Richard Christie, a 73-year-old retiree, was struck by the idea of becoming Santa Claus seven years ago while vacationing in Big Sur.
“I was walking on the pier when I saw a man dressed all in red with a full beard, and I watched children flock to him and talk to him as Santa,” recalls Mr. Christie. The Santa who would become his mentor, Bill Gibson, told Christie — who already sported a small beard — that he could find work as Santa, too.
Within two years, the transformation was complete. He found an agent who helped him land work at corporate events, private parties, malls and even in television commercials. Last year, he flew to Shenzhen, China, where he greeted thousands of guests in a chalet set up in the lobby of a five-star hotel — and pulled down a paycheck in “the mid-five-figures” for two hours of work a day, six days a week, for about a month.
Some entrepreneurial Santas have created lucrative sideline businesses along the way. Mr. Christie, for example, markets a line of leather belts, buckles and other accessories, some costing nearly $300.
Others, finding themselves with too much work to handle on their own, have become agents for fellow Santas. And a few of the sagest St. Nicks have written and published instruction manuals for the business and hold regular Santa workshops — turning out trainees rather than toys.
The pay can help beef up retirement savings. Santas working at shopping malls typically make $8,000 to $20,000 a season, with most landing in the $10,000 to $12,000 range. Santas on the party circuit pull in about $100 an hour, depending on the region and type of event.
Photo by cenz.
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