Decorating, playing Santa...why???

[WillsBabe]

Me last year as old-fashioned Santa...caught in the act.

Those are great! I really like the poinsettia decoration in your belt.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

^And I like that the suit isn't all bright red.

 

[Warped9]

^^ I deliberately avoided bright red and wanted at all costs to avoid the shopping mall Santa look. I was initially influenced by the look of some of those small Santa figures you see in stores that have different coloured coats and different coloured fur trim and some of the coats are long. I wanted something that looked old-fashioned and just a bit more believable, hence the rough textured brown fabric of the coat as well as the long off-white fur. A friend made me the large green Santa bag. I also wanted big pockets that could hold a good amount of candy that I can hand out to neighbourhood kids. There's also a touch of grey streaked into the beard and whiskers. Finally I brush baby powder into my eyebrows.

One day I hope to make an alternate outfit: red coat (like the red you see), but of a textured fabric (rather than furry, satiny or velour like) and with grey or brownish fur trim. I might keep the green pants or match them to the coat. Instead of a belt I'd go with a gold sash. Of course I'd keep the white beard. (-:

 

[Finn]

^some of the Santa movies had Santa wearing textured suits IIRC.

 

[Mary Ann]

My fondest memory of Christmas decorating occurred when my youngest son was about seven. I went to put up our artificial tree and found that somehow it was broken. I couldn't stretch the budget to cover a new tree so it looked like we would go without.

About 3 days later my son came home from school which a large rolled up piece of paper. He unrolled it and it was a Chrismas tree that he had drawn, coloured in and cut out. It was about 4 foot tall. He had spent his lunch hours making it.

We stuck it to the wall with blue tack, sticky taped ornaments to it and that was our Christmas tree for that year.

That's such a lovely story. Children are often so clever and resilient.

I was Santa's elf at the centre Christmas party (held on my last day working there, coincidentally) and Santa was played by one of the centre's ex-health visitors. This man had played the role in previous years and enjoyed it so much that he was easily persuaded to do it for us again, despite not having worked at the centre for about 6 months. The poor man was teased for having lost weight and needing some padding for the first time.

Warped9, I love your Santa suit, especially since it's not the traditional red.

 

[Warped9]

One of the primary reasons I designed my outfit as is was comfort. The first year I played Santa I wore a cheap store bought costume. It was something velour like all over, very lightweight material yet it didn't breathe--you sweated buckets in it! I actually went outside periodically into the cold wind and blowing snow to cool off! At the time I reasoned I could wear my own winter coat all day indoors and not get overheated like that. And that gave me the idea.

So the next year when I decided I wanted to be Santa again I went to a second hand clothing store and bought a woman's coat of the right length and size, had the fasteners reversed, had it recovered in the brown fabric and added the long fur trim as well as big pockets. I also added big wooden buttons although they're just for show and the coat fastens with metal hooks. I wear the coat open necked with a red (or green) scarf loosely worn underneath to cover my shirt. And it worked out because I can wear it for hours on end and not get overheated. That said wearing the Santa hat (also made from scratch) indoors can sometimes get warm, but not uncomfortably so. The boots actually feel more like slippers to wear since they're women's camel boots with the fur trim added. The ivy and poinsettia details are plastic items from a dollar store. My friend who made me the Santa bag also made the red sash. The bells hanging from the sash are also from a dollar store. The beard is custom made to fit my face and it moves when I talk. You can see the hole for my mouth and I can drink with it on through a straw.

This was my first attempt at a custom made Santa suit and I'm quite happy with it. It's easy and comfortable to wear and it cost me only about $300 for materials and tailoring. I have a lot of fun wearing it and it helps me get in character where I can really cut loose as a jolly good fellow reminding folks that this time of year isn't just about buying things, but of compassion and kindness, goodwill, and having good fun. My Santa don't shill for no one.

Indeed each year I've rolled him out the first time at work I deliver a little speech telling the staff that although they're all under pressure to move product they should remember how they'd like to be treated and they should keep in mind to help the customers find what really suits them to have a good Christmas.

I've worn the costume on the street or walking across a parking lot and always gotten people waving, calling out and honking their horns. One time I wanted a coffee while taking a break. Since the coffee shop was just across the street I didn't think it was worth getting changed just for a quick break. I went to the coffee shop as Santa and the staff seemed to get a kick out of it. When I went to pay they gave me the coffee on-the-house because Santa was kind enough to visit them at work. Right after that I recalled I needed to get something at the next door Hallmarks so "Santa" went in and bought a Christmas ornament for my father. That one I didn't get on-the-house.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

^^ I deliberately avoided bright red and wanted at all costs to avoid the shopping mall Santa look. I was initially influenced by the look of some of those small Santa figures you see in stores that have different coloured coats and different coloured fur trim and some of the coats are long. I wanted something that looked old-fashioned and just a bit more believable, hence the rough textured brown fabric of the coat as well as the long off-white fur. A friend made me the large green Santa bag. I also wanted big pockets that could hold a good amount of candy that I can hand out to neighbourhood kids. There's also a touch of grey streaked into the beard and whiskers. Finally I brush baby powder into my eyebrows.

You did a fabulous job!

 

[Amaris]

Indeed. That is a magnificent Santa suit, Warped9.

 

[Warped9]

My favourite onscreen Santas have been Edmund Gwenn in the original Miracle On 34th Street and Mickey Rooney in the animated Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.

For many years I've had something of a SF story idea involving Santa Claus and Christmas. It was inspired by an article I read some years ago in the Toronto Star in which Santa's abilities, his "magic" were rationalized through science fiction concepts. I really should get around to it. Hell, done right it could make for a cool Christmas special or seasonal film.

Hmm... If I could write it maybe I could hook up with the right artist to illustrate it as a short book.

 

[ladyheather69]

Never played Santa, except when handing out the family presents on Christmas day

I love decorating. I don't go all out or anything, but it gets me into the spirit of Christmas. I love seeing Christmas lights on all the neighborhood houses too. Always makes me smile when I am driving around. When my brother and I were younger(about 8 and 11) we would go visit my grandparents in Iowa, and we would 'count' the lights to see who could find the most. I still do that sometimes in my own mind...count how many lights on I see

 

[Warped9]

Every year my father laments on how much work decorating is. Yet he's the first to put up the lights and start pulling stuff out. We were supposed to bring up and decorate the tree on Sunday. But when I got home from work on Friday afternoon he had already brought the tree up from downstairs and had the lights on. He also had the garland and lights on the stairs railing as well as on the mantelpiece.

The idea of decorating can be initially discouraging, but I find the very act of decorating puts you in the mood. And I enjoy making things, too. Last year dad helped me make a "flying" Christmas reindeer we mounted on the front of the house. I called him Marmaduke because of something my dad said while we were making it. While we were cutting out the body dad thought it initially looked more like a moose or a great dane which made me think of the comic strip Marmaduke. Hence, my reindeer's name.

And twenty-five years ago I didn't know what to give my mother that year so I got some off-white illustration board and drew an old-fashioned Santa and had it framed. She hangs it up every year.

 

[Amaris]

I'm going to have to ask you to quit being so talented.

 

[Warped9]

I'm going to have to ask you to quit being so talented.

Thanks. And I often think of myself as artistically challenged.

Recently I've been pondering another Christmas project. Back when I was in high school I recall we had to do something in connection with learning Canadian history and the pioneering days. There was snow outside and I recall getting the idea for making a model of a log cabin with popsicle sticks. I got a good mark for that when I handed it in. Anyway now I'm thinking of revisiting that idea only a little more elaborately. A tabletop sized diorama with an old wood cabin, snow on the roof and trees and log pile, lighted windows as well as a small sleigh pulled by one reindeer or caribou. I've seen lots of those Christmas villages that people make with buildings already made and lighted. This would be a little different.

 

[Amaris]

I'm going to have to ask you to quit being so talented.

Thanks. And I often think of myself as artistically challenged.

Well, in a word, you're not artistically challenged. Yes, that's four words, but my point still stands.

Recently I've been pondering another Christmas project. Back when I was in high school I recall we had to do something in connection with learning Canadian history and the pioneering days. There was snow outside and I recall getting the idea for making a model of a log cabin with popsicle sticks. I got a good mark for that when I handed it in. Anyway now I'm thinking of revisiting that idea only a little more elaborately. A tabletop sized diorama with an old wood cabin, snow on the roof and trees and log pile, lighted windows as well as a small sleigh pulled by one reindeer or caribou. I've seen lots of those Christmas villages that people make with buildings already made and lighted. This would be a little different.

That sounds like fun!

 

[Warped9]

^^ Unfortunately I think it's a little too late to start this year. I've got less than two weeks before Christmas and this seems like a time consuming project. The thing is with Christmas projects of this sort you have to start thinking about them a good time before Christmas, and yet most often you're not really thinking about this sort of thing until you start to get some sort of anticipation for Christmas which is often well into December. If I do this next year I should start at least in November to give me enough time to complete it. Of course there's nothing precluding me from doing it after this Christmas and during the winter then putting it away until next year. Hmm...I could do that...