This month Santa Claus makes his big arrival at shopping malls across the nation ready for another season of flash bulbs, screaming children, and lots of ho-ho-hos. He has grown out his beard, readied the reindeer, and filled his flask with eggnog prepared to enchant children of all ages and sell needless photo packages of all varieties. That’s where I come in.
I am Santa’s Helper back for a third season of merriment. I’m a multifaceted ‘elf’ armed with state-of-the-art shutter speed, high-quality printers, extra change, and a fake smile that makes my face hurt.
I come from a special breed of Helpers, as it requires a twisted amount of masochism to do what we do, Christmas after Christmas. Yet year after year, there is something that makes us come back. I’d like to tell you it’s that one precious moment when a child looks into Santa’s eyes and believes, but it’s really the fact that it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and I need some extra cash.
