Santa Camp 2021 - A School for Santa, Mrs. Claus & the Elves

Santa Camp has education as the main focus, but additional group and individual activities contribute to a unique, memorable weekend of learning, camaraderie and fun. Recapture your youthful joy with a trip to summer camp -- without the tents, campfire meals, and rustic facilities. The conference center provides hotel-like rooms, full meal service and modern amenities.  

Special Announcement: At camp this year there will be a documentary film crew, shooting a feature documentary film for a major broadcaster. For attendees who do not wish to be included, arrangements will be made to ensure they are not filmed, or are carefully blurred out of any footage.

Santa Camp - A School for Santa, Mrs. Claus & the Elves, is offered by the New England Santa Academy and is taught by New England Santa Society members. The event will run Friday noon to Sunday afternoon. The program is open to anyone 21 years old and over who portrays or is interested in becoming Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, Elf or other holiday character. Santa Camp 2021 offers three separate programs: COMPREHENSIVE COURSE: Preparing for the Sleigh - This extensive course is for the new and experienced Santa. It covers everything from creating the character, performance techniques, marketing your services and much more. MRS. CLAUS & HELPERS PROGRAM: A full weekend program of lessons & activities for Mrs. Claus and helpers. The lessons will explore ways Mrs. Claus and others can operate as independent performers as well as with a partner. In addition to developing new skills, the group will share ideas and projects. ADVANCED WORKSHOP: Polishing the Performance - This advanced workshop will focus on enhancing the Santa presentation. In addition to learning new skills and techniques, attendees will share their own performance for feedback and improvement.

COVID POLICIES & PROCEDURES We expect to be able to operate Santa Camp at full capacity this summer. While conditions continue improve, restrictions and procedures may need to be followed. While changes may still happen before the event, here is the situation as it stands: * All attendees will be required to have been vaccinated for COVID and present a certificate to that effect. *Travel restrictions may be in place for those coming from outside New Hampshire. * Camp enrollment may need to be limited due to dining hall and group size restrictions. If tickets are sold out, join the waiting list. Space may become available as restrictions are further lifted. * At this time there are no limits on the number of lodging rooms available. There are 24 lodge rooms (single or double occupancy). If more rooms are needed, we do have access to the Adult Friendly cabins which sleep 2 to 4 people. * Class enrollment numbers will be limited to meet social distancing requirements. Commuter and single day attendance will be allowed as space permits. * Use of masks will be required. Social distancing will be observed. BCHCCC staff will be disinfecting the dining hall and public areas after use. * Attendees will be screened on arrival and daily temperature checks will be done. * Barbara C. Harris Camp & Conference Center is strictly adhering to the restrictions and guidelines for lodging, public meetings and dining. * Refund of the full registration fee will be given to anyone who cancels by July 15. After that date, refunds will be given for those who develop COVID-19 symptoms or if conditions worsen in New Hampshire changing the restrictions. We are confident we can provide a safe and healthy environment for our event this summer.

COMPREHENSIVE COURSE: Preparing for the Sleigh The introductory course is for the new and experienced Santa looking for a broad overview of the role, business and activities of Santa and helpers. Through a variety of lessons, panels, discussions and activities, participants will gain the knowledge and tools needed to become an exceptional Santa. Topics to be covered include History of Santa, Role of Santa Claus, Looking the Part, Business Topics, Finding Work, Marketing, Santa's Performance, In the Chair, Santa's Bag of Tricks and Resources for Santa. The program is open to anyone interested in being Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, Elf or other holiday performer.

MRS. CLAUS & ELVES PROGRAM This weekend-long program will include lessons on the history, character and role of Mrs. Claus. Basic information on marketing, types of events, scheduling of events and finding gigs.  Information on costuming, hair and accessories will also be discussed. The sessions will explore the ways helpers can work with Santa for a partnered performance. Attention will also be given to opportunities and options for solo appearances by Mrs. Claus and the elves. In addition, a number of hands-on workshop sessions will be offered to create the beginning of a basic costume, accessories, props and tools. Ideas for crafts, music, story telling, puppetry and other activities will be explored. Resource lists, activity worksheets, craft projects and other materials will also be shared.  

ADVANCED WORKSHOP: Polishing the Performance This year's advanced program will focus on enhancing the Santa performance. The session is for those looking for new ideas to improve their current presentations as well as techniques and skills to add to the repertoire. Participants will also have an opportunity to share elements of their presentations for feedback and improvement. Lessons and activities will cover Santa character development, matching the performance to the audience and creating unique, entertaining visits. Topics likely to be discussed are connecting with children, techniques for quality photos, working with Mrs. Claus & helpers, creating engaging virtual visits, doing adult parties, coping when things go wrong and interacting with special audiences. Opportunities will be offered to develop additional skills in improvisation, storytelling, Santa magic, puppetry, balloon twisting, music, video and other areas. Participants should have completed an introductory Santa course of some kind and have three or more years experience with numerous appearances as Santa. If space allows, those will less experience may be allowed to participate.

ALL INCLUSIVE PACKAGE The program fee includes all seven meals (Friday lunch to Sunday lunch), two nights lodging (double occupancy) and program fees and materials. In order to maximize the number of people who can attend, individuals are asked to share a room if at all possible. Private single room are available for an fee upgrade. Couples are welcome to attend. A “companion” option is offered to cover lodging, meals, use of the facilities and group social activities. It does not include workshop materials, giveaways or certificates; however, companions are welcome to sit in on the same workshop sessions if space allows. Santa Camp Fees Preparing for the Sleigh: $450.00 per person (Double Occupancy) - All inclusive: covers attendance in Preparing for the Sleigh , workshop materials, two nights lodging, seven meals, class certificate and other supplies. Advanced Workshop & Mrs. Claus Program: $395.00 per person (Double Occupancy)  - All inclusive: covers attendance in Polishing the Performance or Mrs. Claus & Helpers Program, workshop materials, two nights lodging, seven meals, class certificate and other supplies. Companion Option: $275.00 per person (Double Occupancy) - Includes two nights lodging, seven meals, use of facilities, attendance in same workship if space allows. Single Room Upgrade: $130.00 per person - Provides a single room with no roommate as space allows. Add that ticket to your order including the appropriate workshop ticket. SPECIAL OFFER: Two Workshop Discount: $25.00 off each registration. Use code "TwoTix" when registering. Couples or partners who want to attend two different programs get $25 off each fee for a $50 total savings. NESS Members should use "MemberTwoTix" to receive both TwoTix and Member discounts when registering. Payment Schedule: Those who register before July 1 can make payment in three installments. A deposit is needed at time of booking to hold the reservation. The balance will be made in two equal payments on July 15 and August 15. Reservations made after July 1 require full payment at the time of booking. Commuter Option: Those who do not require lodging can commute daily. The fee of $325 or $275 per person includes all seven meals, participation in all activities and all class materials. Any of the three programs are open to commuters. Single Day Enrollment: If space allows, participants can register for individual days. Fees include meals, attendance to one of the three programs and general activities. Class notebook and digital copies of workshop materials will be available to purchase separately. Single day enrollment options and pricing are shown in ticket options.

CONFERENCE FACILITIES The Barbara C. Harris Camp & Conference Center, in rural southern New Hampshire, offers a secluded but modern facility. Located on Otter Lake and surrounded by woodlands, the site will provide an idyllic, natural environment for relaxation, reflection and recreation. Our group will have almost exclusive use of the facilities. Swimming, boating, hiking and recreational activities will be available. All sleeping rooms are in St. John’s and St. Mark’s Lodges. These modern hotel-style lodges each have twelve bedrooms each. All of the bedrooms have two beds, some with two double beds and others with a double and a twin bed. Each room has its own bathroom with a shower and is comfortably appointed to make you feel right at home. Bedding and towels are provided. The buildings are not air conditioned so you may want to bring extra fan or a window AC unit if required. There is also a number of Adult Cabins available is additional space is needed. These separate buildings have four single beds and two full bathrooms. They can sleep two to four people. The price for double occupancy is the same as the lodge rooms. A discount of $40 per person will be provided for those will three or four in a cabin. Use promo code "Cabin."

REGISTRATION To reserve a place at Santa Camp, select the ticket for the program you want to attend and pay the deposit by credit card or PayPal. If you prefer to pay by check, mail it directly to NESS, P.O. Box 6362, Manchester, NH 03108. For more details, go to www.SantaCamp.com. Or contact us at [email protected] or P.O. Box 6362, Manchester, NH 03108.

FAQs Do you need to be or become a member of the organization to participate? No. This is open to anyone interested in learning more about taking on the role of Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, Elf or other characters. While not required, you are welcome to become a member of New England Santa Society at any time. How do I sign up to attend? You can secure your reservation here by selecting the appropriate "ticket(s)" for the program you wish to attend. Prior to July 1, you can make a deposit to reserve your spot with the balance paid in two equal payments on July 15 and August 15. After July 1st, full payment is required to make a reservation. Be sure to order a separate ticket for each person attending. Can my Mrs. Claus, spouse, assistant, elf, helper or partner come to Santa Camp too? Yes, they are most welcome. The "Companion" option ticket covers all meals, lodging, use of camp amenities and social events. "Companions" are welcome to sit in on the same program sessions (space available) but will not receive workshop materials, Santa Camp giveaways or certificates. For partners who want to attend different programs, a $25 discount on both fees is provided for a $50 total savings. Use the discount code "TwoTix" when registering. What can I do if the options I want are sold out? Put yourself on the Waiting List for the item. Additional spaces may open up and you'll be the first in line for them. What requirements are there for being Santa Claus? Do I need a real beard? Have experience working with children? Is there an age requirement? It's not what you look like but what's in your heart that qualifies you to be Santa. The only common requirement for serving as Santa (and other characters) is passing a criminal background check. While most think of Santa as an older man with a real white beard and big jelly belly, those are not prerequisites to playing the role. Physical attributes of the traditional Santa are a plus, but everyone can learn to look the part. That's one of the things taught in the course. Since interacting with children is often a big part of Santa's role, being comfortable working with kids is helpful. Teachers, coaches, grandparents, etc., are great candidates for the role. However, there are many events where working with children is not part of the job. We are restricting participation in this event to 21 and over. However, elves, helpers and even Santa and Mrs. Claus could be any age. What are the requirements for attending the Advanced Workshop? Due to the advanced nature of the program applicants should have completed an introductory Santa/Mrs. Claus course of some kind and have experience with numerous appearances as Santa/Mrs. Claus. If space allows, those will less experience may be allowed to participate. If you don't meet the prerequisites but want to attend the seminar, email us with your interest and experience. Can I have my own room and not have to share? Yes. This year, with concerns for social distancing, there are some single room upgrades available. To reserve a single room, add the "Lodge Single Room Upgrade" ticket to your order. Do I need to find my own roommate? Or will you match me up? If you already have someone to room with, you can book both reservations together. We will know to match you up in the same room or cabin. Or email us with the name of the people you want us to match together. Otherwise we will assign roommates. Can I attend the school without staying at the Conference Center? For this year, we are opening registrations for commuters. Since all aspects of the program are important, including open time, meals, and social activities, it is important that everyone be available and participate. Do I need to attend the whole weekend? Can I attend individual days? For this year we are offering individual days or one night lodging options. See ticket options for pricing. How can I contact the organizer with any questions? The best way to reach us is send an email to info@NewEnglandSantaSociety.org. Is my registration/ticket transferrable? Yes. Just be sure to notify us who will be taking your place. What is the refund policy? Refund of the full registration fee will be given to anyone who cancels by July 15. After that date, full refunds will be given for those who develop COVID-19 symptoms or if conditions worsen in New Hampshire changing the restrictions. Otherwise refunds of all but the regular deposit amount will be given.