- Title: GERMANY: Father Christmasses' Annual General Meeting held in Berlin
- Date: 2nd December 2007
- Summary: CU OF CHILD
- Embargoed: 17th December 2007 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Germany
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
- Reuters ID: LVA35H53Z6OFOTIRVGWX9H4ETX75
- Story Text: Christmas comes just once a year - and that is why it is so important for those playing Father Christmas to meet once a year to make sure their performance is perfect. After all, the tradition of Christmas rests on it.
And so the Father Christmasses' Annual General Meeting held in Berlin on Saturday (December 1) involves a lot of practising: there are the costume checks, the applications to become an official Santa - and of course the Christmas carol, singing.
After all the Santas have had their documents checked, and one is sure that their fur meets the right standards for them to represent Saint Nicholas in Germany, then the Santas sit and watch while the head Santa demonstrates on stage the right way to perform their most important job as Father Christmasses: the handing out of the presents:
"It's great to be able to give the children presents, the way their eyes light up and the way they are so excited about Father Christmas is just great," said one Santa, Christof Gube.
"It is simply great fun, they are so cute, and when you give them presents they leave you cookies, and you think, goodness, they really do believe in it all. And when they look at you with their eyes all lit up it is simply great," said the Christmas Angel Jasmin Flieger.
But it is not just about making sure that you have the right glitter on your fake wings and the right fur on your fake beard. The carol singing has to hit the right note and the Father Christmas has to be able to make the childrens' eyes light up, just like in the Christmas tradition.
"In my case I need a guitar," said Christof Gube, "and a deep ho ho ho, then it all works. Ho ho ho!" - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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