The business of being Santa

This July, hundreds of Santa impersonators gathered in Missouri. In between swapping tips on beard care and playing baseball, they learned how to take their Santa gigs to the next level.

The rewards and pitfalls of being Santa.
(Image credit: REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch)

It's the middle of summer and the 10-story atrium at the Chateau on the Lake hotel is filled with Santas.

They are slow-moving spots of cotton-topped crimson along the railings of the upper floors. They crowd the glass-walled elevators, rising and falling in rushes of red, white, and green. They are at the bar, by the pool, and in long lines for the buffet. A few are planning to meet later for milk and cookies near the spa. Outside, in 90-degree temperatures, Santas compete in tug-of-war and footraces. At night, they dance in their Santa casual cocktail outfits on a twilight steamboat cruise.

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