Who is Shopping Centre Santa and how did he become a staple for the holiday season?

Santa Claus has been arriving across shopping centres in Australia for generations now, making both children and adult shoppers overjoyed and excited during the very beginning of the holiday season. However, this tradition has now spread all across the globe making Santa Claus a staple at the shopping malls during December.  

But how is the Shopping Centre Santa different from our good old regular Santa, the elf-like jolly, fat man, always wearing bright red robe and boots and carrying a bag full of presents for kids? Let us find out. 

Origin of the Shopping Centre Santa 
In the early 1800s, manufacturers, retailers and store owners collaborated to make profit out of the ‘invented tradition’ of Christmas, Santa Claus. The oldest known use of Santa for commercial gains dates back to the mid-1820s when a New York-based jewellery store printed images of Santa on their Christmas special flyers. Almost two decades later in 1841, another innovative storeowner from Philadelphia used Santa’s life-like model to draw customers. This is how within a few more years, live Santa Clauses started appearing in the street corners, all around the world. It especially became a mainstay for stores’ window displays and toy departments. In fact, by 1910, the presence of live Santa at every commercial store became a popular trend. 

The evolution of Shopping Centre Santa  
The concept of modern Shopping Centre Santa evolved from such social and commercial practices. Thus, from the end of November, shopping centres around the world start exhibiting Santa’s workshops and pageants, Grottos, taking photos on Santa’s lap and Winter Wonderlands to attract large number of Christmas shoppers. In fact, the appearance of Shopping Centre Santa signifies the start of holiday shopping season and also promotes extended trading and gift giving among loved ones.  

This has evolved into a viable business model but with a positive and joyful goal. As a matter of fact, Shopping Centre Santa provides earning opportunities for many outcasts, unemployed or old and retired individuals, by making them a part of the holiday season as well. There are companies like The Real Santa and Santa for Hire that supply live Santa to departmental stores and shopping malls mainly across Australia, New Zealand and North America. There’s also a place called the Santa Claus Conservatory that provides training to interested Santa candidates.