Accessories Make the Santa Real

You can be a Santa with just a Santa suit and a wig and beard set. Adding a few accessories however, can make your Santa really come alive. Let H. Berry Elf (our head elf) show you a few accessories that will top off the perfect Santa look. Accessories make the difference between just a Santa and a professional Santa. It is the little things that put on the sharp edge. You will occasionally need to replace some accessories as they wear out or get lost.

Suit Stuffers

So, if you are not naturally endowed with rotund shape of the jolly elf, a suit stuffer can be a great accessory. Some Santas try to make do with a pillow. A pillow can move at inappropriate times and leave you really embarrassed. There are no good ways to attach a pillow so that it doesn't move, and a pillow typically has a uniform shape from top to bottom, creating a somewhat lumpy profile. A good Santa Suit Stuffer is worn like a vest. It is put on over your head and has draw strings to fasten in back. The suit stuffer has batting that gets thicker toward the bottom to give a realistic body shape. The batting in the stuffer is sewn in place to maintain the shape. A Santa suit stuffer should be lightweight and comfortable to wear, especially if you will be in costume for a long time. Put the suit stuffer on before the pants and jacket.

Glasses

If you already wear glasses you may be able to just wear your own. Try to get your glasses in a gold wire frame to be true to the traditional style.

Santa glasses come in two styles; round and rectangular. It is just a matter of preference which you would want for your outfit. The Santa glasses are inexpensive and not fitted to your face, so they can be uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time. They have a wire frame and can be adjusted by bending. Try to wear your glasses for a while before you need to be in character to ensure their comfort.

Oval Glasses

Rectangular Glasses

Gloves

While not absolutely required, most Santas wear white gloves. Some suits come with gloves, but you should also have a spare pair since this is the accessory most often lost or misplaced. Being white, Santa gloves get dirty easily and need to be replaced often.

Santa gloves are typically cotton or nylon. Cotton gloves are usually warming wearing. Nylon gloves are cooler and usually have more dexterity. Consider nylon if you will be picking up candy canes or other small items.

Bells

Santa bells work great for building the excitement of your arrival. Santa bells You can get Santa bells in a convenient wrist strap so your hands are free, or in a larger leather strap suitable for hanging on doors or sleighs. For some Santa appearances, the hand held single bell is more appropriate.

Wrist Bells

Door Bells

Hand Bell

Toy Bags

Santa toy bags can be useful for distributing presents or holding candy canes. A pillow case or bag can be used, but for an authentic look try to match the toy bag to the suit you will be wearing.

Get a toy bag with a drawstring or some other way to easily grasp and hold while wearing Santa gloves.

Belts

Most Santa suits come with a belt. Santa belts are usually made of Vinyl, pleather, or naugahyde. Some may even be made of real leather. Due to Santas ample size, Santa belts are usually very large.

Santa belts are a costume accessory and are not really functional. They go around the Santa jacket and do not hold up the pants. If you need help holding up the Santa pants, you can use a pair of Santa suspenders.

Santa belts are also wider than normal and should fit the jacket belt loop size. If you are ordering a replacement belt, be sure to measure the width of the belt loops for a proper fit.

Santa belts with big fancy belt buckles are generally more expensive but tend to look better. Since Santa is a large person, large buckles help make the suit stand out.

Simple Buckle Design

Ornate Buckle Design

Santa Suspenders

Boots

Traditional Santa boots have a white plush trim around the top. Santa pants are stuffed into the tops of the boots.

Most Santa suits come with boot tops. As the name implies, boot tops go over and hide your own shoes. The boot tops usuallly have an elastic band that goes under your shoe to keep the top in place. Boot Tops suffer a little in realism since a close inspection reveals you are not really wearing boots (this can be a problem if you will be sitting up on a stage or platform). If you use boot tops, you must wear a black shoe. Boot tops are available as a separate item since they often need to be replaced long before the Santa suit itself wears out. Boot tops are available in vinyl or naugahyde. Those made of naugahyde are more durable.

You can also purchase Santa boots in a variety of materials and styles. Having real boots, as opposed to boot tops, adds a better dimension of realism to your outfit. Full boots are often a good choice for the Santa that is walking around a lot, especially outdoors. Most Santa boots are manufactured with a little more room in the calf area to allow you to tuck in the Santa pants.

You can also use a good set of tall black boots, but you will be missing the pile trim at the top.

Santa Boots With Pile Trim

Santa Boots no trim

Santa Boot Tops

Hats

Most Santa suits come with matching hats. You may want to consider getting a spare. When you are wearing a Santa wig and have a hat on top, you can easily lose the hat and not even know it. This often happens if you are getting in and out of an automobile. Having a spare can be a face saver. Getting a Santa hat to match your suit is preferred, but not critical. As long as the color is close, most children and adults will not notice the difference in material.

Remember: Its more about the way you act than the way you look. But it is easier to act good when you look good! Create happy memories.

H. Berry Elf

Also see How to buy a Santa Wig and How to buy a Santa Suit

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