By Anna Lin
Murphy News Service
Carl Immediato, Santa Carlucci, still remembers his first time seeing Santa at Bloomingdale’s. Santa sitting five feet above ground with fake snow all over the hill was Santa Carlucci’s inspiration.
Immediato had a sudden epiphany in 1993. He decided he wanted to give back to society and started volunteering for the Salvation Army as a Santa Claus bell ringer. And he did, for 10 years.
During that decade, Immediato grew interested in becoming an entertainer, Santa Claus Carlucci.
“I’m destined to do this,” Santa Carlucci said. He started researching for Santa training in town after a local talent agent approached him while he was volunteering.
Santa Carlucci “loves the mission impossible,” and utilizes props to maximize the believability of Christmas magic.
Carlucci has a reindeer whistle that has a secret compartment filled with glitter. He tells children the glitters are fairy dust that makes the deer fly on Christmas Eve.
In control of the nice and naughty list, Santa Carlucci communicates with employers prior to parties to increase his list credibility.
“After walking up to him and seeing the twinkle in his eyes, it was then I knew it was Carlucci,” Cheryl Saxrud, an entertainer who plays Mrs. Claus, said. Saxrud picked Carlucci out of 300 Santas in red and white at a Santa Convention in 2010.
Santa Carlucci dedicates 20 percent of his time volunteering at different hospitals, aside from entertaining for private events,
“Santa Carlucci is the “real” Santa,” Jessica Miller, child life specialist from Gillette Children’s Hospital, said. “He knows how to perfectly interact with every child, regardless of their development level, in order to make them feel special and loved.”
Miller met Santa Carlucci when he visited the hospital seven years ago and thinks Immediato “truly embodies the spirit of Christmas.”
Immediato grew up in New York and moved to Minnesota with his wife in 1980, He said he worked in marketing and technology jobs.
But then …
“You don’t pick Santa, Santa picks you,” Immediato said.
Immediato emphasizes believability and said he strives for the value of elaborate flawless performances as Santa Carlucci.
Santa Carlucci’s season normally starts Nov. 1 and each season he has approximately 70 different events with 20 percent of his work being done for charity and nonprofit.
“I bring as much believability as the children will believe,” Immediato said.
Anna Lin is studying journalism at the University of Minnesota.
Source List:
Cheryl Saxrud
Mrs. Claus
Carl Immediato
Santa Carlucci
(952) 210-9232
Jessica Miller
Child Life Specialist
Gillette Children’s Hospital
(651) 726-2694