How to Really Be Santa Claus

BY JOE BILLS

onathan Meath has been making personal appearances on behalf of Santa Claus for more than a decade. Last year, the 62-year-old New Hampshire native landed one of the highest-profile Santa gigs in the world when Coca-Cola selected him for its international ad campaign. Though Meath now lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, he recently stopped by Yankee ’s offices, just before filming began for this season’s Coke ads, to talk about how to channel the famous jolly old elf.

It Doesn’t Matter How It Starts

Nobody volunteers to play Santa, Meath jokes. “People get drafted. Nine times out of 10, they are dragged, kicking and screaming. But once they do it, they have that transformational moment.” For Meath, a heavyset guy whose hair and beard turned prematurely white, portraying Santa seemed almost inevitable. Early on, he even had a vision of himself in full Santa suit, leading a big band. “I thought it might be a hook that people would respond to,” he says. “Turns out there wasn’t a lot of call for Santa singing songs, but it led me in.” (He did record a CD of holiday tunes, however, called Santa JG Swings! )

Don’t Skimp on the Details

“My advice to anyone who wants to be a Santa is simple: Get a gig, buy a suit, and make it yours,” Meath says. “There are plenty of good-quality suits available. But if you’re going to do it, put your heart into it. Get real boots and a real belt. Without those, you’ll feel like you are faking it. It’s a uniform, not a costume. It’s a business suit.”

Be Prepared to Feel the Love

At first, Meath says, it was the message that grabbed him. Santa is a male role model who is about peace and love,