Cowboy Christmas

Here are some DOs and DON'Ts on being Santa

Treat every child with respect.


Never make fun of a child.


Look into the child’s eyes when you speak to them.


Speak softly. Children are sharing confidences with you.


Acknowledge a child’s requests even if you don’t understand them.


Never promise a toy request to avoid a child’s disappointment.


Never promise a pet. Santas a toymaker and only animals produce pets.


If the child can’t remember their wish list, assure them you know what they want.


Never leave a child wondering if Santa heard their Christmas wishes.


Every child worries about being on Santas “Naughty or Nice List”. Tell each child “You’re on the “Nice List.” It will bring happiness to everyone!   




Santa Lou Knezevich is the creator of the Legendary Santas Mentoring Program
Contact Santa Lou at: LegendarySantasMentoringProg@gmail.com

Portraying Santa is acting; it is a characterization of a mythical character.

Most of us never think of ourselves as actors, but we are. Certain characteristics of Santa Claus have been handed down from one generation to another. The way we dress and conduct ourselves all follow an established pattern.

Santa Claus is one of the most recognizable characters throughout the world. This came about from the advertising campaign of the Coke Cola Company and the creative painting genius, of Haddon Sundblom. Coke Cola was looking to increase winter sales of its soft drink and hired Sundblom to produce illustrations for prominent magazines. These illustrations appeared during the holiday season from the late 1930s into the early 1970s and set the standard for how Santa should look.

This characterization of Santa with rosy cheeks, a white beard, handlebar mustache plus a red costume trimmed in white fur is the image most everyone has in their minds. Unconsciously people are going to judge you against that image. If your beard isn’t white or you have a soiled suit it will register with the onlooker.

By the way, the majority of Sundblom's paintings depict Santa with a Brown Belt and Brown Boots. Not until his later illustrations did he change the color to Black for these items. Within the past few years many costume companies have offered the Coke Cola Suit and it has become very popular. You can tell it by the large buttons and absence of fur down the front of the jacket.

No matter how you portray Santa, be it home visits, schools, churches, parades, corporate events, malls, hospitals we all make an entrance and an impression! The initial impression we make determines if our client will ask us to return.

The 5 Second Rule

I have a theory: When you enter the presence of your audience you have about 5 seconds to make people believe you are the real Santa.

Yes, I said it and it is not meant to hurt anyone’s feelings. I do view many Facebook sites along with websites and posted photos. Frankly, many of these postings should have never been put on public display.

Every New Year’s Eve at the stroke of midnight, millions around the world traditionally gather together to sing the same song, “Auld Lang Syne”. As revilers mumble though the song’s versus, it often brings many of them to tears – regardless of the fact that most don’t know or even understand the lyrics. Confusion over the song’s lyrics is almost as much of a tradition as the song itself. Of course that rarely stops anyone from joining in.

Is it time to start calling out Bad Santas?

Do you think we should start calling out those in our community whose actions or behavior is unbecoming of Santa Claus or Mrs. Claus?