Meet the Santas: Inside the holly jolly world of professional Kriss Kringles
Saint Nick isn’t the only white-bearded man gearing up for the holidays.
Across Canada, hundreds of professional Santas don the big red suit at malls, parties and private houses — inhabiting not only the clothes but the mystique of the magical man who delivers gifts to many millions of children around the world in a single night.
The appropriately named Ted Carroll, a Santa-for-hire based out of Halifax, says nothing beats seeing the smile on children’s faces when they see the man of the month on their doorstep.
“I’ve had kid pee themselves, I’ve had one kid say profanely, ‘Holy beep, it’s Santa Claus!’” said Carroll, 53, during a phone interview from his home in Halifax. “This stuff, if it doesn’t warm your heart or make you laugh, something’s wrong.”