Imperial Valley press., 1937-12-22

their parents cannot afford to get
them. 3. How to get along with
parents.
Suppose" Howard said, "a child
walks UP to you and demands a
live elephant for Christmas. Would
you promise it to him or not?"
l said didn't know but 1 sup
posed 1 would on the theory that
Santa Claus ought to be able to
do anything.
Wrong Thing
"Then you would be doing the
wrong thing" he said. II had that
problem myself one time. Prom
ises are dangerous things. This
child came to me and said that
ii he couldn't have a live elephant
he did not want anything. It was
a matter of great Importance to
him. I told him but you wouldn't
have any place to keep an ele-
phant.' He replied. oh, yes, I
would-in my fathers garage In
cases like that you have to think
quickly and 1 said but how could
l get an elephant into your stock
ing?' that satisfied the child.
Always keep in mind all an
giles OF the Santa Claus legend.
The stocking angle, for instance,
Is authentic. st. Nicholas was Bish-
ep OF Myra in Asia Minor and was
constantly going about doing good.
One day he passed humble cot
tage and, knowing that the family
Leeded money, he threw pouch
of gold down the chimney. 1t hap
pened that the mother had hung
one of her children's stockings
up to dry at the fire place and
the gold dropped into it, You need
to remember things like that in
this business"
The biggest problem confronting
the average department store San
ia Claus is how to handle fright
ened, crying child. Howard believes
that most of the fright is caused
because the child sees Santa Claus
sitting on chair or throne
more like a god or a king than a
likeable human Being"
There is one method that is
successful in handling the fright
ened child" he said. Santa Claus
must never give the appearance of
being loafer. He must be busy.
l recommend that you get work
bench and put it beside you. If
possible, be busy manufacturing
simple, wooden toys and talk to the
child while you work. Nine times
out of ten the youngster will be-
come. So fascinated in watching
what you are doing on the work
bench that he will make friends
with you and soon will be sitting
on your lap.
IF that fails, there is one other
method Always have plenty of
toys around you. Toys for both
boys and girls. If little girl is
frightened of your beard or your
red face, take down a small table
and set of dishes from the shelf
Show the child how to-, set the
table, where the plates and saucers
60 and how many knives and
forks to put at each place. A Santa
and operate every toy that is sold
in the store. That takes long hours
OF practice, but if you are an ex-
pert the child never will be disillu-
stoned. He believes, you see. that
you personally manufacture all
toys. You must be able to play
the horns and beat the drums in
time. Nothing but practice will do
that for you"
Howard explained that these were
general instructions and that in
dividual cases often require lndi-
yidual treatment. If a child asks
what Santa Claus eats, for in
stance, you had better say fish,
for the child might know that fish
Is the most common food at the
North Pole. Some times 1t is ad-
visable to wear a pad of some kind
OF protection over the stomach.
A boy once jabbed a knife into
Howard's stomach and only a pad
saved him from serious injury.
And there are cases where even
the professor doesn't know the
answer. Like the boy who asked
Howard whether Santa Claus slept
with his whiskers inside the cover
OF outside.
Il had to tell him didn't know"
Howard said, because he prob
ably had heard one version or the
other somewhere and could net
afford to take chlnce on being
wrong"