Becoming Santa Claus

• 1). Find a good Santa suit. These should be available at a good costume shop in your area. But be sure to plan ahead. If you know far enough ahead of time, you should be able to rent one. You can buy a new suit also, but if you do, you should invest in quality. Look for something with a separate top and bottom, instead of a one-piece suit. Prices at sites like Santasuits.com and Buycostumes.com can range from $50 to more than $600. Be sure to include a big belt, jingle bells, gloves, and boots or boot covers. The beard and hair are also a must. A stringy beard or one that doesn't cover up enough is a sure sign to guests of a ho-hum Santa Claus. If you have to make a choice, go with a better beard, even if you have to scrimp on your suit.
  
  
• 2). Cover yourself from head to toe and watch out for anachronisms. Santa will need to have gloves and boots. A Santa Claus wearing a great suit but New Balance running shoes ruins the illusion, especially if you are entertaining kids. The same goes for those hipster glasses you may have. Try to be the authentic character at least for a while. And that includes putting away your BlackBerry!
  
  
• 3). Be sure to add padding to your costume checklist if you're not naturally plump. Once you have it, be sure to incorporate the belly into your posture. Hold it happily while you "Ho, ho, ho!"
  
  

Performing as Santa Claus

• 1). Make a grand entrance! Once you get to your event, knock loudly on the door, ring your jingle bells and let out a loud "Ho, ho, ho!" or "Merry Christmas!" There's nothing quite like the look of surprise or rush of joy from the kids a the party, who will swarm Santa Claus as soon as he walks through the door.
  
  
• 2). Play along with the party. Talk to the people putting on the event before hand so you know what everyone has been doing before you arrived. This will add to the mystique of Santa Claus, who will be able to ask everyone if they enjoyed the cookies, the movies or the gift-giving. If possible, find out the names of the people there beforehand as well. If Santa Claus is not enough of a surprise, Santa knowing their names will be an even bigger one.
  
  
• 3). Bring some gifts. Even if you have a bag of candy canes or little jingle bells to hand out, getting any sort of gift from Santa is a plus.
  
  
• 4). Have your answers ready. Whether you are with adults or kids, Santa is going to get peppered with questions. Bone up on your Santa Claus lore or just be creative. Some of the questions you will hear are "Where are your reindeer?", "Do you know Frosty?", "Where is Rudolph?", "How did you get here?" and "Are you the real Santa?"
  
  
• 5). Handle the real Santa question delicately. If you are with little kids, you want to be as real as you can be. For older ones (or teens), there will be some doubters in the crowd. If that happens, deflect by asking them questions: "Have you been good this year?" and "What do you want for Christmas?" Usually, those questions will get a smile out of anybody. With a good suit, a good attitude and a good "Ho, ho, ho!", you should be a smash as a Santa Claus. Finish with a dramatic exit, being sure to say "Merry Christmas!"