Santa !

[paulhumphries]

I've now finished this years spell as our village Santa.
I took "jump or be pushed" early retirement 10 years ago after an accident so am available during the day.
It started because my wife is treasurer of school PTFA and they were stuck one year. "My husband is a fat b****** and ideal" is probably how she presented the idea ot the school for them to pay the Police check fee.
Since then I do school fayre, pre school fayre, pre school party, mother and baby party plus any birthday party a parent wants me to hand out goodie bags etc.
This year I've been Santa 5 time and enjoyed every minute.
It's wonderful as I've seen local children grow from toddlers to now attending secondary school.
Nobody else has every shown any interest of doing it so I'm hoping I'll be capable of acting for the rest of my days as it is a great start to the Xmas period for me.
If anyone else is ever in a similar position and their childrens school or whatever needs a Santa then volunteer as it's great fun and very satisfying.

Paul Humphries

BTW Even my own daughter didn't realise it was me until she was 8

[Orkney]

Here Paul a question if you dont mind....
Was chatting to someone a couple of days ago about the santa phenomenon in general and it sort of occured - and you mentioned it about the police check thing.
Wasnt that so much as the mate i was chatting to well we both pretty much agreed is it worth being a santa? Do the kids still sit on santas knee? And what form of legal protection does a santa have against a potential law suit or accusation of well anything really?
Dont get me wrong not putting the dampers on Santa it was just a coincidence conversation and i said to my mate well i dont know anyone who is a santa so couldnt ask.
Spose in a way its whats well the fear of some such thing always put me off getting involved with scouts a few years ago, recently even they are really struggling with the local boys brigade - and i'm not sure if because of this reason but even the parents dont want to get involved.
I dont have kids but get on with them brilliantly - well to the point of turning into one almost but damned sure not going to get turned into a scapegoat for a child or parent with a severe attitude problem.
As an aside know a social worker very well who deals with problem teenagers mostly in care and real the tales ive heard have been nothing short of horrifying, to the point that 1 to 1 counselling is now that plus an indipendant witness type thing.
Anyway just be intrested to find out now youve bloody ruined it and confirmed my suspicions that santa isnt real

[Peetee]

I was Charity Collection Santa at work one year (I needed about 150 yards of bubble wrap to look fat ). Previously it had been the job of the MD for many years. Consiquently it was one of the funniest things I've ever done. I just spoke in a Lancashire accent and I could be as offensive as I liked to anyone and they dare not say anything back!
"Give us yer money yer tight B****"
I collected loads of £££
Priceless!

[paulhumphries]

Here Paul a question if you dont mind....
Was chatting to someone a couple of days ago about the santa phenomenon in general and it sort of occured - and you mentioned it about the police check thing.
Wasnt that so much as the mate i was chatting to well we both pretty much agreed is it worth being a santa? Do the kids still sit on santas knee? And what form of legal protection does a santa have against a potential law suit or accusation of well anything really?

I've never been told any special rules but use common sence.
Most of the time I'm in full view of hundred or so of other people / children.
You are quite right in that sitting on knee isn't normally acceptable but I still do it if the parent asks, often to take photo, but not otherwise.
To be fair I'm well known so parents trust me (I was the one who looked after our daughter when she was born so took her to clinic, parent / baby groups, pre school, parent helper at pre school and even a couple of time for junior school when no enough adults for trips to swimming baths) but with a Santa in a store is a different matter.
At the school fayre (biggest event) I have a grotto but am never alone in that there is a female helper / elf at all times. In fact this year is was slightly different in that we used a fire engine as the grotto and I expressed concern about not enough room for helper / elf (infants teacher in this case) to be as close as normal.
Like I say it's all about common sence but also protecting yourself about possible complaints.

Paul Humphries

[Orkney]

here is a female helper / elf at all times

And if she's fit you have to use a lot of elf control

Couldnt resist - I'll get me coat

'edited abysmal spelling mistake'

[paulhumphries]

I was Charity Collection Santa at work one year (I needed about 150 yards of bubble wrap to look fat ). Previously it had been the job of the MD for many years. Consiquently it was one of the funniest things I've ever done. I just spoke in a Lancashire accent and I could be as offensive as I liked to anyone and they dare not say anything back!
"Give us yer money yer tight B****"
I collected loads of £££
Priceless!

I don't need the bubble wrap
The fayres I do are quite big fund raisers so if I can do my bit, plus enjoy doing myself, then I'm always ready to help.
What I'd found interesting, with my wife being treasurer of PTFA (registered charity), is that several banks match procceds "like for like" twice a year.
That means if the fayre raises £2000 then they also get cheques from banks for same amount - really.
The amount of money the PTFA raised each year goes a long way towards offsetting the tightening budgets given by education authority.

Paul Humphries

[Orkney]

Cheers for the santa perspective there by the way - very interesting. Suppose its rather different in that your known in your community rather than random santa in a shopping mall type thing.
Made me laugth that did Peetee with the bubble wrap

[rob.hardy1]

I want to echo pauls comments with regard the huge sense of satisfaction it give being a santa at things like school fetes and stuff. I did it some years ago when my kids were at school. The reaction from the kids varies from outright fear to "i know i'm 12 but mum brought me, where's me &8?@ present"
But the feeling you get after talking to a child that still believes in santa is amazing and would bring a tear to a glass eye. Child protection issues are more to the fore than ever before so a quick chat about what santa will and wont do ( knee sitting for example) with the organisers before hand makes sense. Personnaly, i have been police checked but i have my reservations about that proceedure, it only picks up on anyone with a history.
So if you get the chance, be santa, you wont regret it.
YO HO HO... MERRY CHRISTMAS

[Orkney]

i know i'm 12 but mum brought me, where's me &8?@ present"

Oh blast from the past - that just made me remember song - a very rude one - not worksafe not kidsafe - by a rather infamous Australian
Just youtubed a search for it and sure enough its there - if anyone wants a link - and it is absolutely hilarious - PM me cause its not even safe to post a clue to what to search for on here!

[dave1949]

Santa

On a slightly different perspective i work in a residential nursing home and do my Santa bit at their Xmas party. I also have a CRB check. To see the delight on the faces of residents[age range 70 to 99 yrs ] makes it an absolute pleasure