Archmere Alum Bob Dunn '55: The North Pole is calling

While some shopping centers, hospitals and communities take care of hiring their own local Santas, much of the industry is served by a few photography companies that bid on multiple shopping center contracts and provide the Santas. Sepia Photos of Texas, one of the largest firms, only hires naturally bearded Santas. All employees are screened and background checked. From their job description: "A jolly, natural bearded, white gloved, polished, well-groomed, custom-suited Santa, who is patient, has a great attitude, loves kids, and has a heart for the past."

There is also a University of Santa Claus, run by Cherry Hill Photo Enterprises of Cherry Hill, N.J., that provides training for all Santas. Santas are taught to never promise anything, show a bad mood or be in a big hurry. The Santa Do's list includes the reminder to bathe daily and use deodorant and to "keep a twinkle in your eye."

One of the nice things about being a Santa is that unlike a lot of other jobs, you "dont age out," said Bob Dunn, 75, of Dover, Del. Dunn has been a Santa for the past eight years -- the last three under contract to Sepia Photos -- and assigned to the Sooner Mall in Norman, Okla. Starting on Black Friday, he will be bouncing kids on his lap and posing for photos from 10 am to 1 p.m., 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. from 8 p.m. He works a 10-hour day with two hours off for meal breaks.

Dunn was included in about 17,000 photos taken last year, and while he said only the top Santas in the country are pulling down $50,000, his paycheck "sure beats minimum wage," adding "and this is a heck of a lot more fun."

Dunn was a packer of clam products in the Delaware seafood business but says it was the recession that retired him. His wife is joining him in Oklahoma this year, but only for the first few weeks. He predicts she'll be bored hanging around the hotel all day while he's in the Santa chair. The youngest of his four kids is 52. "My children would tell you I'm America's least-likely Santa," he said.

But given that he keeps getting asked back, we doubt it. Dunn admits he has a knack for putting frightened kids at ease. "The job is pure joy," Dunn said. "For 46 weeks out of the year, you're just another old man with a white beard, but for that six-week period, you're Santa Claus!" he said. Can't beat that.