It’s the busiest time of year for Santa Claus and his elves. Thankfully, he has a helper in Denver who knows the North Pole like the back of her hand. Her name is Susen Mesco and she’s been operating the Professional Santa Claus School for 42 years.
“The Santa industry has just exploded. Over the years, it's probably somewhere near 4,000 or 5,000 Santas that have gone through my programs,” Mesco said.
The Santa School’s curriculum is packed with everything from how to pose with children of different ages, to sign language, costuming and beard grooming.
“They will learn how to work with special needs children. How do senior home visits, how to do pet photos, how to do school visits,” Mesco said. “I could go on and on and on. There's 153 seminars that they go through, including a 50-hour business course.”
One course that separates Mesco’s Saint Nicks from others is called The Santa Mindset. The program coaches trainees on how not just to look and act like Santa Claus, but how to become him.
“I always tell people, have you ever gone to a costume party? You make your grand entrance and then about two and a half minutes later you're at the buffet just being Bob in a Batman outfit,” Mesco said. “Being Santa and having to perform and stay in character for sometimes 6, 8, 10 hours a day really takes a mindset.”
To help participants prepare, the Santa Mindset course asks questions that get trainees to develop a personality around Santa. The goal is that when a child asks what color Santa’s couch is or how he met Mrs. Claus, he has an answer.
Jim Wever, who’s in his rookie Santa season as “Dreamweaver Santa,” started carrying small gifts in his pockets a few years ago after he grew out his beard and children began recognizing him as Santa Claus.
“Last year specifically, there was a child who was sure that I was Santa,” Dreamweaver Santa said. “We were in a restaurant and quickly after talking to him, his mom said, ‘He doesn't speak, but he can understand you.’ I took a few seconds of observation and noticed the child was autistic, but he was so, so joyful to see Santa. So I talked to him and he wanted to touch my beard and I let him. And then when we were done, he signed, ‘Thank you.’ And when I sat down with my wife, she said that is the most pure joy I've ever seen.”
Mesco believes the feeling Dreamweaver Santa experienced is why many Saint Nicks, elves, and Mrs. Claus hopefuls come through her school.
“All of us started out in this industry because we love children. We love to bring joy. We love the Christmas holidays,” Mesco said. “The children run into Santa in the grocery store and they're peeking around their mom, and there's just a joy in it.”
Like any self-made industry, Mesco notes there’s also a boring side that involves paperwork, background checks, marketing, and invoices. And getting started doesn’t come cheap.
“There is money to be made, but it's also an expensive game to play at the top,” Mesco said.
Mesco’s Santa school runs from February to August with courses available online. It culminates in a five-day Santa Seminar in Denver. The cost runs between $740 and just over $1,000 depending on which add-ons are chosen. On top of that, there’s the cost of materials.
“Most Santas spend about $3,000 a year,” Mesco said. “A good custom-made suit is going to run about $8,500. They have insurance that they pay for, their websites, dry cleaning. So when people call up and they want a $50 Santa, that just doesn't exist in the real world of professional Santas anymore.”
At the end of it all, Meso says a Santa who plays his cards right can earn around $70,000 a season. And while Santa Claus may not work every night of the year, Mesco does.
“I'll get home Christmas Eve, and there'll be 300 reservations of people that want their Santas for next year,” she said.
There are a few qualifications needed to join Santa School.
“Well we have to do a DNA test to make sure that they really do have Claus blood because this is a family business,” Mesco said. “So when you see Santa, and then you see another Santa, that could be a brother, an uncle, a cousin of Santa, but they all have to be approved [by] the Claus clan before they can put a suit on.”
Mesco also tells Santa hopefuls that they should have a “why” before they enroll.
“Maybe your children are grown up and they're gone and you're kind of lonely. This is a great way to spend Christmas,” she said. “But, if you're in it just for the money, it won't work.”
The 43rd Annual Professional Santa School will begin in February.
