The Daily Utah Chronicle - Page Ten Friday, December 7. 1990 and a toy twuck and By "You start with putting on the pants and working from the bottom Gregory Thilmont Chronicle Feature Writer Santa at every mall in the country simultaneously? How does he get to every house on his big night and how does he fit through the chimney? These are some of the mysteries that children wonder about during holiday time. How is The answer? Santa's helpers. These are the jolly fellows who sit on their thrones in elfin villages in order to find out what little tykes want for the holiday. Department store Santa's are a special breed of person. Many are hired, trained and dressed by Santa Plus, a national company that supplies Kris Kringles to malls and shopping stores. Harvey Larsen, representative for Santa Plus, runs the Santa festivities at Crossroads Mall. "I was hired by a district manager who trained me how to find and instruct Santas and their helpers." "It can get a little difficult at times. You have to find someone who looks good in the Santa suit. You can't have really tall or really short people. A Santa needs to be average," he said. Larsen said that Santa Plus trains the potential Santas by first getting them into a suit layers of stuffing and all. up. Then you put on the boots, which are coverings that slip on over shoes. Next comes the padding except for those who don't need it. This is topped off with the jacket, stocking hat and belt. Of course Santa needs a beard and glasses. We also use grease paint on their eyebrows to make them look older," Larsen said. Secondly, the future Saint Nicks are taught how to respond to children. "We train them how to talk with the kids, and how to work with the kids. One of the most important things is to make sure that the Santas don't promise the kids anything. We have them say 'Santa will try to get that for you' or something like that." Santas helpers "remind the kids that they are real." "We want the kids to believe in Santa. We like the kids to have a good time," Larsen said. The people at Santa's throne have a method that they use when the kids approach Santa. "Before they get to his lap, we find out what their name is. Then we say, 'Santa, this is Johnny.' Santa goes from there by asking 'Johnny, have you been good this year. . . Do you help Mommy wash the dishes?'" Larsen said. "Of course, 'What U-,-.- V, Vj I would you like for Christmas?' follows close behind." Children differ in their attitudes and reactions to Santa. "Little kids about 50 feet away get really excited to see Santa. But when they get within about two feet they freak-ou- t and decide they don't want to sit on this strange, bearded guy's lap. Then they start crying. Others just love Santa and keep coming back," Larsen added. Larsen said he enjoys the job because of the kids. "You're out sitting in that chair for four hours, but when there are hundreds of kids, the time just flies by. I am excited for Christmas when I see kids so happy to be with Santa." While being Santa brings joy, it ) also can get tedious at times. "On slow days, like in the middle of the week, there aren't many kids. Then that four hours seems to drag on. I like Saturdays when there are tons of kids," Larsen said. Another who sits on the Santa chair at Crossroads is Thomas Oldroyd. He might be considered the quintessential Santa Claus. To entertain the children who sit on his lap, he has a host of stories. "My reindeer are up on the roof. They're all resting because we have a long trip back to the North Pole tonight. Mrs. Claus worries if we don't go back every night." "Rudolph is a pizza freak," j . V , -' 1- CHRONICLE PHOTOEarl Cline Four year-olBobby telling a friendly neighborhood Santa: "All I want for Christmas is some really neat guns and an assault rifle like the one my grandma has." d Oldroyd tells children. "If there is pizza and Rudolph is in the same room, there won't be pizza very long. That's how he got his red nose. He got tomato sauce on it. When we went for a flight, the wind chapped his nose and it stayed that way!" Oldroyd is familiar with all children's interests such as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. "Donatello is the leader. Then you've got Leonardo. Raphael is a cool dude and Michelangelo is a party dude. He's my favorite!" he said. Windham Hill Recording Artists Present The Christmas Concert Of The Year WINTER SOLSTICE CONCERT Our mountain bikes excel under trees. LIZ STORY PHILIP AABERG NIGHTNOISE Music that evokes the magic and splenaor of the SPECIALIZED. winter holidays. KINGSBURY HALL 0 0 YA 0 md o a UTAH a SAT, DEC. 15 8 PM -- Tickets $16 & $14 at the Kingsbury Hall box office and all Smith's Tlx outlets or call: Sponsored in part by ASUU 467-599- 6. Symphony Hall Thursday, March 14 All tickets $20 Qminos) SALT LAKE'S MILE - HIGH RESTAURANT 136 E. 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