved bodily fluids followed by a quick trip to the dry cleaners. There were a few parents that blamed it on us because taking little Johnny to go potty before getting in line to see Santa is not as urgent as getting in line to see Santa. If a parent that had been waiting in line and were close to the front said their kid needed to use the restroom, we'd give them a fast pass that would let them either get back in their spot in line or move to the front if we had gotten to where they had been. Then they'd be able to take Johnny to the restroom.
Another suck were the parents who forced their kids to go talk to Santa. After a few days of DO NAWT WANT from a lot of kids. It dawned on me. The kids were scared/stressed. All of a sudden Mommy wants Little Suzy to go talk to a stranger, sit on his lap, and take candy from him. Mommy has told Suzy not to do these things. Now Mommy wants Suzy to go sit on Santa's lap NOW OR ELSE. Little Suzy starts to NO, I DON'T WANNA. Mommy says Santa isn't going to bring you anything because you are being bad. Fuel to the fire. Little Suzy wants presents, but now because Santa can see her acting bad she isn't going to get anything. Mommy is rapidly loosing her patience and Little Suzy is dry heaving.
So, once it has dawned on me, the next time IT happens, I get Awesome Manager to pull Mommy aside to talk about photo package options and get down to Little Suzy's level. I explain that I know she has been told to avoid strangers and all, but this Santa is okay and that Mommy wants a nice picture to give to her relatives for Christmas. That if Suzy was really uncomfortable sitting on Santa's lap, she could sit on a special chair next to him for the photo. 95% of the time that talk worked and Suzy would go up to Santa no problem. The other 5% were too far gone by the time I was able to get to them thanks to their parent stressing them out. Closer to the end of the run, I was getting repeat customers because their kids had to see me.
If you don't want pictures, don't yell or curse at me. I have to ask you if you want a photograph to remember Timmy's time with Santa. No, you cannot take a photo with your own camera on set. It is against corporate policy. Have fun being escorted off the set courtasy of my friend the security guard after you called me a fucking bitch.
Another memorable... well I don't really blame the guy, but I guess it could be considered a suck. Anyway, an elderly couple get in line. The man said his wife was dying of cancer and wanted to see Santa before she died. He didn't want to get in the picture, so Awesome Manager talked to him about packages and small talk. Long story short, his wife kissed Santa full on the lips and I got it on 'film' (digital camera). Santa and I both thought she was going to go for his cheek. I also got several other poses, but that one was the one she wanted. A.M. and I asked several times, trying to persuade them to get a more... tasteful pose. So, her husband agrees to buy that photo in one of our more expensive packages. They get their stuff, the wife pulls A.M. aside for a moment and talks to her, and then they go on their merry way. About fifteen minutes later the husband comes back, irate over the pictures. He said that wasn't the pose they wanted. A.M. offers to let them come back and skip in line to get another pose. He said his wife was too tired and wanted to go home. A.M. comes over and checks the past pictures to see if theirs were still in the system. They were. A.M. offers the man either a refund or a new set of pictures. He wants a refund. She gives it to him and lets him keep the pictures. He goes off and comes back a few minutes later. His wife wanted the other pictures. A.M. and I get him to select a pose that he likes. A.M. comps the package and gives it to him along with a picture frame. He goes away and doesn't come back. Curious, because A.M. usually wouldn't do anything like that, I ask her why she did it. Apparently the woman told her that her husband was in the early stages of alzheimers. (I was working for the same company/manager during the Easter season of 2008. She came in with the paper one morning and showed me the obituary section. The woman's photo was in it- she had lost her battle with cancer.)
I have several more, but it is getting late and I'll post them tomorrow morning.
For the most part I had a ton of fun. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. My manager was pure awesome. Our Santa looked like the real deal and was great too, though closer to the end he started to burn out. He was the only Santa we had and was there from 9am - 9 or 10 pm, with only an hour and a half of break, seven days a week.
In addition to taking pictures, I sold photo packages, babysat, cleaned the set, provided basic security for Santa, acted as a gofer, and was a one girl street team.
Our set was basically Santa's chair, a storybook back drop, a Christmas tree, and a mailbox for Letters to Santa (which we would read). I'd get at least five people a day complaining how bad the set was. That it wasn't Christmas-y enough. I know it sucks, Santa knows it sucks, and my Awesome Manager knows it sucks. The mall provided the set. Yes, I know they used to do a huge castle with animatronic elves in the center of the mall. I know the mall's decorations used to rival the ones at Disney World. That the train would go around a wooded set with animatronic snowmen, bears, and other woodland creatures. Now it just goes around a box with some fake store names on it. I know, I am dissapointed too. Complain about the lack of decorations to the people in charge of the mall not to me. I have tried. They are the ones that decided more kiosk carts with their 'annoying, pushy hawkers' (their words, not mine), were more profitable than decorating for the holidays. Yes, they still have the decorations, I pass the chock-full warehouse on my way to get Santa.
I'd have to say the worst things that happened involved bodily fluids followed by a quick trip to the dry cleaners. There were a few parents that blamed it on us because taking little Johnny to go potty before getting in line to see Santa is not as urgent as getting in line to see Santa. If a parent that had been waiting in line and were close to the front said their kid needed to use the restroom, we'd give them a fast pass that would let them either get back in their spot in line or move to the front if we had gotten to where they had been. Then they'd be able to take Johnny to the restroom.
Another suck were the parents who forced their kids to go talk to Santa. After a few days of DO NAWT WANT from a lot of kids. It dawned on me. The kids were scared/stressed. All of a sudden Mommy wants Little Suzy to go talk to a stranger, sit on his lap, and take candy from him. Mommy has told Suzy not to do these things. Now Mommy wants Suzy to go sit on Santa's lap NOW OR ELSE. Little Suzy starts to NO, I DON'T WANNA. Mommy says Santa isn't going to bring you anything because you are being bad. Fuel to the fire. Little Suzy wants presents, but now because Santa can see her acting bad she isn't going to get anything. Mommy is rapidly loosing her patience and Little Suzy is dry heaving.
So, once it has dawned on me, the next time IT happens, I get Awesome Manager to pull Mommy aside to talk about photo package options and get down to Little Suzy's level. I explain that I know she has been told to avoid strangers and all, but this Santa is okay and that Mommy wants a nice picture to give to her relatives for Christmas. That if Suzy was really uncomfortable sitting on Santa's lap, she could sit on a special chair next to him for the photo. 95% of the time that talk worked and Suzy would go up to Santa no problem. The other 5% were too far gone by the time I was able to get to them thanks to their parent stressing them out. Closer to the end of the run, I was getting repeat customers because their kids had to see me.
If you don't want pictures, don't yell or curse at me. I have to ask you if you want a photograph to remember Timmy's time with Santa. No, you cannot take a photo with your own camera on set. It is against corporate policy. Have fun being escorted off the set courtasy of my friend the security guard after you called me a fucking bitch.
Another memorable... well I don't really blame the guy, but I guess it could be considered a suck. Anyway, an elderly couple get in line. The man said his wife was dying of cancer and wanted to see Santa before she died. He didn't want to get in the picture, so Awesome Manager talked to him about packages and small talk. Long story short, his wife kissed Santa full on the lips and I got it on 'film' (digital camera). Santa and I both thought she was going to go for his cheek. I also got several other poses, but that one was the one she wanted. A.M. and I asked several times, trying to persuade them to get a more... tasteful pose. So, her husband agrees to buy that photo in one of our more expensive packages. They get their stuff, the wife pulls A.M. aside for a moment and talks to her, and then they go on their merry way. About fifteen minutes later the husband comes back, irate over the pictures. He said that wasn't the pose they wanted. A.M. offers to let them come back and skip in line to get another pose. He said his wife was too tired and wanted to go home. A.M. comes over and checks the past pictures to see if theirs were still in the system. They were. A.M. offers the man either a refund or a new set of pictures. He wants a refund. She gives it to him and lets him keep the pictures. He goes off and comes back a few minutes later. His wife wanted the other pictures. A.M. and I get him to select a pose that he likes. A.M. comps the package and gives it to him along with a picture frame. He goes away and doesn't come back. Curious, because A.M. usually wouldn't do anything like that, I ask her why she did it. Apparently the woman told her that her husband was in the early stages of alzheimers. (I was working for the same company/manager during the Easter season of 2008. She came in with the paper one morning and showed me the obituary section. The woman's photo was in it- she had lost her battle with cancer.)
I have several more, but it is getting late and I'll post them tomorrow morning.
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