The Citizen, 2006-12-21, Page 32Ho Ho Ho
Doing what he does best, is Santa Claus leaving some presents for some lucky boys and
girls. The Citizen was able to lock down an interview with the bringer of Christmas cheer.
(Shawn Loughlin photo)
From all the staff of
The Citizen
we'd like to wish all
our readers a
wonderful Christmas
and all the best
for 2007.
PAGE 32. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2006.
Santa takes time to talk business with 'Citizen'
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
With his one day of employment
quickly approaching, Santa Claus
hasn't had much time for anything
lately.
However, Santa does have a press
agent, and after pulling a lot of
strings, The Citizen was able to talk
to the big guy, just days before
Christmas.
There are, however, some -things
that Santa would prefer to keep a
secret He did answer a few
questions with just one word -
magic.
One of the questions that received
such an answer was how he gets to
everyone's house in just one night.
That one won't get answered today;
sorry.
He spoke about many of his tasks
in very small terms, insisting that
being Santa Claus is "no big deal"
and that he loves what he does; also
adding his trademark Ho Ho'
from time to time.
"People always get really happy
this time of year and, I like to think
that I have a lot to do with that,"
Claus said.
"This attitude that people have
towards me is great and really quite
touching. The faith that everyone
has, I mean, considering no one has
ever actually seen me, it means that
much more to me."
Santa adds that it surely isn't a
one-person job and that the old
saying- couldn't be more applicable
in his situation; that behind every
good man, there's a good woman...
and elves and reindeer.
"Well you know that Mrs. Claus
doesn't get nearly as much play as I
do and that's something that gets to
her because she does so much
around here. I mean, who do you
think lays my suit out for me? Ho Ho
Ho," Claus said.
"She cooks my meals, she takes
care of the elves. I've got news for
you too, I don't read those fe-tters;
Mrs. Claus reads them and gives me
the gist of them." -
When The Citizen points out that
he only-Works one day a year, Santa.
interjects and says that his work is
like an iceberg, only a small
percentage of his work is what
people actually see.
"It's all preparation. The presents
have to get made and collected and
wrapped and the lists filled. By the
time Christmas rolls around, we feel
pretty close to being done to be
honest," Claus said.
"What people see, or rather, don't
see, is the work behind the scenes.
Christmas is like the show after
months and months of reading the
Rebels with a Cause are coming to
a theatre near you.
On Dec. 21 at 7 p.m., the Huron
County Health Unit's Youth Action
Affiance will be at the Park Theatre
in Goderich. They will be there to
introduce themselves as Rebels with
a Cause.
The Youth Action Alliance group
aims to prevent smoking among
youth and to expose how the
tobacco industry targets youth to get
them to start using tobacco. "We're
trying to raise awareness about the
impact smoking in movies might
have on youth:' says Aaron Neeb.
Neeb is a peer leader from Rebels
with a Cause.
According to a Dartmouth
University medical study, more than
one third of people aged 10 - 14
script, practise and rehearsals."
The reindeer and the elves play a
huge part in getting things ready for
the big night. They are not extras in
this production; that's for sure.
"The elves work around the clock.
That workshop keeps simple hours,
24 a day. They have day shifts and
night shifts and that place is
pumping out toys 24/7, 364 days a
year. Christmas is the one day that
they have off, well and Sundays.
They're very religious," Claus said.
"The reindeer, on the other hand,
probably have the easiest job. They
just have to take me out on
Christmas, so they only work one
night a year, but it's a pretty
important job."
The rest of the time, the reindeer
spend training. The young reindeer
have to learn how to fly and this can
take years sometimes.
When asked some _of the more
interesting questions, Santa holds his
hand close to his chest and doesn't
reveal much about Christmas night.
"There's no way I could explain
how all of the presents fit in my
sack, or how I get around the world
in one night. It would be too hard for
people to understand," Claus said.
"It's just magic. Ho Ho Ho.
The presents get there, I don't
know what else anyone needs to
know. Maybe if they don't get there
one year we'll have a chat."
This mystery is something that is a
very closely-guarded family secret,
as Mrs. Claus is reluctant to speak
on it as well.
"Oh, he wouldn't like it if I told
you one bit," she said.
"He's a very special man. I have
always known that and I'm glad that
he can make so many people happy.
Maybe that's part of the attraction.
He loves people and he loves to
make them happy. He's very selfless.
A true humanitarian."
Santa agrees that he does this for
the children and that he loves to
make them happy, but also says that
this is something he was born to do.
"It's not like I went through Santa
boot camp, or the Gift-Giving
Management program in university,
although maybe I should teach it. Ho
H6 Ho. I mean, I was the first one, so
who's going to teach me to be like
that?" Claus said.
"But I always felt this compulsion
to do good things, and then
eventually it worked itself out. Some
people pour soup at a kitchen, some
people do mission work. I did this. I
suppose the magic thing helped my
decision, but I don't really want to
get into that."
Another question Santa shies away
from is how he can afford to do the
job he does. With profits coming in
started smoking because they saw it
in movies. "Most people also do not
know that there is a strong economic
connection between the film
industry and the tobacco industry.
Movie stars are sometimes paid
heavy sums of money to smoke in
films.
Rebels with a Cause will be at the
theatre before Charlotte's Web and
Eragon to share information and
giveaways with the public.
The Huron County Youth Action
Alliance is part of the Smoke Free
Ontario Strategy.
Under this strategy, 56 groups of
high school students are working
with Ontario health units to prevent
tobacco use in youth.
To learn more, please visit the
website at www.youthspark.ca/smokerings.
the form of milk and cookies, how
can a person who gives and gives
pay for food and shelter for his very
extended family?
Santa said he "can be quite the
negotiator" and that he has a knack
for helping people to see things his
way.
"There is enough money for Santa
to be working for milk and cookies
for a very long time, which I have no
problem with. Ho Ho Ho," Claus
said.
"The money side of things is a less
magical part of the job. I guess it's
hard to think of it like that, but Santa
has a wallet in his suit, a bank
account and an accountant who gets
paid way too much."
Details on the account could not
be obtained and The Citizen was
laughed at when trying to obtain
licence information for a Mr. Santa
Claus, resident of the North Pole.
When asked about what he does in
these last few days before Christmas
he says rest. He likens it to the way a
bear hibernates, preparing for the
season ahead, but in Santa's case, it's
preparation for just ,one night.
"Yeah that night can really take its
toll on you if you're not careful, so I
figure to rest up beforehand. It's kind
of like stretching before a race. That
way you don't pull anything and you
finish the night strong."
Rebels with a Cause
speak out in Goderich