Professional Santas make a career out of kindness

The Carolina Inn ballroom was starting to empty. It was around 10 a.m. on Christmas Eve, and the Stansells had been waiting for almost two hours, eating their breakfast before the man of the hour arrived. Once he did, the line spanned the length of two walls, accentuating the distance between him and the children. 

But once Jackson, 6; Emma Grace, 4; and Lucas, 9 met Santa Lee Humphries, all of his attention was on them. 

It was their fourth year celebrating at the Carolina Inn, and they were greeted with a warm welcome.

“It’s a great tradition for us for Christmas events,” said Dani Stansell, a Cary resident and a UNC School of Dentistry graduate. 

It’s a tradition for Humphries as well. Last December marked his ninth consecutive year as a professional Santa.

He’s been at the Carolina Inn for his entire career. It’s where he spent this past Christmas.

“I’ll be there as long as I’m able because, like I say, it’s just an honor,” he said. “The people over there have become friends, and they’re very nice people. The staff and the head chef — we’ve eaten with him and his family.”

Now that the holiday season is over, Humphries has returned to his job as a realtor. 

“I’m sorry when it’s over,” he said. “I’m glad it’s over, but I’m sorry it’s over. You put on the suit and you’re Santa, and the kids love Santa.”

Stacks for Santa

The lights have been taken down, and radio stations aren’t playing Mariah Carey anymore, but the end of the holiday season doesn’t mean the end of Santa duties. Humphries is part of Triangle Santa Buddies, a network of independent professional Santas and Mrs. Clauses who work throughout the Triangle and a newly incorporated chapter of the International Brotherhood of Natural Bearded Santas. 

While many of their responsibilities naturally occur in December, the job never stops. Around 40 Santas and six Mrs. Clauses meet each quarter for a two-day seminar where they learn about helpful skills for their job, from the history of Santa Claus to watching Santa-related movies. At the end of the seminar, they are presented with a bachelor of arts in Santa. 

Hillsborough resident Paula Brown, a Mrs. Claus in the group, said the training makes them better Santas — which could lead to a pay raise. 

Brown said that, while salary ranges on personal rates, some Santas in the group have said they made $11,000 in the month of December. For many, a common rate is $175 for the first hour and $100 per subsequent hour or $75 for the first hour and $50 for subsequent hours, plus the cost of travel. However, many, such as Brown, volunteer their time in the spirit of the holiday.

The salary could cover the cost of the required equipment: the costume, boots, boot covers, blush for rosy cheeks and the cost required to maintain white hair and beard.

While the members will hire themselves out for events such as holiday parties to retirement homes to libraries, many in the group agree — they stay away from malls.

“I do not like malls,” said Humphries. “I did malls my first year, just some jobs here and there in Chapel Hill, actually — University Mall. You’re working for a photography company, and their thing is they’re selling pictures and selling groups of pictures.”

This year, Noerr Programs staffed the Santa at University Place, one of nearly 300 shopping centers Noerr visited. The program’s Santa Super Saver program — which included two 6-by-8-inch snow globe cards and 10 4-by-6-inch Christmas cards — costs $34.99. Nearly 5 million people visit Noerr Program Santas each year. 

Ruth Rosenquist, Noerr Programs director of public relations and cause marketing, said Noerr employed around 450 professional Santas this year, matching Santas to needed locations, even if it means traveling out of state. While they don’t disclose salaries, Rosenquist said it depends on previous experience, amount of time with the company, the market the mall serves, etc. 

While they don’t disclose revenue, their charity, Save the Children, just reached the $1 million milestone in its fifth year. 

Spirit of Santa

While many make a profit off of becoming Santa, successful ones aren’t in it for the money.

“That’s wonderful — to do that and to give so much of themselves and yet earn that kind of money,” she said. “But it’s because not just anybody can be a Santa.”

Santa is more than just a fictional character. He’s the spirit of Christmas, said Humphries, who many kids know as the real Santa due to his longtime role at the Carolina Inn.

“Being a Santa, to me, it’s an honor because to the kids, you are Santa. You put on that suit, the red suit; you are Santa to a lot of kids,” he said.

And to be Santa, many go through training of some kind, whether it’s through employers like Noerr Programs or professional Santa Claus schools.

“Santa’s about the heart and about loving children and caring about everybody who would come visit him,” said Susen Mesco, founder and director of the Professional Santa Claus School in Denver, Colo. “It’s not a good white beard or a big belly.” 

For Brown, the most surprising part isn’t the joy but the love.

“Parents, children, puppies — they see me in my fluffy white wig and my little red cap and my big, beautiful velvet dress with the fur on it, and I’m smiling,” she said. “I just like to say that the love that I have in my heart for my fellow man makes me sparkle, and that’s why they say I’m beautiful that day.

“That was more than I ever expected.”

@sarahvassello

arts@dailytarheel.com