On the Job

After 31 years as an employee of Amoco and BP, Dennis Du Chene is finally enjoying his retirement. But it's not all rest and relaxation, especially during the holidays. For the past three years, Du Chene has put on a Santa suit for the Noerr Programs, a national corporation hired by malls across the country to stage events for kids, including Santa appearances. Du Chene sits for the camera annually at the Port Charlotte Town Center.

Real beard or fake: Real beard, of course. I quit shaving when I retired. But it's a lot of work. You have to wash it every day, especially when it's hot, and you have to dry it. In Florida everything is damp so it takes a lot of drying. Once a year my wife trims it and dyes it so it doesn't look straggly. Half the year people recognize me as Santa, the other half I look like a biker; they all want to know where my Harley is.

The Santa suit: The outfits are supplied by Noerr. Most of the Santa suits are made for outside use. Sitting in the mall is one of the hardest things; it gets so hot that a lot of Santas take their jackets off. I don't think it's right to take my jacket off; it ruins the magic.

Santa's pitch: If things go the way they're supposed to, usually the helper will tell you the kid's name, and then you can address the child by name. Most kids are fascinated that you know their name, and they don't realize that someone told you. I've had very few kids that I couldn't get to talk to me or sit on my knee.

All I want for Christmas: Last year was quite emotional [after Hurricane Charley hit Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda]. A lot of kids told me all their toys had gone away and they just wanted a house to live in. I once had a little girl ask me for her father to come home; he was in jail. The important thing to remember is that you can never promise anything to a child, because you never know what the circumstances are at home. But you try to convince kids to ask for good things. Like if they want a dog, I explain that it's a lot of work.

Getting ready: I have 10-hour days close to Christmas. Ten hours in a chair nearly kills me. To train for it, you could get the heaviest coat you can find and then turn up the thermostat to 80. Then take sacks of potatoes and keep picking them up and putting them down, while smiling and being happy all the time. It's demanding. All you do is sit there and talk to kids, except you're picking them up and it's very hot and sometimes gets very emotional.

Coming and going: Sometimes teen-agers come as a joke, but then come back three or four times just to talk. You wonder if anyone at home really listens to them. I spend as long as people want. Sometimes people want to take their pictures and run; sometimes kids like to talk. My job is to get the picture with the kids smiling. You can have a kid crying, but if you catch it right, it sure looks like he's smiling.

-Rebecca Loveridge