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Stanchions or railings are good for
controlling large lines.
Most people will respect a
rope or barricade leaving helpers more time to work with families and
Santa.
A simple
barrier can be made by a row of chairs.
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Things work best with two or more
assistants or helpers.
While one helper is working with a family and Santa, the second
helper can work with the next family in line.
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Make sure hands and faces are clean and
not sticky.
Sticky or dirty hands can get in Santa’s beard or on his suit and
everything will have to stop if Santa has to clean up.
Dirty hands are also known to be one of the top transmitters of
common germs and viruses. No one wants to be a known transmitter.
Parents are usually very good at keeping the kids clean, but in a
hectic event like this, kids can surprise all of us.
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Be aware of babies or toddlers with wet
bottoms. (You can usually
tell when the child is wet by the way the parent is holding them away
from their body.)
If Santa,
or the family, has a lap pad (rubber or plastic lined) Santa may be able
to hold the child.
If
necessary, the helper/s should encourage the parents to change the
child.
When this is done,
the parent and child should be allowed re-entry at the front of the
line.
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As the family comes to the front of the
line the helper should ask the children their name/’s.
Then when the children meet Santa the helper can introduce them
by saying, “Santa, here are Jamie and Susan.”
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The best photos are taken in the first
five seconds.
Children in strange situations can often be afraid.
Parents should always stay with their children as they go up to
Santa to help reinforce support to the child.
Helpers should inform the parents to take their child or children
up to Santa and then quickly move out of the photo area.
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The helper should stay with the parents
and keep them to the side until all photography is done.
Do not let the parents move back into the photo area until the
children are ready to leave Santa.
When Santa is done with the children, allow the parents to
collect their children and guide them to the exit area.
If all is going well with Santa, you can then move on to the next
child or group of children.
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Santa’s helpers should
refrain from handling
babies or infants. Even
though a lot of helpers love holding babies, this should be left to the
parents.
A parent should
always place their baby into Santa’s arms or their infant on Santa’s
lap.
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Parents with toddlers, and young
children up to three or four should be escorted by the helper up to
Santa.
Although Santa can usually lift the toddler up, it is always
safer to have a parent lift the child up onto Santa’s lap.
This is just in case the child gets last minute fears and tries
to squirm off Santa’s lap.
Safety is important!
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If there is a newborn to six month old
baby, have the parent take the baby up to Santa.
Seat other children in the
family first and then have the parent take the baby to Santa last.
Then let the photographer take the photos.
After the photo is taken, the parent can remove the baby and
Santa can talk with the other children.
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Scared or frightened children take
special handling.
If a toddler is afraid of Santa, the parents should hold the
child in their arms, with the child facing them and the child’s back to
Santa.
Have the parent talk
to the child, distracting him or her from Santa as they walk up to
Santa.
The parent should
quickly set the child in Santa’s lap and quickly back out of the photo
area while keeping the toddler’s attention with whistles, shouts, or
whatever action will distract the child from the fact that they are
sitting in Santa’s lap. The photographer should then quickly take the
photo.
(This takes teamwork
between, the family, the assistant, Santa and the Photographer.)
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Keep the
lines moving?
If a family
has their own camera, mention to them the event photographer will take
the first photo and then the family can take one from the side area.
Do not allow the parent to move back in front of the camera until
Santa is done talking with the child or children.
(If the line is short, and Santa has time, the family can take a
few more photos if needed. We never want to upset any family).
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Everyone
should try to have fun.
There is no use is worrying about anything.
If the work gets too hectic, tell someone.
Maybe someone can switch places.