As a follow-up to The Batavian’s Dec. 13 article on Santa’s weekend in Batavia, the Man in the Red Suit has agreed to take time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions.
Q: Santa, it seems like you’re all over the place during the holiday season. How do you do it?
A: Well you know, it’s not always me. I have a lot of helpers who carry my "persona" to different places and spread my Christmas cheer.
Q: What does Santa like to eat?
A: I love pizza. Mrs. Claus makes great pizza with homemade sauce.
Q: What does Santa like to do when he has free time?
A: Well I’ll tell you, Santa likes to rest for a couple weeks after Christmas! For fun, I enjoy spending time with Mrs. Claus and watching movies.
Q: What are some of your favorite movies?
A: "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Frosty the Snowman."
Q: It must be pretty tough flying all around the world. How do you keep your reindeer fit?
A: Wel, we give them hay, obviously; in the North Pole we have a greenhouse where we grow hay, oats and other kinds of reindeer food. Plus, there’s the food that kids leave for them on Christmas Eve. They get their fill on Christmas Eve, let me tell you.
Q: Obviously, things are pretty busy now at the North Pole. With Christmas coming up quickly, I’m sure the elves are working hard. When you’re away on trips like this, how do you keep in touch with the folks back home to make sure everything is going okay?
A: Cell phones. This modern generation makes it much easier for me to travel and still stay in touch with my elves. I call them on the cell phone, and then they call me back if anything comes up.
The Batavian thanks Santa for sharing these details about his professional and public life, and wishes him, Mrs. Claus, and all the folks at the North Pole a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
