Two veterans share what's it like being Santa Claus

Tulpule collects different costumes from across the world

More than a costume

It was the winter of 1994. Pravin Tulpule, then a Navy officer, was posted in a remote unit near Tuticorin, in Tamil Nadu. A Christmas emergency ensued as his captain sprung the idea of celebrating with a Santa Claus upon him. Tulpule took on the challenge. The red night gown of a colleague's wife was fashioned into a coat, while a pillow was snuck in for the paunch. "Chart paper was rolled into a cap, while cotton from the medical unit made up my beard. A pillow case became my sack. We didn't have a sleigh or reindeers, so I rode on a fire engine," the 61-year-old recalls, cracking up. A kind of ‘jugaad' it might have been, but the ability to spread cheer gave him an unparalleled amount of joy. "I realised that there's more to being Santa Claus than the costume. When people come to you, they nurse a little bit of hope that there's some good in the world," shares the medical clown who turns into Father Christmas in December.

Behind his silvery beard are sagely eyes glinting like Professor Dumbledore's, and a subtle sense of humour that has visitors in splits. The call of Yuletide has kept Tulpule on his toes this year. It's a welcome change from the online gigs, he admits. But this Santa's day actually kicks off once he returns home. That's when he analyses how he connected with kids and handled troublemakers - both young and old. Recalling the latter, he cites instances of children being egged on by parents to pull his beard or fiddle with his clothes. Santa also has to field some pretty tricky comments: ‘You're a fake Santa!' or ‘Can I get a puppy?' "How do you handle these situations? Parents watch you like a hawk. I try to chat with the kids and casually divert their attention,"
he reveals.

Tulpule is also part of a global group of Santa Clauses and has undergone training sessions on physical and emotional grooming that centre on tackling kids who are scared, parents who are dominating, or negotiating the challenging terrain of spirituality. "Like I said, it's more than the costume. But I do have a wide array of costumes that I've invested in over time. I've picked them up from all across the world - from Russia to the USA," he shares.

All about weaving memories

When he's not busy working at a private firm, Savio Fonseca from Borivali is usually anchoring at parties, weddings and gigs. But come December, the 43-year-old slips into a red jacket and trousers, props up his belly, puts on a fluffy beard and gets ready to jingle away. Fonseca has been playing Santa for 15 years. "We used to have Christmas parties in the church compound when I was a kid. I used to wonder if Santa was real or not. But I imagined myself wearing that attire, connecting with people and bringing smiles on their faces," he tells us.

Savio Fonseca as Father Christmas

Fonseca's first gig, he recalls, was at a school. He had sourced his costume from old Bandra favourite, Cheap Jack on Hill Road. Over the years, he has played around with different Santa-wears. As a compère, connecting with audiences comes naturally to him. His fun freestyling with kids and adults has led him to different corners of the city and beyond, including to a party at Salman Khan's farmhouse.

"With time, I have improvised with different techniques and gestures to perfect the art. Just being Santa is one thing, but talking to kids, reading to and with them, and actively engaging them is another ball game," he explains. By the first week of December, Fonseca has his bags packed with his costume, gloves, boots, cap and various sizes of bags - because you never know how big the gifts will be! This Santa seldom says no to organisers, even if funds are low. "If someone asks me to do this every day of the month, I'll do it. I love being Santa!" he signs off.

Dial a Santa

Old St Nick and fun X'mas experiences are just a click away.
Log on to: wantasanta.com

Pravin Tulpule plays Santa both online and offline.
Call: 9699905990

Reach out to Savio Fonseca aka Humpty Savio to engage young and old revellers alike.
Call: 9833437057

The folks at Party Planet can take care of your party needs as well as transport a Santa to you.
Log on to: @partyplanet-india