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Lecture ‘Boundless Slavery and Freedom
in the Caribbean’ Dr. Coen van Galen
Tuesday from Radboud University
November 29, 2022
T: 582-7800
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Aruba’s ONLY English newspaper
A r u b a ’ s O N L Y E n g l i s h n e w s p a p e r
Santa’s back in town with inflation, Elliott Loonstra receives

inclusion on his mind Perseverance Award in Para-
Taekwondo as distinguished

athlete

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This photo shows Charles Graves dressed as Santa Claus in Austin, Texas on on Sept. 3, 2022.
Graves is a rare Deaf Santa in his first year donning the red suit as a professional. University of Aruba dresses
Associated Press
in purple against gender-
By LEANNE ITALIE Programs, is back up to pre-pandemic
AP Entertainment Writer booking numbers for their 1,400 or so San- based violence
NEW YORK (AP) — Don’t look for plastic tas working at more than 600 malls and
partitions or faraway benches when visit- other spots this year, said spokesperson
ing Santa Claus this year. The jolly old elf Chris Landtroop.
is back, pre-pandemic style, and he’s got “I can’t even explain how excited we are
some pressing issues on his mind. to see everyone’s smiles at all locations
Santa booker HireSanta.com has logged this season without anything covering up
a 30% increase in demand this Christmas those beautiful faces,” she said.
season over last year, after losing about Cherry Hill Santas are also free to wear
15% of its performers to retirement or death masks, Landtroop said.
during the pandemic, said founder and Among standout Santas still keeping their
head elf Mitch Allen. distance? There will be no lap visits at the
He has a Santa database of several thou- Macy’s flagship store in New York’s Herald
sand with gigs at the Bloomingdale’s flag- Square. Santa is seated behind his desk.
ship store in New York, various Marriott Some Santas who stayed home the last
properties and other venues around the two years out of concern for their health
U.S. Most of Allen’s clients have moved have returned to the ho ho ho game, but
back to kids on laps and aren’t consider- Allen is desperately trying to refill his pipe-
ing COVID-19 in a major way, he said, but line with new performers.
Santa can choose to mask up. Page 11
Another large Santa agency, Cherry Hill Continued on Page 2