Kluth participating in the Santa Claus training. — Photos: THOMAS BANNEYER/dpa
When 10 men sit together in the back room of a pub to discuss how to break into strangers' houses without being noticed, it sounds like something out of a mafia film.
But Stefan Dossereck and his colleagues are not planning a Louvre-style heist – just the opposite.
Instead of imitating the infamous robbers, the group is devoted to a likeable older gentleman who makes children's eyes light up.
"We know what Santa Claus looks like. We know when he comes. And we know what he does," says Dossereck. "Let others prove to us that he doesn't exist."
Santa Claus wannabes
Dossereck has been teaching how to be a good Santa Claus for years. He believes the grown men seeking the job should still have a bit of residual faith in the man with the bushy beard.
Only then can you be his "helper".
On one autumn afternoon, Dossereck and his colleague Markus von Juterczenka invited participants to a Santa Claus training course at a restaurant in Dusseldorf, Germany.
While the smell of local beer wafts through the air at the front of the pub, the separate training room smells of gingerbread.
Dossereck (standing, right) and von Juterczenka (standing, left) teach participants during the training for aspiring Santa Clauses.
Aspiring Santa Clauses can prepare for their mission here or – if they already have experience in the ho-ho-ho business – hone their skills. A training costs €20 (RM96). At the end, participants receive a diploma.
"Firefighters practise extinguishing fires before there's a fire," Dossereck says.
A garment, not a costume
The training course covers tips on appearance and language – as well as what to wear. What belongs in a costume? What doesn't? One-piece or two-piece?
Von Juterczenka quickly raises his hand to correct a questioner. He prefers to talk about "garments" rather than "costumes".
"I don't like the word costume. Costumes are for carnival – and we're not celebrating carnival."
A participant in the Santa Claus training takes notes during the seminar.
The Santa trainer is very serious about attire and there are lots of don'ts.
Such offerings multiply in the weeks leading up to Christmas, he says.
Under no circumstances should you wear one of these in front of people, he warns. Santa Claus would then just become a laughing stock and lose credibility, he says.
Santa survival tips
Dossereck first appeared as Santa Claus 30 years ago, for his godchild and the neighbour's children. It went quite well – at least all the children "turned out alright", he assures us.
Since then, he's been fascinated by St Nick and went on to found a Santa Claus service that arranges appearances. Dossereck also serves as a Santa for hire.
He now passes on practical tips from his vast experience. For example, it is essential to choose an early time slot for company Christmas parties. That way people are not drunk before Santa shows up.
If you don't pay attention, you might end up like Dossereck did once, when he was greeted with an expletive from across the room by a drunken employee at a corporate Christmas party.
"In the end, though, I got a lot of praise from the boss for how nicely I handled the situation," he says.
When asked what makes a good Santa Claus, he says you have to combine several jobs: actor, psychologist and also courier driver, because you're on the road a lot. And you have to be able to combine friendliness with natural authority, just like a chancellor, he adds.
Bells stand on a table in the training room.
A male domain
Some participants arrive with decades of Santa experience – like Peter, who has been spreading holiday cheer since 1991.
Then there's Eric, who has only played Santa "two or three times" at his local shooting club. At 66, his white hair and beard make him an instant natural, and everyone can see his potential.
The Santa Claus industry is still largely a man's domain, though there have been women in the training programme, says Dossereck.
The problem is that they are not asked to do the job, he notes. Or if they are asked, then unfortunately, always in the role of "sexy Mrs Claus" which is not something he offers in his training programme, he says.
Technical tricks for success
During a class, some Santa-specific questions pop up. For example, Bastian Kluth wonders whether he'll be stopped by the police while driving as a Santa decked out with a pointed cap and bushy beard.
Peter promptly says just to stay calm. He has already stopped at a traffic light next to a police car in full regalia.
"They don't do anything!"
International schools
Santa schools are not just for the Germans. There are numerous other institutions worldwide.
Many are based in the United States, home to the International University of Santa Claus, also known as School4Santas, which even offers festive cruises for its graduates.
Similar training programmes can also be found in England, Switzerland and Finland.
Even Japan, not a traditionally Christian country, has a Santa school: Tokyo Santa. According to its website, Santas for hire "can speak with your kids in English or Japanese". – dpa
