SURVEY REVEALS WHO IS THE HARDEST WORKING MAN IN RETAIL

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON – THE MALL SANTA

For immediate Release Monday, November 10, 2008 10:00 a.m. PST

There is more to Santa’s job, than just sitting in the chair!

Hollywood, CA. (November 10, 2008) – The work of Santa, during the holiday season, is much more involved than you think.   Celebrating forty years in the business, Santa Tim Connaghan has made it his job to know just about everything related to working as a Santa.   Whether it is sitting in a big mall, presiding over a tree lighting ceremony or a private home visit to a family, he understands all of the “do’s and don’ts”  of wearing the “Red Suit.”

And the roughest job of all is that of the Mall Santa.   All the cheer and happiness Santa brings to children across the world comes at no small expense. When was the last time someone pulled your beard or wet on your lap at work?  Santa Tim has connections with thousands of Santas across America and has conducted numerous surveys of his fellow Clauses.  This most current survey updates some things we already knew and also updates us on some areas of Santa’s life, his work, the problems he faces and other things we knew little about!

Following Santa Tim’s 2006 Survey on the average Santa, Auntie Anne’s Pretzels approached him with a suggestion to dig deeper and learn more about the trials and tribulations of the working Santa.   A second poll was sent out with questions about the day-to-day work of the average Santa.  This year that survey was combined with the ‘Red Suit Survey.”

342 of the nearly 3000 Santas across America have responded to the survey and the results prove that Santa truly is, “the hardest working man in retail,” during the holiday season.

Beyond how many kids have been “naughty or nice,” following are the 2008 survey highlights: 

·      To prepare for the holiday work load, 63.2 % report they enjoy stretching and walking.  12.3 % belong to a health or fitness club and 9.6 percent say they work out by taking care of their grandchildren!

·      Nearly half of mall Santas’ black boots are between a size 10 to 11½, and more than 55 percent of Santas have children step on their boots 1 to 10 times a day

·      Twenty-eight percent of Santas have been “wet” on by a child

·      Every Santa reports they have at one time or another had a crying baby.  80.9 percent say that less than 10% of the babies visiting them cry.

·      More than 44 percent are sneezed or coughed on up to 15 times each day

·      Seventy-four percent have up to 10 children cry on their lap each day

·      86.9 percent of the Santas are the real thing, no padding!

·      93 percent of the Santas have their beard pulled to see if it is real.  They reported that of the “pullees,” 50.6 percent were kids.  The remaining 42.6 percent were adults.

·      61.4 percent of Santas see camera “flash” spots more than 25 times a day (Some Santas have seen so many flashes, they no longer blink!)

·      38 percent of Santas give between ten and 25% of their time to charity; 6.1 percent between 25% and 50%;  17.5% give more that 50%, and 5.5 percent spend all of their time as Santa working for non-profit organizations and charities.

·      17.8 per cent use a fan to keep cool while working.  82.2 percent wish they had a fan!

·      Over 45.6 percent have up to 10 children try to take their glasses off each day.  54.7 percent also pose for pictures with pets, which range from puppies and kittens to boa constrictors!

·      Nearly 30 percent of mall Santas have more than 100 children sit on their lap every day

·      Only 17.5% of the Santas have a second language.  These include, Spanish, French  German, Japanese, Russian and Italian.  11% speak Spanish and 2% use American Sign Language.

·      90.6% of Santas are married.  27.5% report their wives work with them as Mrs. Claus; 7% say she is Santa’s agent; 35.1% state she is always there when I need her: and 22.5% report that their wives quietly watch and let Santa do his own thing!

·      While most people look forward to family vacations or watching football games after Christmas, 84.2 percent of Santas want to spend time with their families.  9.6 percent look forward to taking a nice, long nap

·      40.3 percent of the Santas questioned report they have their own web site or a personalized web page.

·      If Santa could “pimp his sleigh,” 61.7 percent would add a GPS

·      Following the 2006 Santa Convention one Mrs. Claus reported in Time Magazine, that “Santa is a Chick Magnet.”  We asked the Santas that question.  39.5% said NO,  32.4% said yes or sometimes.  And 26 .6% said, “It’s a difficult job, but someone has to do it!”

·      After spending her year freezing at the North Pole, Mrs. Claus wishes for time alone with her jolly old husband in a warm climate.  Following Christmas, 56.1 percent of the Santas go on vacation or visit relatives; 14.3 report they are going on a cruise; and would you belive that 18.7%  immediately start planning for next year!

·      By the way, over 25 % of the Santas and Mrs. Claus, prefer beaches, cruises and warm climates for their vacations.

  In light of these many problems and situations, Santa Tim created a special list of important items that every Santa needs to help them get through the crying, sneezing, toe-stomping, pant-wetting and beard-pulling they will endure this coming holiday season.  You probably won’t see these on the Santa Set, but be assured that Santa has the following close at hand:  

• Breath mints

• Hand Sanitizer

• Beard grooming kit with mirror

• Moustache Wax or styling glue

• Cologne

• Boot polish kit

• Cherry Chapstick

• Bottled Water

• Pocket Facial tissues                                      

• Small waterproof, lap pad for wet babies. 

• Medicated throat drops to keep the ho-ho-ho’s strong

• Shout wipes for spot removal

• Extra white gloves

• Pocket -Battery-operated fan

• A small household fan located near-by, but out of sight, blowing a cool breeze

In addition to the above, Santa Tim says that some Santas have also put a few special, protective items on the list.  Would you believe: steel toed boots, shin guards and even a little protective hardware for those sensitive parts of the body?   There have been reports, over the years, of panicked babies kicking a Santa so hard . . . .

The following are additional mall Santa facts:

·      Sixty percent of real bearded Santas groom their beard up to four times each day

·      The average Santa has 2.54 suits and 19.8 percent of the Santas own four to six red suits or more, to stay looking sharp for the holidays.

·      Santa is a very well-hydrated man with 45 percent drinking 5 to 10 glasses of water each day

·      Fresh breath is of top priority for 20 percent of Santas who eat four to six mints each day

·      Fifty-two percent of Santas believe girls are more shy than boys

·      When children come to visit Santa at the mall, over 75 percent believe they have been good all year long while only half of Santas believe they are telling the truth

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 For additional information, more survey results, interviews or appearances, call: (951) 779-0536 or email Santa Tim at Santa@theKringleGroup.com.  For additional info visit: http://www.thekringlegroup.com

This Survey was compiled by Timothy Connaghan, President, the Kringle Group, LLC and Founder of the Red Suit Society a special association of men and women whose personal contributions, studies and volunteer efforts demonstrate that they share the responsibility to maintain and perpetuate the magic and mystery of Santa Claus.