Best Santa Claus Ever?

[SantaAllen]

I am wondering who/when the best Santa Claus you have ever seen? And what made that Santa so good?

I am always trying to improve my appearance and knowledge, so that I remind parents of the best traditional Santa Claus that they remember and I help make those same memories for the kids.

[chris]

Mine would have to be Santa at the mall when I was a kid. He was always there every year we went to see him.

[theedwin]

I would have to agree with Chris as far as the "always there" part goes. I think that is very important to kids - knowing the same person is always there. Building a reputation is never easy, but it does get easier every year.

Great thread by the way. I am definitely interested in other peoples responses!

[chris]

I take my son to the same Santa each year and now hes at the age where he knows to find Santa come December.

[Sickie Ickie]

Mannerisms are important too. I just played the Easter Bunny at the park district for umpteen years in a row again, and there is this girl that came up to me Sat and wouldn't leave my side much of the time. LOL She's nine years old and she has seen the "bunny" for several years and knows him very well. It's a little different in full head costume because as a mascot the "Bunny" can't talk.

[bethene]

when my kids were young there was a Santa at a local mall that was great, had his own full white beard and hair, just looked the part to a T, and was so wonderful with the kids.

[EnlightenedGrinch]

I can't really remember any Santas that stick out in my mind. I didn't see a lot of real Santas when I was a kid.

[SantaAllen]

That is sad to hear that you didn't see any real Santa Claus when you were a kid. It does seem that now there are more Santa Claus opportunities.

[theedwin]

When I was growing up, it was always one of the volunteer firemen who dressed up as Santa. We didn't get to the "big town mall" often enough to get to know that Santa either. I do always remember the fake beard tho....

[halfawake454]

I only vaguely remember the santa at my mall when I was little. I'll tell ya the santa that really stood out to me though. This santa isn't even real. The santa character from Rugrats, The Santa Experience episode is one of my favorite santa's. Probably because it is one of the earlier memories of a Santa since that episode would play when I was real young.

What made that santa good was the fact that:

He was fat. I hate when Santa's aren't real fat. I mean he is eating a lot of cookies, he should be pretty fat.

He also had a nice full beard. I like santa to have a long and full beard.

The last thing is his voice was deep and commanding, but not in an intimidating way. It made him sound like he had some wisdom, since he has been around forever.

Anyway, those are a few elements that I believe make a good santa.

[SantaAllen]

Very Nice! I too think Santa Claus should be 'Jolly' and have a really full beard. (though the real bearded Santa's look really good too)

[halfawake454]

Ideally finding someone with a naturally full beard would be best.

I do like the real beards as opposed to fake as well, so real and full is ideal, but if i had to choose i'd say real and moderately full as opposed to real full and fake.

I must say though, if someone must use a fake one, invest is one that looks good. There are a lot out there that even show the band that holds it in place a little bit. That's just bad.

[Sickie Ickie]

I'd have to agree about the faux beard quality. Yak hair usually looks great.

[SantaAllen]

check out mine, it is a human and yak set. I think it is pretty good, though very full. I am thinking about getting another set that looks more like a real beard (but much fuller than any real beard I have seen). But it will be pretty expensive, so I will probably wait until next year.

[Sickie Ickie]

Yeah, those yak beards and better ones usually cost many hundreds of moola. I think the key is to have a very thick one that can't be seen through.

[MissMandy]

Best 'Santa' I've ever come across was actually in a grocery store lol. He was dressed in a red and green flannel shirt, was wearing suspenders and had those classic Santa reading glasses on. No fake beard. His was totally real ~ and slightly yellowed mustache from smoke his pipe ;) He was in the candy isle (of all isles). I remember standing there just staring at him. And then he turned around and gave me a smile and a wink. At the age of 7 or so, I thought that was the most magical thing ever.

[navidadnm2010]

The Best Santa I have yet seen, was the one at the Mall in Tucson, AZ many years ago.
He was an RBS (Real Bearded Santa), Played it to the Hilt and seemed to be Super Psychic.
He knew things about my Hubby and I that only our own Families and no one else knew of us.
Saved our bacon once from being taken in by a Scam.
I would have to say that this is the REAL Definition of a Super and Awesome Santa.

[lisa48317]

I don't remember any specific Santa growing up, but there's a older gentleman at a craft fair we go to every year who sells these fantastically beautiful handmade wooden ornaments (that I make sure to buy one of every year!!) He's always in a plaid shirt with suspenders, not too "fluffy" tho. But he's got the stained white beard, etc. There's just something about his eyes........he's mesmerizing.

[snowdust]

Last year's Santa was the best. Yeah, he had the real beard and white hair. But the best part about him was that he knew how to talk to the kids and make them smile. He was really in tune with which ones were talkative, shy, or right out terrified, and interacted with each one of them with amazing patience and "Santa-style" jolliness. He had humor that was at the kids level to make them smile and welcomed the parents with more timid kids to sit on his lap or stand next to him while holding their child. He did not rush any of the families, and the wait was LOOONG, but from what I saw, when each family finally got up there, the wait was forgotten. First year I had real smiles from my kids with Santa.

[SPX]

First year I had real smiles from my kids with Santa.

How old are your kids?

I do remember loving to go see Santa when I was a kid. I only have one specific memory of actually doing so for whatever reason, but it was a happy occasion.

[snowdust]

I actually have 3 kids, but I was referring to my two youngest. They are 3 and 5, and would have been a year younger last Christmas. My oldest is 15, and I don't think Santa EVER scared him. He would have been more like the kid that yanked Santa's beard off if it were fake:)

[Spats]

Honestly, I've never seen a decent one in person.
Best one I ever saw was in "One Magic Christmas", when he appeared to the mother in the living room.

Covered in soot, bare-headed, wearing a robe-like coat and peering over his glasses like a grandfather sharing a secret.
Yeah, he got me.

[SantaAllen]

Most people have not seen a really great Santa Claus. I had lunch yesterday with half a dozen of my Santa friends and most were real bearded Santa Claus. They all would not your socks off at a party. Not only looking the part, but also very jolly and Bengal men. And those of us that are traditional or designer bearded (theatrical quality), I believe are just as good...in some ways even better.

Regardless of look, the best Santa Clauses are gentle with the kids, stay in character and deliver what parents and event organizers are looking for.