Show j? 'ff- 'V vff ' ' ' V-'- ' left: McKenzie Nelson talks 'to' Santa Claus at the 'Top Providence'City library left- - Santa listens closely to a child's wish-7 Jtet for Christmas Below: 'Santa on his way to one of the many visits he makes over the ' - Four-year-o- ld ’ : t jmt 7: v ::”o a' "7 7£ J 4 i v v v-- ' holiday 4)e has - i: v r u v' : -- v ?: "a- - v - ' v 7 -'S : and the whole routine'4 ' t ain’t easy being Santa Claus Calgary Alberta Canada compared playing jokes ' JiLThere’s a lot of travel the costume can be hot y Snow and Gerber don't do malls Instead they’ Santa Claus to'show business Nevada has writ-- 7 ’ manual oh the subject and his ' ten a and itchy children sometimes wet their pants on focus on schools community gatherings ward school offers intensive twodayseminar to -he said has an the into some like Gerber already parties and yourlap and you occasionally run 14 private visits scheduledfor Christmas Eve’aspinng Santas each year Nevada is a full-ti:':7 Scrooges 7 Santa making appearances at grand openings ‘Tll probably get a few more” he said VFm But according to two local men who’ve been d A ribbqn cuttings and other events happin’ on Christmas Eve" playing' St Nicholas for a combined ' the said two Eve of he trade veteran Christmas not when the it's to Even to cheer 7 though bring holiday keysto' opportunity years people’s lives makes it all worthwhile' playing Santa can be stressful Naturally Santa is being a good Santa are having a nice costume ’and being prepared "Thebest partis seeing the kids’ eyes "said 7 always expected to be cheerful and upbeat “Santa is an actor” he said “When Santa ' “When you (Hit on the Suit you become that- Bruce Snow who’s been playing the part for 25 ' ' makes his appearance the event should crank up ' in Cache Valley person” Gerber said “I'veseen some (Santas) ’'years ' : who don’t even say ‘Ho ho ho’ when they come 7 - “A lot of folk$ think it’s pretty simple” he Snow added that seniors' like kids really seem said “Iguess itiS that simple if you don’t want lo Claus in I’m like ‘ConKon giveme a break’” Mr to a kick out r of get ' be that little same have very goodatit’77 : magical “ItVlikediey ViorNeyadaditoroftheSantaSchoolin' ' ' '' '' twinkle in their eyes that kids dp” he said “They iH'n :Vi t p—i i ' v 7- 77 justeittipw Kneaiimsj!- Gaylon Gerber who’s been playing Santa for Wm 17 years said he enjoys making people “beam” 7 ‘Ami' t “You ought to see their responses” he said 7 - Snow first donned die beard a quarter of a cen- tury ago when his aunt was an assistant manager ir ' “'V1 at Knurt The store’s Santa cancelled and she ' V J -' iVcalled him in a pinch: ? 1 Gerber meanwhile inherited the trade from his 9 father who was a Santa for 45 years Whim his mt “W mission father a was Gerber to one called v year tvieswv 7- - 7decided to fill in l Kt 7 ' 'yi “I thought I better do it or he woujd lose all W— 7 vvt GeAer said “I already knew the v ' -- : 250-pa- : ge 40-pl- us year-roun- 20-ye- ar 1 - : " iSSSSSSsK v- r ii r r-- -v aKV-- 9 ' v v- ' 4 W f ma - ' ' TextbyJohriWright Photos by Mitch Mascaro i 33 MaUi :':7 ' ' v $-- ii i ? " y- He says 14 visits sched-- : - : 7 season tiled for Christmas eve':- x vy ’ V VJ ' ‘ ' f''w - ' |