Reyes Miranda 

NEW TIMES: What are the necessary qualifications to be Santa at the Santa house downtown?
MIRANDA: We have a lot of qualifications. We look for a good physique and age. We do background checks and finger printing. We look at personalities and what qualities are going to get the children excited about Christmas.

NEW TIMES: Do you drug test?

MIRANDA: We finger print, background check, drug test, and all that good stuff.

NEW TIMES: Have you ever had a Black Santa?  
MIRANDA: Not to my knowledge, I’m not positive about that. We don’t discriminate. I’ve worked here for only five and a half months. Before that I was an intern when I was going to Cal Poly and I don’t remember a Black Santa.

NEW TIMES: Have you ever had a female Santa?

MIRANDA: I don’t believe we have. Technically that would be Mrs. Claus.

NEW TIMES: Have you ever had a Mrs. Claus?

MIRANDA: In the parade we have a Mrs. Claus, but I don’t believe we have had one at Santa’s house.

NEW TIMES: Where do you get the Santa suits?

MIRANDA: We order those online.

NEW TIMES: How often are the suits cleaned?
MIRANDA: We usually have one suit per Santa. We clean them as needed and make sure they’re in good shape.

NEW TIMES: How many Santas do you have per season?
MIRANDA: That varies, it depends on how many volunteers we have. That could vary from about four to seven.
 
NEW TIMES: How much do the Santa’s get paid?
MIRANDA: It was ten dollars an hour last year and this year it will be twelve.

NEW TIMES: Do you hire elves?
MIRANDA: I believe the majority of them are volunteers. I believe we paid a few last year during Christmas time when we were very busy.

 
NEW TIMES: How much do the Santa’s get paid?
MIRANDA: It was ten dollars an hour last year and this year it will be twelve.

NEW TIMES: Do you hire elves?
MIRANDA: I believe the majority of them are volunteers. I believe we paid a few last year during Christmas time when we were very busy.