And here comes Santa Claus -- straight from the salon

But for many of them, it is not about the money.

"Personally, you have to become Santa to be a good Santa," said Randy Ellis, 51, who this year is fulfilling a 10-year dream to be a Santa. Ellis, of Woodstock, Ga., spent the day at Beisel's salon getting his hair transformed to snow white.

"It sounds hokey, but you have to feel the spirit of the season in your soul," Ellis said. "It is incredible to have people walk up . . . and call you Santa, whether they are 2 years old or 80."

Before a St. Nick lands in Santa Village in the mall or gets to visit sick children in a hospital, he likely has attended training offered by an agency or other groups. He can recite the history of Santa Claus and knows the names of all the reindeer. He knows how to engage in conversation with a fidgety child, and that it is forbidden to promise things he cannot deliver. And he knows certain tricks of the trade--like keeping breath mints on hand. Nobody likes a Santa with bad breath.

Being Santa has responsibilities, said Hartsfield of the Real Bearded Santas.

"When I get irritated with somebody on the freeway, I have to think before I flip them off. My license plate says `Yo Santa' so I can't afford to damage my image," said Hartsfield, 67, of Panguitch, Utah.

Beyond image, and due to screening that has become more prevalent in the last five years, the chance that the shopping mall Santa or any of his elves are criminals has become less likely. But it is not foolproof.

The Web site, pre-employ.com, that specializes in background checks for job applicants, found that about 70 of the 1,000 applicants for mall Santas or Santa's helpers had misdemeanor or felony convictions during the last seven years. Those offenses included indecent exposure, assault, contributing the to the delinquency of a minor and soliciting for prostitution. A study by the Web site showed that 46 percent of the malls do not conduct criminal background checks on these seasonal employees.

Ernest Berger, president of Santa America, which supplies Santas for needy and sick children, said he welcomes such scrutiny.

"It shows that our society is better informed than it has been at any point in history," said Berger, 62, a Santa for 10 years.

According to Beisel, her clients have come from as far away as California and Canada. Her busy season begins Oct. 1.

"I try to make their hair as white as I can," Beisel said. "But no Santa is the same. Some have black hair when they come in. Some have gray . . . . So I have to tailor the dye and the style for the individual."

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Check this list twice

Rules for Santa and his helpers:

- Keep a supply of breath mints on hand so that your breath will always be fresh.

- Allow an elf to get the child's name and introduce you. (After all, Santa is supposed to already know every child's name.)

- Hands must always be visible when holding a child in your lap.

- Never promise a child anything you cannot deliver, which includes almost everything.

- Exercise regularly. Santas work long hours and the job is stressful.

Source: Timothy "Santa Tim" Connaghan, executive director, Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas

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dglanton@tribune.com