Jim Chan: Winner of First Annual “Santa of the Year” Competition.
Jim Chan is the winner of the first annual Hong Kong “Santa of the Year” competition. He talks to Chi-ying Leung and Stephanie Woo.
HK Magazine: Why Santa?
Jim Chan: I’m a magician and I’ve always entertained children. I decided to dress up as Santa one year and the kids really took to me. That’s when I realized that it’s easy for kids to connect with Santa. I’ve played Santa every year since then – and that was 15 years ago.
HK: Has anyone asked you why you speak Cantonese when you live in the North Pole?
JC: Santa is an international figure. People talk to me in all different languages. When people wonder why Santa is Chinese, I tell them that Hong Kong needs a Santa Claus too. After that, it doesn’t bother them anymore.
HK: What was it like the first time you dressed up as Santa?
JC: I was wearing what any Santa would be wearing; a red Santa suit with white trimming. But I was a lot skinnier back then... I sew all my costumes myself, which makes them more special because you can’t just buy them at any old store. I pick out the cloth and look for the trimmings. The only thing I don’t make by hand is my beard. I learned to sew because as a magician, I have to create all my puppets myself.
HK: What makes a convincing Santa?
JC: The most important thing is to capture Santa’s trademark greeting: ho-ho-ho! Merry Christmas! Getting his laugh right is essential. I get a lot of inspiration from the Santas portrayed in cartoons and Western movies and I try to impersonate them. I interact a lot with kids, so even when I do magic, my actions are very cartoon-like. It makes the kids really happy.
HK: What special skills do you have?
JC: I can do magic tricks and make balloon animals, and I do impersonations, too [suddenly quacks]. I also do voiceovers for puppets on local kid’s TV shows.
HK: As Santa, what’s the weirdest present you’ve been asked for?
JC: I don’t usually get asked for presents. Hong Kong kids know that when they get a present from Santa, it’s really from their dads. Even though they believe in Santa they don’t often make Christmas wishes. They just want to get their picture taken with me.