Luke Denty, 10 months of Lakeland, Florida gives hug to Santa Claus, portrayed by John Suhr at Santa’s House in Market Square, Tuesday Dec 10, 2018. Photo by Andrew Russell.
When John Suhr isn’t dressing up as the Market Square Santa to unlock the Christmas spirit in people’s hearts, he works as a locksmith for the city of Pittsburgh.
Suhr, 60, of Carrick has the keys to more than 300 city buildings, and he can pick the locks of other doors and desk drawers. It’s a skill the real Santa Claus could use.
“If you don’t have a chimney, I could still get in your home,” he said.
Being an authentic-looking, real-bearded Santa requires a year-round effort, experts say. The best Santas maintain the look, appearance and mannerisms long after the holidays, said Howard Graham, 63, a real-bearded Santa from North Haven, Conn., who works at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Graham serves the International Brotherhood of Real Bearded Santas (IBRBS) as a board member and as ex-officio director for the New York chapter.
Yes, the Santas have a union.
“Being Santa Claus is being an actor,” Graham said. “You really have to be on key all day long. I know that there’s a lot of Santas who wear red or green (clothes) during the offseason.”
The payoff can be decent: A professional Santa can earn up to $20,000 a holiday season, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Dean Hodgson, 68, originally of Charleroi and now living in Derby, Kan., prefers that payment go to charities supporting cures for leukemia or lymphoma.
Julia Sylveste, 4, of Belle Vernon gives hug to Santa Claus, portrayed by John Suhr at Santa’s House in Market Square, Tuesday Dec 10, 2018. Photo by Andrew Russell.
“Many people can’t believe that I don’t ask for payment,” he said. “I try to emulate the myth and be as Santa-like as possible. I enjoy doing it. It’s just one smile from a little one, and that’s all the pay I need.”
After helping a family friend who owned a flower shop, Suhr said he was asked by a woman to be Santa Claus for her family’s holiday party.
“I never knew they could pay you for being Santa Claus. I told her $50 or so, and she accepted,” he said. “She was so grateful, she even gave me a tip. To this day, she still visits with her two boys, who are now teenagers.”
Suhr didn’t always have a real beard. Now that he does, he said he bleaches it white before every season.
“I used to use stage makeup, but it made (the beard) look like latex paint,” Suhr said. “After bleaching, to maintain it I apply oils and creams to make my beard smooth and a little wavy.”
Graham said his brotherhood includes people from all races, nationalities and religions.
“We have Jewish Santas in our organization and black Santa Clauses,” Graham said. “You can Google Santa Claus and come up with 150 different pictures in one sitting of people that change and look totally different from each other.”
Graham attends the World Santa Claus Convention in Copenhagen, Denmark, every year. He has met Santas from all over the world: Nigeria, China, Taiwan, Portugal and Spain.
Lyla Broaded, 5, fives her wish list to Santa Claus portrayed by John Suhr at Santa’s House in Market Square as her brother, Wyatt Broaded, 7, Tuesday Dec 10, 2018. Photo by Andrew Russell.
“In Europe and Holland and everything else, they don’t dress like we do here. They’re not in their red suits and everything else,” Graham said. “So it’s just based on international interpretation.”
For example, the Europeans have Sinterklaas, which is a form of St. Nicholas of Myra, from modern-day Turkey, who was the original Santa Claus.
With the want for Santa Clauses, there is a need for training. Hodgson attended the International School of Santa Claus.
“There were 50 of us on a cruise ship, heading to North Pole, Alaska. We loaded onto a couple buses and had a full police escort, to meet a Santa from the town,” said Hodgson, a member of the IBRBS and Mid-America Santas.
Hodgson’s first gig as Santa took place when he was 14 at a fire hall in Fallowfield near Charleroi. His first job as a Real Bearded Santa came in 1996 at Rainbows United in Wichita, which assists people with disabilities.
A favorite for every Santa is listening to children’s requests. They must be prepared for all sorts of reactions, good and bad.
“I had one kid ask for a toilet and a whistle. I assumed it was a joke because the parents began laughing,” Hodgson said. “I don’t know what kids would want with that. (Kids) also asked for animals like kangaroos.”
Suhr has heard requests for hoverboards, laptops and phones.
“Then I’ve gotten heartbreaking stories from kids who are sick or have family problems,” he said. “I always say a prayer for them.”
Those who play Santa say they add their own personality to their impersonation.
“You must be very laid-back with most of the children. You can’t be loud,” Graham said. “Your ‘ho, ho, ho’ really must be in the form of laughter when you’re talking with the kids to make them comfortable.”
There are numerous ways to get employed as a Santa. IBRBS can direct those interested to jobs around the country. Online agencies also hire Santas. The most common way, however, is through word-of-mouth.
“Usually, I’m booked up by August,” Suhr said.
Being Santa Claus can be a rewarding experience, those who don the suit say.
“I enjoy making other people happy. I’m thrilled that I’m in so many people’s photo albums or on their mantels and Christmas cards,” Suhr said. “To be a part of so many people’s lives, I’m the luckiest man in the world.”