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WA'mruio quorum - l'hursday, lkcelnber u, zero . 21 fl. , A ‘ - . . , ecommg anta ' .‘ “ff“il if... c o o o .1 Maintaining the myth a goal of modern mall display ‘ ' it. '» ”a . ‘ (”80an a” as.» , ff: “ as. A ’ ‘ A Chroniclest - . if .’ ”v9 QefiM.‘ r . v - . , , . ’. t isn't cheap being one of Santa's . M. ~ , Ihelpers and extending the global ‘â€" ," w ' " ’ . ' reachofthejollyoldelf. s w, ' - ..; ~ in ‘ q I Never mind the suit, there's also ' ' if ‘ ‘ , t J the trappings that come with the _ 4 " | ofiice. If you're going to be a proxy a; ’ ' . . " , “it . . st, . “ for the world's greatest wish '\ ’ if» . st: ’ ‘ a) . a ,; newt? ‘ ‘I-L' . granter you better provide the . ' I ,. f I“ - “w" 44 “L "" appropriate whimiscial environ- A ~ ”f . --.~_ g“ c ' ment for that type of magic to hap~ , , * cf; 4 5 1.) ' a ”tab“ pen. ,4‘ " \.. f” ,- . ' , -, f 2 k“ ’ .,:'-=_";5‘~ That's the lesson learned at (3 ' ‘Ax. " ' . “fie-t, ' ‘ Mfg“ ' Waterloo's Conestoga Mall. A \ 1 _' v . f 5 ' ‘ . M . 3 major renovation at the mall last . ' N _§ .. _ ;, 43, The ‘ ' » fa“. _‘{ year also lead to a major rethink 4\ . » “We“ 1." ;. M57 5 at: , am“. an“; . aboutthemallSantaandhowto a er; iii ‘_ -' ' g ,.__r " "‘ _ 4 ’ unwfifir s n ' \.3v . makesure thatkidsgot enough ‘ .; - 4:5 r; iv?" ‘ , 47 ‘ ' ‘ Agility; > face time with the guy in the a - g is 4. ,- - I A“; {gs- (flied: . redsuit. Santa and hishelpefsgetpeopleinthespiritoftheseasonatConestoga “ ' .. ' ? a a“; . But the building or Mall. “mm Jr'S'J' ‘, ' ' A, ’ 7: “A ,L‘ J "g; «£313, " that buzz didn't come '. z, J; . ~ ;,2‘ ' "1 a it any; TU“ 511g A. a” cheap. To redecorate ofwish fulfillment The irnap is one thing â€" eon- n_", v} ' ' ’». ’ :~;, TV". ”M" ' ' " Z -‘ the whole mall, in ”Weaskedforit tobewhimsical vineing kick that they are the real t I 1 57”, r \ I \} addition to spruc- but not far-fetched,” said Stone. "1 deal is quite another. You can put a “,_ it _. 1,5,“51‘ ingup Santa.costa thinkwemadeagoodchoioe. guyinaSantasuitbutdoesn’tnec- } < a 15 k a ' ' cool quarter of mil~ The mall hired Gemini Models essarily mean he'll capture the , ’_ ' ' ' a; ' 1" h lion dollars to staff the new display, which fea- spirit of the season. ‘t ' . {it}? “We did it lures winding paths and anima- ‘You have to have the personal- " a j _ _ ., a {31 ‘ last year tronics to give the kids a jaw4drop- ity to work with children for five or . ' ,. ' ' ‘ x ‘\-. I because we ping experience. six hours at a time,” said Cadman. ’, '- . "Q {t ‘ really wanted to More importantly for parents, “When you find the right one it ‘ ‘. ' g -_ flank increase traffic the story ends on a happy note, just kindol'clicks from there.” tr "' ~ f t r . . IQ and bring bodies Instead of doling out the cash for a The Santa on duty last week at l ; . ' . ' . g ' fig; ‘ a into the building photo with old Saint Nick. the mall the mall didn't want to reveal the ‘ ‘ ’:,~, c' to actually see us generously e-mails a photo of the identity of the man behind the I .” 'â€" ‘ . _. _(IJ . .-"3. and our new moment caught in time and beard > s» . » ‘\ is "5: ' , . "rt: renovation and extends best wishes for the season. He's all about maintaining the -' . . t_ 7. ”l expansion,” ”lhatactofgoodwillhaspaidofl' illusion. ~ ' ‘ ‘ ,- said Con- for the mall. and Stone said they‘ve So the Chronicle asked another . . -‘ estoga Mall had nothing but compliments and veteran Santa, Romano Klomp of . ' » _ general man- guranteed return visits. the Lion's Club who stars in the . ~ ager Sandra “It had to be right,” said Stone. annual Santa Claus parade. about ‘ " r . Stone. “It was And when it comes down to it. what's the most important thing to \ , - . . . , so successful last it’s the characters that have to sell remember in playing the role. . ' ' ' year that we're the story, Laurie Cadman. who "1 have to psyche myself up for ‘ F ' a... . = repeating it this books theelvesandthe four Santas a week before I put on the suit,” ,- f year.” whotakearegularmmatthemall, saidlflomp‘Oncepeopleseeyou ’ '_ The reimagiru'ng takes the selection process very in the suit, you're on. You have to . . ' of Santa's seriously. be Santa and the kids are just . . 5 winter wonderland "Santa is a tricky One because thrilled toseeyou. . ‘ -.,_,~’ ‘ > ' included an new Santa where do you look?" said Cadman. “You feel the responsibility v‘ " .' setup that told a story “Luckily we were able to tap into because Santa means many thing * a, ~ A ’~, and ended with an element this hidden networkofSantas" to many people.” 0 O O O Entertain 111 fine st le this Holiday season y - "‘ Dec24: Open 10-3 Zinc. he“ i: so? Caflllt‘y’ china. crystal. 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