Page 2 - aruba-today-20221129

A2 UP FRONT
Tuesday 29 November 2022
Santa’s back in town with inflation, inclusion on his mind

Continued from Front

Inflation has also taken a
bite out of Santa. Many
are older, on fixed incomes
and travel long distances
to don the red suit. They
spend hundreds on their
costumes and other ac-
coutrements.
“We’re charging the clients
slightly more and we’re also
paying our Santas slightly
more,” Allen said.
Bookings for many San-
tas were made months in
advance, and some work
year-round. Allen’s San-
tas will earn from $5,000 to
$12,000 for the season.
A few Santas told The As-
sociated Press they’re
unbothered by the cost,
however. They’re not in the
Santa profession to make a
buck but do it out of sheer
joy.
Allen and other agencies
are juggling more requests
for inclusive Santas, such as
Black, deaf and Spanish-
speaking performers. Allen
also has a female Santa on
speed dial.
“I haven’t been busted Santa Claus waves from atop a float along 6th Avenue during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022, in New
York.
yet by the kids and, with Associated Press
one exception, by the par-
ents, either,” said 48-year- ing on the roles as volun- ple hard. They’ve lowered connect with the hearing mostly due to the costs of
old Melissa Rickard, who teers in 2007. Both are re- their rates at times when kids as well,” said Graves, a transportation, accommo-
stepped into the role in her tired military. they sense that people are spry Santa at 52. dation and materials,” he
early 20s when the Santa They spent weeks in formal struggling. Graves, who has a day job said. “Personally, I’m rais-
hired by her father’s lodge Claus training. Among the “People are having issues at a school for deaf chil- ing my rates a bit for new
fell ill. skills they picked up was just eating, but they don’t dren, also received train- clients but I’m holding pric-
“To have a child not be American Sign Language want to miss out on the ex- ing to be Santa. He works es this year for my repeat
able to tell I’m a woman and other ways to accom- perience,” Eric said. Some- as Santa with interpreters. gigs.”
in one sense is the ultimate modate people with dis- times, he said, “You’ll meet Breaking in has been dif- Arnold, who’s in Memphis,
compliment because it abilities. them and be like, `You go ficult and expensive, he Tennessee, charges $250
means I’m doing Santa jus- Their work has included ahead and hold on to that. says, but “this is something to $350 an hour. Others in
tice. It cracks my husband trips into disaster zones with I know you worked hard for really, really important to his organization, depend-
up,” added Rickard, who the Texas-based nonprofit that.’” me.” ing on location and expe-
lives outside Little Rock, Ar- Lone Star Santas to lend a For other clients, the Elliotts By mid-November, he had rience, charge anywhere
kansas. “I know there are little cheer. charge anywhere from more than a dozen gigs, in- from $100 to $500 an hour,
more of us out there.” The Elliotts, who are Black, $150 to $300 an hour. cluding a parade in Santa the latter in big cities like
By mid-November, Rickard say breaking into the top Charles Graves, a rare, Paula, California, a mall in Los Angeles. Some, he said,
had more than 100 gigs tier of Santas as first-time professional deaf Santa in Austin, Texas, and at Mor- don’t know their worth and
lined up, through Hire San- pros and Clauses of color New Braunfels, Texas, said gan’s Wonderland, a non- lowball it at $50 or $75 an
ta and other means. hasn’t been easy. For some through an interpreter that profit accessible theme hour.
“A lot of it is word of people, Eric said, “We un- he was inspired to grow his park in San Antonio. He’s As for the pandemic, Ar-
mouth,” she said. “It’s `Hey, derstand that we’re not the beard and put on the suit in also doing some Zoom vis- nold hasn’t heard a word
have you seen the female Santa for you.” part by awkward encoun- its. about it from his clients,
Santa?’” The Santa Experience at ters with hearing Santas as Among Santa’s rising costs compared to last year and
Rickard charges roughly Mall of America in Bloom- a child. this year are his duds. The 2020, when he worked in-
$175 an hour as Santa, de- ington, Minnesota, is staff- “As a child, I was very ex- price of suits, from custom side a snow globe. The San-
pending on the job, and ing up with six Saint Nicks, cited to receive a gift, to ready-to-wear, is up tas he knows seem unflus-
donates all but her fuel including two who are but then you just kind of about 25%, said 72-year- tered.
money to charity. And her Black and its first Asian go away and you’re like, old Stephen Arnold, a long- “I’m surprised how few peo-
beard? Yak hair. Santa. Visits in Spanish and there’s no connection time Santa who heads the ple are concerned about
Eric Elliott’s carefully tend- Cantonese are provided. there. Children look at me more than 2,000-strong In- it,” Arnold said. “I visit my
ed white beard is the real Working smaller jobs, in- now and they’re like, wow, ternational Brotherhood of wife twice a day in a nurs-
deal. He and his Mrs. Claus, cluding house visits, the El- you know, there’s a con- Real Bearded Santas. ing facility. I’m diabetic. I
wife Moeisha Elliott, went liotts have seen how rising nection there with the deaf “Most of the performers I mean, most of us are old
pro this year after first tak- prices have hit some peo- culture. And I can always know are raising their rates, fat men.”q