A couple of weeks ago I agreed to be Santa for a couple of hours during the afternoon at a Christmas fayre at the local school. I was paid for it.
The event was shambolic. I was told to walk around with a sack of sweets, handing them out to children who were seen to be participating in events. As expected, a gaggle of ill-mannered oafs followed me, surrounded me, and generally demanded sweets, why wouldn't they?
After an hour I was frought and exhausted, so I gave the last of my sweets away and went home, vowing never to repeat the exercise.
Today I was Santa again.
Same school, different setup.
I had a grotto.
Children from Early Years up to Year 4 were brought along to be given a small present. I sat in a rather cramped "sleigh" in an even more cramped tent in a very hot santa suit, from 10am to 3pm. (I did get a lunch break, but most of this was spent hastily wrapping colouring books as we'd run out!)
Some early years children were scared by this strange bloke in a false beard, why wouldn't they?
I asked them all their names, every single one. (There were over 200 of them).
Most of them went away feeling they'd met the "real" Santa. I felt like I'd done a "real" job.
I didn't get paid, it was a school fundraising exercise, but I did get a box of maltesers and three miniature malt whiskies! Cheers!
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