Santas Face Health Risks

Posted on December 4, 2006

Reuters reports on a study by Brand IQ for Auntie Anne's Inc. that found Santas face numerous health hazards while on the job. 339 Santas from the >Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas (AORBS) participated in the study.

Santas get sneezed upon up to ten times a day, fend off children pulling their beards and mop up after children who frequently wet their laps, according to the survey of hundreds of men who work as seasonal Santa Claus characters.
A third of all Santas reported having been wet on by a child, the survey said.
More than 60 percent of Santas said they were sneezed or coughed upon up to 10 times each day, and three-quarters said they have up to 10 children cry while sitting on their laps every day, it said.
Nearly 90 percent of Santas said children pull their beard every day to see if it's real, and nearly half said children try to pull their glasses off every day as well, it said.
Santas can suffer back strain from lifting children, exposure to contagious illnesses and overheating in their heavy Santa suits, said Timothy Connaghan, head of the Santa association.

That's a lot of sneezing. It is the time of year for colds and allergies. Kids also go from a cold outdoor environment to an often overheated mall environment which can give anyone the sneezes or a runny nose. Despite any discomforts the nice Santas from AORBS must put on a happy face for the children and for those holiday photos. Hopefully, they don't put any of the kids that have wet their laps or pulled their beards on the naughty kid list.

Update: Note: The AORBS organization is no longer active.

HEALTH