I’m gearing up to play Mrs. Claus this holiday.

It’s my ninth season. In a city known only for Santa Claus. You’ve probably never heard of a Mrs. Claus in Manhattan, aptly named, MANhattan.

It’s really hard to get these gigs.

The elves are big time, people with their own acts on cruise ships and nightclubs. Some work on Broadway. So instead of buying more stuff, more costumes and junky wigs, I opted for a makeup makeover to be on the same professional level as the elves.

I self-intervened.

No more red lipstick on my teeth.

No more Duane Readed (Walgreens) eyelashes flying all about my visage.

I contacted a beauty concierge at Nordstrom. She arranged a one-on-one tutorial on a day that happened to be Halloween, thus the Ouji board jumper in the photo.

I learned that my perimenopausal hormones have changed my once oily skin into the surface of a flaky croissant. How can I expect a smooth application if my “canvas” is like a handful of sand?

Note: I spent the money. I really wanted to learn and experiment, not just for the holidays but for dressing up and going out. Just know that. You can probably find much cheaper items at the drugstore. I also worked with a licensed esthetician, also a professional makeup artist.

Here are the products I used before adding concealer, foundation, blush, and powder:

1. The Crest strips and Laneige are mine. But my tutor explained that the skin prep takes a little time. Why not soften the lips and whiten the teeth while waiting for the Peptide & Ice patches to take effect?

2. We applied a lip mask. Dry lips are a leading cause of red-lipstick bleed off.

3. We put the Peptide & Ice patches on under my eyes. They immediately felt wonderful, cool and minty. These patches were already reducing my usual dark circles while protecting my skin from eyeshadow that would later fall onto the cheeks. (This is a good time to put in the Crest strips to whiten the teeth.)

4. I applied toner, then serum, then primer to my face and eyelids.

5. Eye shadow using brushes. We tried some red Pat McGrath sparkly stuff on the lid with a darker shade on the outer corners and lids. This is very expensive eye shadow, but check in for Black Friday deals.

6. We added mascara so that my light eyelashes wouldn’t shine through the dark eyelashes.

7. We used a brow brush backwards to darken my eyelashes from the outside to the inside.

8. We selected Mac baby doll eyelashes instead of the heavier ones. These baby dolls have more individual lashes, which really opened my eyes. We pretended to put the lashes on, to measure. Your false eyelashes should start at the outer corners and stop just where your normal upper lashes are the longest. To trim, my tutor put both eyelashes together and then trimmed. That way, they would be the same size.

9. We used a thin layer of clear adhesive, so that when it dried, it would be dark. We let the adhesive dry, to make it tacky. We wiggled the lashes back and forth to make them more flexible. Then we applied the lashes to the upper lid. My tutor instructed me to use my thumb and pointer finger to pinch the lashes into the lids.

10. I used my fingers to apply sparkly shadow to my inner eye corners, under the brow

11. We removed the patches under my eyes. After all that eye shadow, I was glad not to have shadow on my cheeks. I used toner, primer, and foundation under my eyes.

12. For blush, I smiled and patted the color down with my fingers, from the outer parts of my face to the inner.

13. For contours, we used darker powder near my eyes, upper cheekbones, and the jawline. I added power to my neckline, so I matched.

14. I added glimmer powders to my forehead, nose, cheeks, and neckline. Then I added skin-colored powder to my whole face to set the makeup longer.

15. To apply the Pat McGrath lipstick, I made a big jack-o-lantern mouth, with my lips stretched over my teeth. This way, I was applying to stretched skin, so the lipstick would be less likely to flake off later. I made an outline of my lips with the lipliner. Then I applied the lipstick to the stretched lips. I started to rub my lips together. No! That makes them flake.

16. The last step with a finishing spray to my face to keep my makeup in place. This product might be one of the best and most important, for me at least. I make so many mistakes when I have to touch up in a moving vehicle.

    Of all of these steps, I already see a huge difference in the quality of my skin, lipstick that stays put, and eyelashes that do not move.
    

I, Ann Votaw, the woman behind Mrs. Claus NYC, have been studying standup since April.

I hit open mics two to three times a week, sometimes more.

Most of my material is about my life sifted through the comedy colander. Being a Midwesterner in New York gives me lots of silly comparisons. For instance, I believe Santa lands on the “ruff.” For New Yorkers, Santa lands on the “roooof.”

I’ve learned that setup is a way of creating a reality, something the audience can visualize. By design, the punch line destroys my setup.

Open mics are places to practice. For $5 per comic, clubs provide five minutes of stage time during off-hours. Each time I go, I record myself. Later, I listen to my recordings while reading a transcript of my work. Every time I get a laugh, I underline the phrase or moment of silence.

When I consistantly get laughs in the same places, I know I’m onto something. When I hear dead spaces, I know I need to re-write or cut. I keep Google docs on each joke, dating my most recent version and placing it at the top of the document. A professional comedian taught me this trick to track a bit over time.

Many times, I am one woman in a group of 14 men. But I have met like-minded women. And they have started their own shows. I’m getting booked for these shows.

Each time I get on stage, I sense how important it is to have a voice and a presence. If we women don’t grab the mic, the world thinks we don’t exist.

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Photo: Norman Blake

If you’re looking for post-season Claus education, the Coney Island Clown Skool may be for you. Or maybe not, if you prefer a more traditional setting in a hotel conference room.

I, Ann Votaw, wrote a detailed account in my personal newsletter. I just loved the week-long intensive, but I signed up specifically because I did not want a traditional experience. I wanted to learn real performance skills taught by real professionals. As Clauses, we are a class of clowns whose actions are exaggerated and meant to be watched.

My favorite Santas are current or former clowns with a 360-degree sense of themselves and their physical actions. Clown-Santas tend to be good actors and supportive colleagues.

Here’s what I learned on a very serious, academic-professional level:

🤡Mime through Broken Box Mime Theater

🤡Magic through Flavors of Magic

🤡Puppetry with a master Disney puppeteer

🤡Juggling and plate spinning with Kat Alexander

🤡Clown coaching with Big Apple/Ringling Brothers veterans:

• Glen Heroy, Santa and Coney Island Clown Skool founder

• Michael Trautman

• Joel Jeske

• Jeff Gordon or “Gordoon”

• Christina Gelsone

• Hilary Chaplain

At the end of the intense week, we put on a quality show that included exceptional photography by Jim McDermott and Coney Island archivist Norman Blake.

Photo: Norman Blake

Photo: Jim McDermott

You may not want to take this course for a few reasons, if you are a Claus professional more used to traditional settings.

Here’s why:

⛔Getting to Coney Island from Midtown Manhattan takes at least 90 minutes

⛔Coney Island is gloriously seedy and surrounded by sketchy hotels and apartments

⛔Fellow students are non-confirmists who often sport piercings, tattoos, and “they/them” pronouns

⛔Many classes required students to be in strong physical shape

Photo: Ann Votaw inside the Coney Island Sideshow room.

A reporter recently asked me about the word “sidekick.”

“Are you a sidekick to Santa?” she asked.

From a story perspective, Mrs. Claus, the Grinch, elves, and dancers are offshoots of Santa Claus. Absolutely, kids come to see the Big Guy.

On a human resource level, however, we are full-fledged citizens with rights and feelings.

My answer to the reporter surprised me.

“Human beings can’t be sidekicks,” I said. I explained that we were having a conversation in a crowded cafe. Did that make us the leads and everyone else sidekicks?

No.

According to our point of view, we were the center of action, and everyone else was in the background. But we, sitting in the window seat, were the background for other customers having their own conversations.

Therefore, side characters — or layered entertainment — are not Santa’s sidekicks.

If we entertainers were subjects in a documentary, and the camera turned on us, we would be the leads, and Santa would be out of the spotlight, still important but not in focus at the moment.

Yes, when children rush to Santa to show their letters, I am not in the spotlight. But I do hold value as I listen to the child and try to be helpful to the situation.

I work best with Santas who get this dynamic, the ones who don’t treat me like Tonto (which means “fool” in Spanish) to their Lone Ranger.

I’m also learning how to work alone. For some people, Mrs. Claus is their favorite!

Dance, Drama, and Song by Hildreth Meière

This season, my wigless day job is at Rock Center! Recently, I took a 75-minute tour of the campus, which includes 14 original buildings plus five newer structures.

I learned more about the visuals I see every day. I also noticed who got credit: usually the beefiest and most powerful men.

Funny, when I first started as Mrs. Claus, an agent told me: “Stay away from Rockefeller. That’s my territory.”

I didn’t know the territory, but I felt terrified to defy him. Until recently.

Huh! I just can’t find the lines of demarcation anywhere, although the center still doesn’t employ a Mrs. Claus for its annual tree lighting. Santa couples light trees together all across the United States. Not at the Rock, at an event that attracts millions of viewers and literally stops traffic.

No one can break through that spruce ceiling. (Every time I’ve used the center’s full name in this blog, Facebook blocked the post.) That’s the power of tradition.

Lunch Atop a Skyscraper, 1932, Charles C. Ebbets. Distributed by Acme Newspictures, Original caption: "While New York's thousands rush to crowded restaurants and congested lunch counters for their noon day lunch, these intrepid steel workers atop the 70 story RCA building in Rockefeller Center get all the air and freedom they want by lunching on a steel beam with a sheer drop of over 800 feet to the street level. The RCA building is the largest office building in terms of office space in the world."

As an answer to the famous workmen photo, here are just a few fabulous women whose contributions invigorate spaces between 51 and 48th streets and Fifth and Sixth avenues.

Perhaps it’s a man’s word, but their footprints are all over Rockefeller.

1) Abigail Rockefeller. Photo: Library of Congress

2) Hildreth Meière. Photo: hildrethmeiere.org

3) Martha Stewart Podcast: Recorded at 1 Rock

4) Danitra Vance. Photo: biography.com

5) Valerie Clarebout. Photo: NYPL

6) Hoda Kotb. Photo: Nathan Congleton

7) The Rockettes. Photo: rockettes.com

8) Eleanor Roosevelt. Photo: Library of Congress

1) Her husband John D. Rockefeller, Jr., financed Rockefeller Center during the Great Depression. Abby Rockefeller maintained relationships with artists and actively selected public works for the complex.

2) Best known for mosaics and murals, Hildreth Meière created Dance, Drama, and Song outside Radio City Music Hall, as seen in the first photo of this blog.

3) Martha Stewart, America’s first self-made female billionaire, hosts a weekly podcast in a converted newsstand in my building at 1 Rock. I can’t wait to discuss cookies with her.

4) Danitra Vance was the first Black female cast member of Saturday Night Live, filmed at 30 Rock.

5) Valerie Clarebout was an English artist who handcrafted the dozen 8-feet-tall angels along the Channel Gardens. Her sculptures, installed in 1954, lead the way to the Rockefeller Christmas tree.

6) TODAY Show host Hoda Kotb, sitting between Savannah Guthrie and Jenna Bush Hager, announced her retirement in September. She has been with NBC for nearly three decades. I see the back of Hoda’s head almost every morning when I head into work.

7) The Rockettes have been a Radio City Music Hall feature since 1932. Standing between 5’5’’ and 5’10’’, these powerful women are known for their eye-high kicks. They hired the first dark-skinned dancer in 1987 and the first visibly disabled dancer in 2019.

8) Eleanor Roosevelt was First Lady during Rockefeller Center’s construction in the 1930s. Her My Day column mentioned visits to Rockefeller for post-broadcast nibbles, award ceremonies, and trips to Women’s City Club.

Now let’s check out some of the male art that dominates everything and gets all the attention. And on this scale, how could it not? Below, see Lee Lawrie’s 45-foot-Atlas, installed in 1937 in front of the International Building on Fifth Avenue.

Notice the back of Atlas facing St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Men who installed Atlas thought, at first, the figure was that of Jesus Christ.

The Rockefeller complex also involves underground passages and shops that connect offices to the subways. As we were moving underground between buildings, I wondered how 20th-century women moved through the spaces, including a skinny escalator. Can you imagine riding this while wearing high heels?

Some of the walls are stained with what has to be cigarette smoke.

As we passed a line of people camping out on a Friday to get tickets for Saturday Night Live, I wondered what it must have been like to be a woman on the show. Such pressure, even now!

Saturday Night Live fans camping out on a Friday night to get tickets to the show.

One of the weirdest things we saw was The Story of Transportation inside 10 Rockefeller, once home of Eastern Airlines. All four walls depict modes of travel, all blessed by identical naked goddesses.

Dean Cornwell was the artist. Wilmuth Masden Stevens was not only his assistant but the model of all those naked goddesses, according to The Art of Rockefeller Center by Christine Roussel. Known for stepping out on his wife, Cornwell might have been inappropriate. That’s my opinion. Sadly, I couldn’t find a bio or photo of Stevens on the internet. The Rockefeller website doesn’t list her name, although our tour guide said that the face of the goddesses is that of Cornwell’s wife. There’s a story here.

However, I found one mention of her on a site called VoiceMap in reference to him. (I’m avoiding links to see why Facebook continued to block this post. It seems it’s a matter of using the center’s full name and anything critical about its tree lighting.)

Cornwell was as famous as Norman Rockwell in his day. He certainly did not credit her work as assistant muralist.

Below is Wisdom, by Lee Lawrie. The relief is on the entrance to 30 Rock, facing the Christmas tree.

This year’s Norway Spruce is from West Stockbridge, Mass. Santa will be there for the lighting on Dec. 4. But … still no Mrs. Claus anywhere on the entire complex.

This next picture shows the Channel Gardens, which lead to the Rink and tree. Valerie Clarebout’s angels line the fountain.

Female figures are everywhere in Rockefeller Center, often as goddesses or mythical figures representing big ideas. In Intelligence Awakening Mankind, artist Barry Faulkner shows this central figure, Thought, to be an anchor to Written Words on the left and Spoken Words on the right.

By listening to the radio, listeners can hear the human voice, the “bird of the air,” which can educate them and help them from sinking into poverty. That was the thought at the time.

Here is a promotion for the movie Wicked, as presented on the Plaza between 1 Rock, where I work, and 10 Rockefeller. All of the figures are made of Legos!

Here’s where I see the back of Hoda Kodb’s head every morning.

Below is a fabulous bas-relief, News, outside the old Associated Press building. Artist Isamu Noguchi intended for these five male figures to seek the same story, using all the latest technology. Who will be the fastest?

News by Isamu Noguchi

Rockefeller Center belongs to everybody. While I couldn’t find actual lines of demarcation between Santa and Mrs. Claus, I did feel boundaries between Black and White people, the rich and the poor, and men and women.

Landmark status provides preservation, a mostly good thing. However, in celebrating tradition, must we continue to repeat history?

Mrs. Claus has been vying for the reins since the late 1800s.

In Atlas Obscura, English professor Maura Ives notes the work of Katharine Lee Bates, author of “America the Beautiful.” In “Goody Santa Claus on a Sleigh Ride,” Bates writes:

For you must allow, my Goodman, that

you’re but a lazy woodman

And rely on me to foster all our fruitful

Christmas trees.

Bates is just one of several female writers who describe Mr. and Mrs. C. Through light-hearted fiction, they spoke in code about real-life issues between wives and husbands.

I was so inspired by Bates and Sarah J. Burke, author of “Mrs. Santa Claus Asserts Herself,” that I penned my own poem: “Mrs. Claus Re-Writes the Story,” seen above.

Photo by Tim Darwish

During the holidays, I’m an independent Mrs. Claus who works alone or with a few different Santas. Party planners often turn to me and Santa for advice on how to organize a visit. 

First, thank you for asking! It’s not too late to hire many of us in the Claus family. If you’ve already hired one or both of us for a scheduled event, you can always finesse. Santas and Mrs. Clauses around the globe should be happy to strategize with you based on your audience.

Second, think of your celebration as a sandwich. The two slices of bread are the Clauses’ departure and arrival. What’s in between are the delicious layers. 

Here are 5 party planner pointers when you hire a Mr. and Mrs. C:

Memorable visits are short, from 30 to 60 minutes. Longer than that and we become an awkward member of the family. Everyone knows that Santa’s busy, so guests understand his exit, especially if the time slot is accurately marketed. On your flyers and social media posts, advertise a brief schedule, such as:

• 6 PM - Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive on the plaza

• 6:15 PM - Santa and Mrs. Claus light the tree and pose for photos

• 7 PM - Santa and Mrs. Claus wave goodbye

In these communications, commit to two or three highlights and when they happen. Stick to these times, so that you don’t have guests waiting for hours to see Santa. Remember you are dealing with overscheduled adults and sleepy children.

Plan backward in regard to your ideal time slot. How do you want your North Pole guests to leave your party — as a final walk-through or maybe a group photo? Leaving is just as important as arriving, especially for children who might be upset if the Big Guy suddenly disappears. As a group, sing one or two verses of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” The song is a classic, a perfect segue.

Consider the type of sandwich. Photographs are usually the main “protein” of a holiday event involving St. Nick. Wonderful! Considering that most people have smartphone cameras, talk through a traffic flow pattern before the party. Set out a comfortable chair by the tree, out of the way of wait staff and caterers. Offer a stool for people who don’t want to sit in Santa’s lap, an increasing trend.

• Have an elf, staff person, or Mrs. Claus direct the photo line with clear entry and exit points for the excited youngsters.

• Designate someone to take photos for families, so Mom and Dad don’t have to be excluded.

• Offer a place to hide coats.

• Ask parents to unbuckle children from strollers and pull them out of snow suits before they get to the front of the line.

• Be sure to include vertical pictures, which look best on Instagram, and remind guests to tag your establishment.

Other activities could include a horse and buggy ride, a reading of “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” the presentation of awards, or an ugly sweater contest with the Clauses as judges.

For tree lightings, invite us to preside near the tree. Do a countdown from 10 to 1 before you flip the switch. It’s such a simple piece of drama, but adults weep over this. So test the lights beforehand. Have some jokes handy in case there’s a glitch. Guests empathize with Charlie Brown moments, especially when you maintain merriness.

Warmup by building community. Successful events magnify all the resources around you. If the Girl Scouts want to sing carols, welcome them with a three-song limit. Invite elected officials to say a few words. They love being photographed with happy constituents doing good things for others. Allow leaders in your establishment to trumpet the year’s accomplishments and explain how to donate a toy for the annual Toy Drive. Maybe do a trivia contest or provide face painting for the kids. Offer a working mic to amplify quiet voices in large rooms. You are building anticipation and a network of positive change, not just for today but the year to come. Be bold. Be generous with your spirit, free of charge.

Grand entrances must spark joy. Now here we are at the top of our sandwich, the part that makes you want to take a bite. Coordinate, coordinate, coordinate. You know how dog owners talk to their pets before a walk? Are your ready for Santa? Huh? Huh? Who's a good boy?

Do that.

Make sure the Clauses are just around the corner, ready to enter away from their parked and hidden cars. (Note: We are costume characters who may also be wearing gloves while navigating umbrellas on rainy nights. We can’t answer every nervous text or call. We are aware.) 

We love walking into a party with our arms up, reveling in all of the joy of the season. Let us be your king and queen and consider the most beautiful spaces in your room. Maybe you have a balcony, a red carpet, or French doors. Allow us to linger near these places. Your guests will love the theater. Never underestimate the power of memory.

I am a Mrs. Claus during the holidays. I have performed for the Clinton family, guests at major department stores, and many, many families. My website is mrsclausnyc.com. Follow me on Facebook and Instagram @mrsclausnyc.

This season, I am working at Rockefeller Center in an office you’ll never ever find. With 19 buildings, the center is considered a campus with rooftop gardens and a whole underground city below.

I had the pleasure of watching the rink become the rink, converted from an outdoor restaurant into a giant ice cube. Every morning, I pass the Today show!

And this morning in the elevator, I learned about the tree. For the first time since 1959, West Stockbridge, Mass., supplies the tree, a lush Norway Spruce.

Made on Canva as a rough template

I know lots of Mrs. Clauses who read books to children during their gigs. Since I have been using Canva a lot, I discovered bookmark templates!!! I thought I would share a branding opportunity and give some simple instructions, so that you can hand out your own branded bookmarks.

First, look at Canva to see shared design ideas for Instagram posts, fliers, Facebook posts, book covers, and yes, book marks. Artists share their designs. Many are free! You can customize by uploading your own photos.

• The example above is called Red Heart Bookmark that is ready for customization.

• Rename the bookmark to something like “MrsClaus Bookmark,” so that if I share it, I know what it is.

• Make a Mrs. Claus folder and move your bookmark into this folder. Now you know how to find your work easily!

Second, put on your design cap and keep going with customization.

• Customize your new template that has your new name on it.

• Upload personal photos that you might want to use by going to “Upload” on the left side of the screen. Click that and upload photos related to you reading.

• Look on the left side of the screen and see “Elements.” These are shapes you can add, some of them are space holders for photos that are in various shapes. Take a look. I used the photo place holder that is in the shape of a heart, since my background is hearts.

• I dragged that heart photo space holder onto the bookmark, toward the bottom. You might also do the top because that is what people will see when they use the bookmark.

• Now go back to “Upload” on the left side of the screen. Click the icon and see your uploaded photos. You will select a photo and drag it onto the shape until the photo replaces the empty space in the heart.

• To add text, click “Text” on the left side of the screen. I used one of the fun options and typed in my own message of “Reading is fun!” For my branding, I changed the font to Canva sans and clicked on “Effects” to make the background of my text stand out against the heart background.

• If you want to design a back, click on “+Add a page” at the bottom of your design. This will make a two-sided image.

Fourth, download.

• Once you have a design you like, download it to your computer or phone by clicking “Share” on the right upper corner of your screen. Click on the best option for you, whether a JPG or PDF. Note, you can also email and text links to friends, giving them editing privileges if they’re crafty or just visual cues if they can print for you.

• If you make additional changes to your design, always make a new download and delete earlier versions, so you don’t accidentally send an older image.

Fifth, print.

• If you want to have your bookmarks professionally printed, give yourself plenty of time before the event, so that your items arrive on time. Click on “Share” on the right upper corner of your screen. Hit “Print with Canva.”

• A single design is $9.95, 10 are $12, and 20 are $16.25. As you can see, it’s more cost-efficient to buy in bulk.

• You can also print at home by clicking “Share,” selecting the best download option for printing, going to your download on your computer, and print your download.

Photo by Tim Darwish

Sshhh!

The Mrs. Claus sisterhood has a name for bossy Santas. We call them “peacocks.” These are men who push us out of the way during photo opps, who jump in front of us when we’re being interviewed. (I’m not talking about Santa but the men who wear the costume.)

Yes, America, Mrs. Clauses and elves network with each other to keep the nation together. We discuss contracts and strategies. It takes courage to be ourselves in the character. So many stop signs make us question our business skills, our regional knowledge, and our ethics. We have to do so much WORK before we do the work.

Whether we’re from the Deep South or the Midwest, we hop on the phone to laugh or cry together. We pray with each other, if that’s our practice. We tailor our support.

St. Nicks, if you’re reading, here is a nice list of what we, your female colleagues, expect (and celebrate if you’re doing already):

🍭We expect you to wake up and show up on time to gigs. We are not your alarm clocks.

🍭We love your beards. But if we have to sit through another beard care lecture at a Santa convention, we and the elves go on strike.

🍭We want you to include us in photos and in conversations with guests. Let’s do it together.

🍭We want you to give us credit for our ideas. We will do the same for you.

🍭We want you to speak up if our pay is unfair. No one will ever replace YOU, dear Santa. Ever. But please notice and ask questions.

🍭We want you to enjoy our time together, remembering that children are watching.

Ultimately, feminism can make a nicer planet.

🤶🏻🤶🏼🤶🏽🤶🏾🤶🏿

I was a feminist before I was a Claus. Now, I’m a warrior. My weapon is a bracelet of sleigh bells.

If you like this and want to dig deeper into women and Christmas, click here to visit my friend Ann Votaw (me without a wig). I can say things she can’t. She can say things I can’t through her ventures in standup.

I got addicted to America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, a new docuseries on Netflix.

It’s so good I raved about it with one of my favorite Santas as we toasted over toast and coffee at Manhattan Diner. I said, “The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are sooo good. You don’t even understand.”

I mentioned that fans come for the football, and they expect high-end entertainment, including the cheerleaders. While senior DCC may earn as much as $75,000 a year, according to the New York Times, others earn $14/hr. In comparison to the football players, who can earn tens of millions, the women’s salaries are nearer to those of a “Chick-fil-A worker,” says one former cheerleader.

Their hair is perfect. Their kicks are to the face. Their jump splits take a toll on their hips, but they keep smiling and working second jobs.

I brought this up because clients come to holiday events to see Santa. Of course. And they expect high-end entertainment through the elves and Mrs. Claus.

I don’t mind making a little less than Santa if he works more hours, interacts with the children more, and is expected to perform more feats of skill than me. I do wonder when my pay is significantly lower than his. (I have sweet ways of asking around.) Often, I am expected to jump around and dance to get the crowd excited, which as a performer, I love to do. My point is that it’s my privilege to make people smile. And I’m working hard too. My time, energy, and expertise have value.

What did my Santa friend say?

He stopped me.

“I want you to get paid the same amount as I do. When I have the opportunity to negotiate contracts, I demand it,” he said.

And this is why he is one of my favorite Santas.

As appears in the Women’s History Month Issue of Christmas Connections, 2024 

Grandma inspired me to be Mrs. Claus. Graceful and fashionable, she was a deep lover of carols and Scripture.

When I visited her in Indiana in 2018, I wore my red and white costume because she liked glamor.

At her assisted living center, she introduced me: “This is my granddaughter, Mrs. Claus.”

I was new at portraying the North Pole queen in New York, where I live. Yet Grandma’s friends nodded reverently. Then everyone went back to coffee and puzzles. It was a fact, just like lunch and the afternoon movie.

Grandma died in 2021. That interaction continues to inform me. No one at that facility told me I was “too this or that” to be Mrs. Claus, a fictional character who celebrates Creation. 

I know that if people imagine St. Nick’s wife, they don’t envision me: a broad-shouldered woman standing at 5 '10'’.

However, I caught the Kringle bug in my 40s because I was a former dancer who missed performing. Each season, male actor friends donned the beard. I loved their stories so much that in 2017, my mind shouted: “Go!” 

After volunteering for tree lighting, I was an instant convert. I was so blissful I didn’t notice I might be the only Mrs. in Manhattan. 

No matter. 

I joined every insider group on Facebook. I attended Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School. I traveled to trade conventions.

At one of these gatherings, a respected Claus told me I looked too young to be Santa’s wife. His words could singe an HR director’s eyebrows. I held back tears. 

Apparently, I was making a fool of myself.

On Claus social media, I read about the loss of “tradition” and knew I didn’t belong. 

Fortunately, Santa pals encouraged me to continue. Now at 49, I spend less time garnering approval. Instead, I pray and trust my instincts.

It's taken me years to get regular gigs. If there is another Mrs. C in town, I haven’t met her.

I’m on the right track. I know it. When I put on my costume, I feel a jolt.

Like Barbie in the Greta Gerwig film, I adore all my outfits: a black and white-striped skirt, a scarlet blazer, and a crimson dress from Amazon. But my favorite is a green Edwardian suit, a collaboration between me and a designer in Medina, Ohio.

These pieces turn me into a superhero. By day, I am a receptionist. In December, I am magic.

Two years ago, the owner of a production company found me on Instagram. She called to ask if I might work in a department store. The format would be unusual. Rather than sitting on thrones, we would perform theatrical vignettes in front of designated photo spots.

The name of the store? Nordstrom in Midtown, Manhattan.

OMG!

“Mrs. Claus!” I often heard in a shift. “This is a treat. I hardly get to see you.”

If customers said I looked good for my age, I responded with: “Thank you. So do you.”

Once this year, an inebriated man joked that I looked younger than my partner, an Old-World Santa. Wasn’t Santa a lucky guy? Wink! Wink! My partner, younger than me in real life, just smiled and asked the gentleman for an “elfie.” We handled the moment and moved on.

Children never compared my age to Santa’s, unless they were math whizzes who wanted me and S.C. to generate big numbers. Nor did they care if Santa had a disability or if he were Black or white.

If I treat Christmas colleagues like family, the public accepts my reality.

I learned this lesson from the elves, many of whom were Broadway performers. On set, they never broke character.

Santas were equally professional, leading by example. On my last shift this season, I marveled at Santa Chris, who listened to each child. He was exhausted, but he tasted each word of “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” Instead of harping on my age, he focused on what was important.

This year, a woman’s clothing store, M.M. LaFleur, hired me to host a breakfast. They only wanted Mrs. Claus and appreciated suggestions. We had such a good time they asked me back. 

Wow! I have a niche.

Social media is important for promotional reasons. However, certain banter hinders self-esteem and discovery.

For example, what if Mrs. Claus appears to be 20 or 30? Does that ruin tradition by making Santa look like he has a trophy wife?

Allow me to answer:

1.   Women determine their own look without apology, just as Santa does.

2.   “Trophy wife” is a discriminatory statement. We owe it to young girls and ourselves to eliminate such damaging phrases.

3.   None of this is a big deal, especially to kids. Why not rely on professionalism and be a couple for just a few hours of a gig?

4.   This obsession with Mrs. Claus’ age may not be about age. I believe some Santas want us to appear downtrodden, to make themselves look more radiant. A perceived “break in tradition” can be threatening to people who don’t want to share.

5.   Finally, clinging to the past isn’t healthy. And guess what? We all do it, when we need a hug.

Grandma was Mrs. Claus. She wore pearls to match sweaters that were soft as clouds. She set out toy villages and filled them with lights. She displayed a nativity scene that my father built out of stained glass. She crafted beautiful ornaments. One year, she fashioned corn husk dolls. Another, she made bread dough bears in lederhosen.

As I tried to graduate from the kiddie table, she resisted. I wondered if rituals helped her cope with her chaotic childhood. Her traditions captured family history. They also coincided with trauma.

Raised during the Great Depression, she lost her father in a car accident that killed him, the other occupant, and the two people in the opposite vehicle. It was Thanksgiving Day.

During World War II, her only brother was in Normandy. Her mother, sister, niece, and sister-in-law ate rationed food. Every night in Huntington, Indiana, a gentleman would visit each house to make sure the blackout curtains were down. “We prayed all the time,” she told me.

Grandma grew up in a time of extreme sacrifice. Her Christmases were as much about survival as joy.

As her oldest grandchild, I say it’s okay to give some traditions a rest. However, I inherited all of her white wigs. To honor her during the holidays, I wear the hair with pride.

Grandma nurtured four children and many grandkids. Her organizational skills were crucial to starting the family business. To this day, Votaw Electric is going strong in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Yet she was too self-effacing to hear what so many tried to tell her, that she was an artist. 

I see Grandma when I look in the mirror. My job is to go further, to adorn myself with spirit and to keep following that star. 

Sisters, come with me.

"A Visit from St. Nicholas" turns 200 this year! You may know it better by "T'was the Night Before Christmas."🌲🌲

Last time, we talked about assonance, when vowel sounds get repeated.

Today, we will talk more about the storytelling.

The poem's SPEAKER and the poem's AUTHOR may be two different people. An author can invent a speaker and write from that person's point of view. In the land of imagination, an author can even make an inanimate object the SPEAKER.

Let's do some detective work. So who is the speaker in "T'was the Night Before Christmas"? Does the speaker have a gender? Physical attributes? Quirks? Is the speaker from the past or the future?

🟩"Mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap"

🟩"I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter"

🟩"And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself"

In November, I did a practice teaching session to four Clauses. A Mrs. Claus in Ohio said she changes the speaker’s gender, so that SHE becomes the SPEAKER.

Yes! I love this.

The more I dive into the poem, the more I learn and enjoy. As a Mrs. Claus who can work alone without a Santa, I want to offer fun educational sessions about poetry. Write to me at mrsclausnyc@gmail.com if you’d like a fun lecture, online or in person. Follow my lessons on Instagram and Facebook.❤️❤️

A big shout-out to the Three Wise Guys of Christmas: Washington Irving, John Pintard, and Clement Clarke Moore. These New York City gentlemen shared a fondness for St. Nicholas, the patron saint of Dutch New Amsterdam.

In their imaginings, a Dutch Sinterklaas (St. Nick) flew over New York. Through writings and images, Sinterklaas kept getting rosier and Clausier.

The artistic Dutch revival "remembered" a Christmas that never actually existed, one that glorified Old Days before the British occupied Manhattan during the Revolutionary War.

Here's how each of these men contributed to the legend of Santa Claus:

✅Merchant John Pintard, founder of the New-York Historical Society, thought robust Christmas celebrations might release workers' pent-up energies. He petitioned for St. Nicholas to be the patron saint of New York City. He also observed Dec. 6 as the Feast of St. Nicholas.

✅Writer Washington Irving wrote A History of New York, a whimsical history of early New York that mentioned a flying figure in the sky. The book was published on St. Nicholas Day, December 6, 1809. Irving also was a co-founder of the St. Nicholas Society.

✅Scholar Clement Clarke Moore wrote "A Visit from St. Nicholas," also known as "T'was the Night Before Christmas." He wrote the poem to entertain his nine children at his Chelsea estate. The poem first appeared in the Troy Sentinel in 1823, making this year its 200th anniversary.

Sources: New-York Historical Society, Wikipedia, Sunnyside in Tarrytown, NY

Visit me at mrsclausnyc.com ❤❤❤❤

"A Visit from St. Nicholas" turns 200 this year! It's lasted so long partly because it feels so good to recite out loud. It has "sound pleasure."

Last week, you learned about alliteration, which is when repeated consonants fall near each other in a text. Think: Meatless Monday or Tom Turkey.

Assonance is similar to alliteration but it involves repeated vowel sounds, regardless of the consonants around it.

If your mouth forms the same shape when reciting certain vowels, you may have found assonance, also known as vowel rhyme.

Here are examples:

🟩"Creature was stirring" [Hear the ur?]

🟩"Nestled all snug in their beds" [Hear the eh?]

🟩 "Moon on the breast of the new ..." [Hear the ooo?]

🟩 "Sleigh and eight tiny rein ... " [Hear the aaa?]

Stay tuned for more fun facts about this famous poem.

The more I dive into the poem, the more I learn and enjoy. As a Mrs. Claus who can work alone without a Santa, I want to offer fun educational sessions about poetry. Write to me at mrsclausnyc@gmail.com if you’d like a fun lecture, online or in person. Follow my lessons on Instagram and Facebook.❤️❤️

I dedicate my poem, "I Put on My Garment," to Mrs. Clauses, and all women, who face criticism for their clothing and hair choices. I was inspired by actor Sheryl Lee Ralph. Her appearance as Mrs. Claus in the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade was a revelation.

Here's two things for Mrs. Clauses to remember:

✅We know how to hit our professional marks.

✅We wear what makes us so happy we can't keep from singing.

In the Claus community, we can fear changes, including necessary tweaks to our image, from more comfortable shoes to hats that stay on in the wind. Sometimes, updates get us closer to the very heart of our own Creator. 🎨 In adapting, we are better able to radiate and serve while welcoming the living spirits of those no longer with us.

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

I Put on My Garment

by Ann Votaw, Mrs. Claus NYC

I put on my garment

made of breath,

of leaves that fall.

Their death

instructs eternity.

I am queen in my garment

that brushes roots and what came before.

I lift my silver head

to cathedral

and great sky.

A fine city day.

Blue.

Cold.

It is fall going into

darkest winter.

I fear nothing

in this fullness.

Not the roar of the subway,

Nor my cat’s purr

gone still in sleep.

A Visit from St. Nicholas" turns 200 this year! 🌲🌲"

Why is it such a beloved poem?

One reason is that reading it feels good. The language provides sound pleasure.

An example of sound pleasure is the use of alliteration, when repeated consonant sounds are positioned closely together within the text.

Here are some examples of alliteration in the poem:

🟩"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer!"

🟩"On, Comet! on, Cupid!"

🟩 "The prancing and pawing of each little hoof."

The more I dive into the poem, the more I learn and enjoy. As a Mrs. Claus who can work alone without a Santa, I want to offer fun educational sessions about poetry. Write to me at mrsclausnyc@gmail.com if you’d like a fun lecture, online or in person. Follow my lessons on Instagram and Facebook.

"A Visit from St. Nicholas" turns 200 this year!

Fun fact: The famous poem by Clement Clarke Moore is written in Anapestic Tetrameter.

Last week, we learned that an anapest is a “foot” consisting of a “da da DUM.” Tetrameter is four “da da DUM”s in one line.

Try clapping out the rhythm and notice the words that get the most emphasis:

🟩T'was the NIGHT before CHRISTmas when ALL through the HOUSE🏠

🟩Not a CREAture was STIRRing Not EVEn a MOUSE.

This is a great comedic and narrative device. Another poem that uses this is Dr. Suess's "Yertle the Turtle." Take a look below:

🟩And toDAY the Great YERtle, that MARvelous HE.

The more I dive into the poem, the more I learn and enjoy. As a Mrs. Claus who can work alone without a Santa, I want to offer fun educational sessions about poetry. Write to me at mrsclausnyc@gmail.com if you’d like a fun lecture, online or in person. Follow my lessons on Instagram and Facebook.