GAINESVILLE — While waiting in that long line at the mall, there is just one person standing between your child and Santa — the elf.
And while today’s “elves” aren’t the jingle-bell-carrying, green-suit-wearing assistants of the past, they are still Santa’s helpers. And they have the incredible task of keeping children happy and excited to see Santa.
“It does get crazy, it gets really crazy,” said Desiree Price, a first-year Santa’s helper at Lakeshore Mall in Gainesville. “And the stuff we have to do to make these kids smile, oh my gosh! We have to sing and dance — the Elmo song or any type of Christmas song — most of the kids like the Elmo song because Santa has an Elmo book. So if we sing that Elmo song it does it every time.”
Gainesville’s local Santa, who has been a member of the Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas for seven years and has received a master’s degree in Santa Clausology from the International University of Santa Claus, said a good elf helps Santa meet the children.
“A good elf, which I had last night with Toys for Tots down at Three Dollar Cafe (in Atlanta), ... would chat up with the kid in line,” Santa said. “You have a range of ages 1 to 5 and they would hold up their hand with 5 years old, 3 years old, 2 years old and then when they (children) came up I would put my hand up to my lip and say ‘Gosh, Ashley you are 5 this year!’ And they look up and think ‘He knows.’”
Price’s many duties at the mall do include singing and dancing, but she said the lines haven’t been too crazy yet.
But there have been a few interesting moments.
“We had a day care that came in today and there were brothers, and while one of the little boys visited with Santa and the other one lay on the floor kicking and screaming,” said Price, who is employed by Santa Plus, a special events digital photo contractor. “When he (the brother) was done he was just fine. They actually came back and he did sit with Santa. But the first time he wouldn’t have anything to do with him.”
According to Santa Plus, about half of 2-year-olds scream when they sit in Santa’s lap.
Santa added that it’s common for children to pull his beard.
“It happens all the time,” Santa said. “ First I will stand up and show them the belt ... and I say many of us have the same belt and I have the embroidered Santa on my shirt and I say, ‘What does that say?’ and ‘What does that say?’ and ‘Do you now want to pull it?’”
Sharon Klinck, a Jefferson mother of three, took her brood to Lakeshore Mall on Wednesday and said they had a good experience. But there are a couple things she did with the kids, who range in age from 1 to 6, which helped the Christmas tradition go smoothly.
“I just let them roam around a little,” she said. “So I guess just let them feel comfortable with their surroundings before they start doing anything and it probably helped to have the siblings with them.”
Grandmother Diane Whitlatch of Duluth had a different experience as her 2-year-old granddaughter, Cecilia, visited Santa at the Mall of Georgia in Buford.
“Her mother brought her last week ... She had to wear a green dress. It was real pretty but she wouldn’t be by herself, she just wouldn’t do it,” Whitlatch said. “So today when we went up and Cecilia gave him her purse but wouldn’t go anywhere near him and then walked away and wanted me to pick her up. She just didn’t want to be near Santa Claus.”
Which is where the elves come in. Besides, nobody is walking around in a red suit these days, and we usually don’t tell kids to go sit on men’s laps, Whitlatch said.
Price suggested that at different ages there are various stages of Santa bravery.
“More around the (age) 1 and 2 cry, but they are bashful when they are about 5,” she said. “They aren’t really bad as far as crying, just bashful. They just take their time getting to him and once they get older than that they come running.”
Whether the children are happy, anxious or even crying, Price said she loves her job as Santa’s helper and will be back.
“I’d do it again, all over again,” she said. “I loved Santa, I still love Santa. Santa’s great.”