Credentials to be Santa? Gray hair and beard; poor vision (must own gold wire frame spectacles); overweight (greater than 200 pounds); jolly personality…and oh yes, must have completed certification training.
It’s not enough to have the physical qualities. To be a ‘real’ Santa, you must be well trained in Santa Claus skills. The role of Santa is one of the most influential 
characters to a child in their lifetime. The person who portrays that role must be trained in how to deal with children who are scared, having a temper tantrum, and not knowing what he or she wants for Christmas. Curriculums include the history of Santa, voice training, etiquette, costumes, makeup, role playing and more.
The first training class for Santa’s was held in 1937 in Midland, Michigan and continues today. The Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School is the longest continuously running Santa Claus School in the world. Mr. Thomas Valent is the current dean of the Santa Claus School and has conducted Santa training all over the globe. And there are many other schools for training Santa’s. Victor Nevada runs the Santa School in Calgary, Alberta. Stuart Thompson runs The Thompson Santa School in the UK, and the International University for Santa Claus holds their School4Santas all over the world and claims to be the world’s largest international school for Santa’s.
The cost for being certified? Anywhere from $300 to $500. Suit and supplies are extra. And if you really want to learn how to be Santa in a fun way, you can attend next year’s “Santa Cruise and School” cruise to Alaska and the North Pole aboard the Princess Cruise III for the low price of $624. Don’t forget to purchase liability insurance to protect yourself against those parents who think you didn’t provide your service just the right way.
And after completing training and getting your certification and insurance, I recommend you become a member of one of the fraternities for Santa Claus’s. 
According to The Boston Herald, “The Nation’s Premiere Fraternity of A-List Santas” is the Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas, or AORBS. It is an international, fraternal organization dedicated to training Santas and enhancing their portrayal of Santa Claus for the benefit of family and community. They even have an official ring and pin to distinguish the professional Santa from the untrained and disguised novice jolly St. Nick. Other associations or groups which are recognized by the schools for Santa’s are FIRBS, or the Fraternity of International Real Bearded Santas; FORBS, or the Fraternal Order of Real Bearded Santas; Buckeye Santas, The Santas of Ohio; IOS, or the International Order of Santas; MOTS, or the Mystic Order of Traditional santas; and the Palmtree Santas, or The Santas of Florida.
So when visiting your local mall or department store this Christmas to visit Santa, be sure to ask the Elf where Santa got his training. If he cannot produce his calling card or a copy of his certificate, be careful about leaving too much information about what you want for Christmas. You may be talking to someone not well qualified to perform on Christmas Day.
Merry Christmas from TrainingIndustry.com!
