The Culture of.... Santa Claus.

I mentioned in my last post that there were research possibilities I had passed over, thinking it was impossible to find sources. Thankfully, I was proven wrong.

 I have decided to research the culture of the men who choose to portray Santa Claus. I will explore questions such as: What made you wish to take this type of job? Does this job give you a greater appreciation for Christmas, or does it have the opposite effect? What do you do in the off-season? Etcetera. I will also explore different customs and variances in Santas. For instance, through my preliminary research, I have found conflict between those with authentic beards and those without.

To gain insight into this profession, I will explore groups such as The Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas, Santa’s Rampage, the Santa Claus Network, and other related sites. Most importantly, I will attempt to access this information by contacting malls and large department stores to receive information about the men they have hired to portray Santa Claus. Personal interviews will provide me with the most thorough answers to the questions I have proposed.