~Honolulu Santa Services~
Great Santa Performers
Parties * Events * Home visits * Media
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Popular "Classic Santa" $199. hr. |
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"Olde Worlde Santa" $299. hr |
Santas are booked by $50 deposit, first deposit received.
Send Check/Money Order by mail, or, for same-day service, email to request an Online INVOICE for instant booking by VISA/MC or Paypal.
*Please CALL FOR AVAILABILITY before booking! 836-1800
Note on your deposit: "for Santa Appearance".
Checks payable to:
Mike Ching
1476 Ala Hekili Place
Honolulu, HI 96819-1427
(808) 836-1800 MikeC1800@aol.Com
CHECKLIST: TIPS FOR A GREAT SANTA VISIT!
Copy, print & Email to friends & helpers C. 2009 MikeChingMagic no cmmcl reprinting or use w/o permission
1. ____ NAMETAGS: Have Children wear Nametags (Stick-on giftags work well). They soon forget they are wearing them, and are thrilled when Santa calls them by name (only the REAL Santa would know!)
2. ____ SANTA AREA: Creat an area for sitting with children and picture taking. In front of a tree or decorated area is perfect.
3. ____CAMERAS: Have your cameras ready! You never know when a photo taken with Santa becomes a family heirloom! Make sure film, cards and batteries are fresh and working.
4. ____ DESIGNATE A PHOTOGRAPHER, and invite parents to bring their cameras as well. *Don’t forget to focus on childrens’ faces when Santa first enters!
5. ____ MAKING YOUR LIST: Make a list of any particular things you want Santa to do.
6. ____ SANTAS BAG: Santa comes with a bag roughly the capacity of a plastic trash bag. (Don’t worry, it looks MUCH nicer than that!) Since a bag that size can get VERY heavy, it may be best to fill it only partyway so Santa can carry it well. The other gifts can be brought in later. (or have only very light gifts/favors if you choose to use the bag.)
7. ____ DRESSING SPACE: Santa usually arrives “incognito” (disguised as a normal person) about 15 minutes prior to his appearance. (This is ideal as he can freely check out the crowd, surmise their mood and plan the best approach). Santa usually needs a private place to change into and out of his suit. This should be an area no children could accidently walk into! Santa takes 12-15 minutes to get ready. (Feel free to make any minor adjustments to Santas Suit).
8. ____ CHRISTMAS MUSIC: It really helps create Holiday atmosphere when Christmas music is playing on Santas entrance, and while he’s around.
9. ____ PARKING: It helps Santa greatly if it is possible to reserve or create a nearby parking space. Cones or chairs put out front of the driveway work well. Maybe even place a cardboard sign on a chair that says “RESERVED FOR SANTA”. Most people understand.
A CLASSIC
“SANTA VISIT” OUTLINE
Copy, print & Email to friends & helpers C. 2009 MikeChingMagic no cmmcl reprinting or use w/o permission
1. Santa usually makes a "Grand entrance". (Put on some Christmas Music and (optional) if you wish, announce: “There’s someone at the door!” Santa may shake sleighbells or otherwise greet children answering door, adults should supervise and have Cameras ready to get their reactions!
2. Santa enters the main room and addresses everyone with a brief greeting about how he heard wonderful party sounds of good children and wanted to say hello.
3. Meet & Greet (yes, Children AND Adults)
4. Santa usually goes over to a special "Christmas Area" with a chair in front of a decorated space (for meeting kids and photography)
5. Children (helped by an adult or two) go up to meet him and say hello, tell him what they want for Christmas/chat, and take a picture with him. Optional: At discretion of host, each child may recieve a favor, gift or treat from Santa, big as an actual gift or small as a candy cane or bag of treats.
6. Santa may gather the children to read "Twas the Night before Christmas", and say goodbye after the phrase "to all a good night".
"Hawaii's Grandest Santas"
Since the 1990s, Hawaii Shopping Centers, Marketing agencies and Party Hosts seeking great-looking Santas have contacted Michael Ching.
(The Honolulu Magician first "stepped in" for the real Santa at a family party when just 8 years old. He used a cotton ball beard and a mini-santa suit borrowed from the BOOTH PARK Costume unit.)
Ching has trained many of Hawaii's best Santas whom he refers and manages for events when the real Mr. Kringle is too busy to attend.
As a teenager performing Magic and directing High School shows, Ching spent much of each Holiday season reading up on Santas History and deportment. In College, he did characters at elaborate "Theme parties" for Convention audiences, and met & apprenticed as Elf / Photographer to LEN PIPER, ("Official Santa" of Ala Moana Center in the 80's and 90's).
In 1985 at age 27, he decided to "Go Pro" with the goal of presenting "Hawaiis Grandest Santa". The costumes would have to be elaborate, and the characters actions & voice would have to be "perfect".
Mike took out a loan and created "KRINGLE 1", Hawaii's first "Media-Quality" Santa ensemble of real ruby velvet, Jingle bells, holly and a mantle about the shoulders, which "Seemed to make him look more regal" says Ching. Every year the suit was added to and embellished to look as authentic as possible. Ching even invested in "Designer Beards" which sometimes went into the hundreds of dollars.
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Soon, "KRINGLE 1", (and in '97, the even more elaborate "KRINGLE 2") were recruited by Honolulu shopping Centers and Ad agencies for "Opening day" work (The Santas who would be photographed by NEWS coverage),& TV commercials for PEARLRIDGE CENTER, KAHALA MALL, WINDWARD MALL, PEARL KAI CENTER and print ads for ALA MOANA CENTER and PEARLRIDGE.
Companies who've employed Mikes Santa services include KHONTV2, KHNLTV & KFIVE, TIFFANY & CO., UNITY HOUSE, COSTCO, DAVE & BUSTERS, and NATURALLY HAWAIIAN Art Gallery in Waimanalo.
Spontaneous exclamations overheard at appearances are "Wow!", OMG!", "That's a great looking Santa!" "That's quite a Transformation!" and "Yes son, I think that is the real Santa Claus"...
In 2007, Michael worked with a well known Movie Costumer on his "Dream Project", the ultimate Olde-World European Santa, "FATHER CHRISTMAS" (aka Pierre Noel, Father Frost, Grandfather Frost, Bobo Natale) especially for Media campaigns and Special events. Perhaps the most spectacular "St. Nicholas" suit in the world.
Any advice for those planning a party with Santa? "Use someone trustworthy, and maybe think twice about letting the office joker be Santa!" laughs Mike. "Doing Magic shows at thousands of parties, we've seen many children confused when "Santa" entered with a not-so-nice suit or beard, using improper language or falling out of character. I hate to say it, but I've seen all of that, and it's not befitting the man".
"Our Santas know that grooming is super-important. The worst is when "Uncle" enters smelling of liquor or smoke you can pick up 10 feet away, or hasn't brushed his teeth. Remember, those children are sitting in his lap. An ill kempt Santa can be really disappointing for kids, who look up to the image of Santa."
"No matter how old, everyone truly wants to believe in Santa at Christmas!"
SANTA IN HAWAII NEWS
Articles on "Ancestral Santa" have appeared in
HAWAII PARENT MAGAZINE
HawaiiParent/Ancestral Santa2p
the HONOLULU ADVERTISER
HonoluluAdvertiserNewSantaArticle
& HONOLULU STAR-BULLETIN
HonStarBulletinN.KamFeaturesDec
To learn more about the folks behind the scenes at Honolulu Santa,
to read how Honolulu Santa came to be visit Santa's Blog CLICK HERE |
