SFR2027 Workshop Presenters

"Integrating the Elf on the Shelf into your Claus visits"

 Present the ways you can create, market and book gigs with Elf on The Shelf home deliveries and also recovery of Elves that might have been touched and lost their magic. We will go over when to promote deliveries, who to market them to and the props or tools needed to create a successful performance. How to bring magic to the home visit with Elf on The Shelf. We will also go over the full lineup of Elves, elf pets, books and movies that contain the story of Elf on the Shelf. 

"A Resort Mrs. Claus. Props, Clothing, and Tips on Being a Well-Rounded Mrs. Claus"

Using out of the box thinking on building your brand while becoming the best resort Mrs. Claus you can be.

"Safety and Security Awareness for Santa and the Christmas Community. Not everyone is on the nice list."

The desired learning outcome for this session is awareness. There is no expectation that participants will leave as security experts, legal eagles or risk management professionals. The call to action are from the headlines of the last two years.

 Many false accusations by opportunistic villains have also occurred. We need to watch our online safety, scams of a financial nature and theft of props, costumes, vehicles and more. These are now commonplace. We need plans and awareness. We need to protect ourselves and our audience. This session will touch on this and more.

"The business side of Santa and Mrs. Claus"

To help participants improve their general business practices and to understand why it is important to do so.

"Answering the Hard Questions: When Children Ask Santa

for the Impossible"

Giving the Santa family tools for what to do when children ask hard questions.

K.I.S.S. 

(Keep it Simple - Santa!)

 Designed and presented by a fellow Santa with a record of increasing bookings every year since his beginning. The course is designed to take new and part-time Santas to the next professional level. He will show you how to increase your bookings with free, unique, and stand-out ideas to build your business. 

"Help the Right Opportunities Find You

Positioning Your Santa or Mrs. Claus Portrayal for the Work You Want Most"

 Santa and Mrs. Claus portrayal artists today have more opportunities than ever—but also more pressure. In this engaging session, 'Santa' Ed Taylor introduces the Multi-Platform Santa™ framework, showing how Claus portrayal artists can expand their reach & income through virtual visits, video messages, personal appearances, & brand partnerships. Discover how this approach can increase your impact, income, and make portraying Santa more joyful for years to come. 

"Working with Agent / Professionalism & Ethics!"

What is an agent, what are the different types of agents, pros and cons of working with an agency / What it means to be a Christmas professional and what do you need to be professional, responsibility and ethics, roundtables with examples

"Threads Speak Volumes- Building a wardrobe that tells a great story"

In the world of Christmas performing, clothing isn't just fabric; it's a canvas that reveals character, history, and emotion. Participants in this workshop will learn the secrets of using fashion and wardrobe to breathe life into their characters, build backstory around wardrobe choices, and expand their personal style within budget.

"Sparkle with Purpose: The Art of Elf Portrayal (History, Character Development & Styling)"

This training is designed to provide Christmas performers with a historically grounded, performance-driven framework for portraying an authentic North Pole elf. Participants will examine the origins and cultural evolution of elves, define the core characteristics that distinguish a professional elf portrayal, and develop practical skills in character development, physicality, voice, visual presentation, and workshop role integration. 

By the end of the training, attendees will walk away with a structured, repeatable approach to building a consistent and credible elf persona—one that enhances the overall Claus experience, supports Santa and Mrs. Claus with intention, and brings excellence to the role…with just the right touch of North Pole sparkle.

"How to Convey Santa's Heart in a Parade and Tree Lighting. Version 2.0"

“Probably one of the most thrilling things about being Santa Claus is to be the central figure in a Christmas Parade. ”Charles Howard."

This interactive session will cover how to book a parade, logistics and preparation to consider, SHOW TIME!, and what happens next.  The presenter, Kenneth Debelius has performed over 1500 sets in a water parade at Disney's Animal Kingdom and he has done many performances beyond Walt Disney World.

"Working with children during difficult visits"

Share a brief understanding of working with children on the autism spectrum, Special needs, Sensory safe visits. Santa America.

"WOWZERS!!! 50 Creative Puppet Ideas"

 50 creative puppet stuff ideas! Wait! Hold on! Did you say 50!?!? That’s right! We have packed 50 creative puppet ideas you can use to enhance your puppet presentation into one workshop. From staging, costuming your puppet, props with puppets, routine ideas, creating a puppet from stuff and more!

"Don't get Tangled in the Tinsel"

The biggest hurdle to enjoying the holidays is often the seasonal gloom and "Holiday Depression" that sets in during winter. While I hear many wishes to eliminate this stress, my "magic" is limited to toys.

Realistically, stress is inevitable; without the right tools, it quickly turns into depression. In my book, Santa’s Tips to Surviving the Holidays, I explain why this happens and how to fight back. By planning ahead and understanding the root of your stress, you can reduce the pressure and actually find the luxury to enjoy the season.

"Great Home Visits"

The objective of this workshop is to equip Santas with the essential skills and knowledge needed to deliver exceptional home visit experiences. Participants will learn how to create magical moments for families, manage the flow of events smoothly, engage effectively with children, and handle various aspects of the visit, from making a grand entrance to the final farewell. The workshop aims to enhance the overall performance of Santas, ensuring they leave lasting, joyful memories for every family they visit.

"Toymaker Thinking: Turning Magic Props into Magical Christmas Visits"

Join professional performer Santa Earl Long to learn how simple magic transforms ordinary props into high-impact holiday visits. This practical lecture reveals the routines, scripts, and systems used to turn classic effects—like change bags and wands—into immersive stories of reindeer, elves, and North Pole magic.

Perfect for any venue from schools to corporate parties, you’ll master scalable frameworks, optional Gospel presentations, and the "Toymaker’s mindset." Leave with ready-to-use ideas to increase rebookings and delight families this season.

"Self Publishing the Basics 101"

Self-Publishing Basics 101 is designed to equip aspiring authors with the foundational knowledge and practical tools needed to independently publish a professional, print-ready book. By the end of this course, participants will understand the legal protections of copyright, how to obtain and use ISBN and Library of Congress numbers, and how to properly format their manuscripts to meet the technical requirements of major self-publishing and print-on-demand platforms.

"Tourist Vacation Rental Visits ("Home Visits") with Mr. & Mrs. Claus"

 Learn how we market to vacationers in our tourist town (Branson, MO) for a high-value, 30-minute in-home (VRBO/Airbnb) visit. We will perform our full 30-minute routine, followed by a deep dive into our sales strategies, marketing tactics, and client communication. We’ll demonstrate our booking website and share logistics for managing a tight schedule with multiple visits per day. This is a hands-on demonstration workshop where you can see the routine in action and learn to capture the tourism industry in your own area. Finally, we’ll discuss how to secure performances with corporate resorts and vacation property managers to create a magical experience for families on vacation.

"Reading with Children"

Think about a time that you shared a book with a child. It is personal, creating a bond between the reader and the listener. This is where young readers grow, with good adult models.

It is a very challenging task, to create that same feeling with a group of children, especially during the holiday season. But it can be done. And Santa, Mrs. Claus, and Elves are the perfect people to do this. After all, they already have the attention of the children, making them (you) the perfect models.

This workshop will present you with tools that you can use, first, to get the attention of the children you are reading with. Then we will use these tools to apply them to a book of your choice. 

"History of Santa - author of Beyond the Beard: Collective History of Santa"

A through understanding of the transformation of St Nicholas to Santa Claus in the United States and the history of Christmas subjects

"Santa the Salesman"

"You're not the real Santa!" Drawing on his career in sales, Santa Terry Bell will provide the tips and tools of the trade to make every doubter a believer.  You'll learn the four-point sales approach and how to adapt it to the Santa experience; how to create and use your own personal backstory; and through role play, how to answer the tough questions.  This interactive session will equip you with the skills you need to sell yourself as Santa Claus.

"Reindeer Facts: So much to know"

To educate Santas and Mrs Claus in facts about reindeer. By knowing real things all about reindeer, you can be better prepared to truthfully answer questions from adults and children.

"Santa's Elves Around The World"

Attendees will be able to confidently discuss folklore elves around the world to help children connect their own families' diverse Christmas traditions with the magical world of the North Pole. have told folktales of mysterious little beings who protect nature, play games, and perform wondrous feats of magic overnight while humans sleep. That's us. We are Santa's elves! In this class, join Tante Amber Kringle as we answer kid's most common questions about us, such as "Are elves real? Where do elves live? How do I know if there is an elf nearby? Do elves really only eat  candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup?" Come learn the various magic we use to help Santa and Mrs. Claus not only at Christmas, but all year long.