By Sean Claes

This year, you can combine a little old tradition with a little new technology. If you've got little ones on your list that would get a kick out of meeting Santa, you don't have to go any further than your computer.

Santa* is on the Internet! Do you believe?

I do, so I got together with the red suited man with a belly like a bowl full of jelly for a little chat.

Sean Claes: How did you choose the Internet to reach the public as Santa Claus?
Jim "Santa" Greenleaf: I was standing in a Best Buy and saw a wall of Web cameras. I Listened for about a half hour to all the questions being asked and I noticed the volume by which people, young and old, were buying them. A light bulb went off! As an actor for twenty-five years, I know the camera doesn't lie. I know how committed I am to being Santa, and of course how fast the internet is growing, I suddenly knew I could get Santa to people who would not otherwise be able to have an exchange with Santa in the most important time of year.

Claes: How can people reach you?
Santa: My Website is santalivenow.com - from there it's easy.

Claes: I understand people can ask you to mail a card or e-mail a video comment directly to their kids. How would they order them?
Santa: I think this is what is very special about me. First of all, through the videos on my site will allow you, and your child, to get to know the "Real Santa" in a personal way, creating a true wonderment for the Spirit of Christmas.

(Now here's the pitch) For $4.99 +$1.00 shipping. You get not only a picture of the Santa that you've just experienced with your child but on the inside you create what Santa say to your child or loved one, it has my signature and comes from Santa's Village in the North Pole. For $9.99 Santa will send a video to your email, once again you create what you want me to say. This will be limited to the amount of volume I have to do. So make those orders early!

Claes: Anyone (with parents permission) can log on and watch your live show on Operator11.com (O11). When do you broadcast live?
Santa: Operator11.com is a social network. You can join and log on. If you have a webcam you can come live in to the studio and talk directly to Santa and his cast of characters from Santa's Village.

Or, you can go to at santalivenow.com and watch the show live each Saturdays till Christmas at 12 noon Central Time. During the shows, which last about a hour and a half, parents and kids can email Santa and I will mention them live. The show is also live at the MySpace account: myspace.com/therealbeardedsanta.

Claes: You mention a cast of characters...There's Mrs. Clause, Bumble Elf, Hyper Elf, Vixen, and many others.
Santa: In May when I first got on Operator11.com I noticed that most folks didn't get it. I did a public access show on live TV for many years and I quickly noticed that this was that to the tenth power.

Once again the light bulb went off. I want the internet, at least at my end, to be "g" rated. I want it to be a positive place where Moms and Dads can bring their children and be safe.

If it begins that way children can use the Internet for all the right reasons. After screening and getting to know operators on O11, I selected the ones with the same desires as I had for this safe place we call The Santa Show. The characters are from all over the world . We have developed into a working group that lives in Santa's Village in the chat room. Every show is different and we try to bring in as many characters as possible to interact with the kids. These are all real people not actors.

This show is not just about the child watching , a but, about the kids in all of us. And that is what Santa wants to effect... the inner child in all of us.

Claes: If you could leave a video message for the kids of the world what would it be?
Santa: Just to embrace the love and joy for this time of season and to hold on to it year 'round. I've got tears in my eyes right now!

Claes: What are you using santalivenow.com to do?
Santa: A safe place to bring your child to experience Christmas on the internet. Beginning December 1, we will have an Advent Calendar for the 25 days of Christmas. Each day, there will a different positive thing about Christmas and that will be beamed all over the planet will the help of a very special Internet Geek from England by the name of Phil Campbell. Everybody who's on the Internet should thank this man.

As I like to say,"Operator11: free, A cup of coffee: $4.95, Phil Campbell: priceless!"

Of course, the questions EVERYONE wonders...

Claes: What is your favorite cookie?
Santa: Here's the deal, this Santa is a diabetic. So this year I'm bringing Bumble Elf how will eat all the cookies left out, but, if you want you can leave me nuts.

Claes: How do you get all over the world in one night?
Santa: With Rudolf, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet Cupid, Donner and Blitzen... and of course Google search.

Claes: What do the elves do for fun?
Santa: Snow ball fights, making presents, and eating Ms. Claus' food. When Christmas is over we all go to Disneyland!

Santa's Music Video:


Santa on Operator11.com


*Santa is 51 year old character actor Jim Greenleaf (http://www.myspace.com/jimgreenleaf) from Palmdale California.

If you like, click on the links below to visit some of the places I have occupied on the web.
For your reading pleasure, I'll refer to myself in the third person when explaining where the following links go.
No need to thank me. Sean Claes need no thanks.