Dawn Ostrem
Northern News Services
Cambridge Bay (Dec 11/00) - In an exclusive, one-on-one interview Santa revealed the issues behind the man as he prepared to launch his magic sleigh into the new millennium.
Seated comfortably in first-class on a Canadian North flight bound for pre-Christmas encounters with the children of Cambridge Bay, Inuvik and Rankin Inlet, the ageless icon spoke freely of his fondness for small children, elves and reindeer.
"Santa's the judge of kids from around the world and Northern kids are the best," he said of his near neighbours.
He politely declined an offer of beef or chicken from a the flight attendant who breezed along the isle with foil-covered dishes.
"Gets in my beard," he explained.
Travelling with Santa was a cute, smartly dressed female elf. Although the relationship is a purely professional one, Santa said it was once a problem for Mrs. Claus.
"She was concerned I was getting a little too close to work."
Mrs. Claus was at home last week, overseeing assembly line production at the North Pole.
News/North took that opportunity to ask Santa how requests for things such as Playstations and computers have affected the employability of veteran toy builders in the workshop, those who started their careers when rocking horses and simple dolls were hot items.
"Santa's team has been on the cutting edge of technology since before technology existed," he said looking frustrated with the naivete of the question. "The sleigh? How do you think we got it to fly?"
"Playstations? We've been playing with them for hundreds of years," he added. "Technology and magic are a wonderful marriage."
No elves have ever been laid off or replaced by brighter, more educated elves with university degrees. Elves have jobs for life.
To end the exclusive interview, Santa gave a little peek of what children are asking for (dolls and video games) and the training of reindeer.
"Rudolph's got them on 100-kilometre per day flights," he said.
He also disclosed statistics on the naughty to nice ratio for Christmas 2000.
"This year has been a bit of a challenge," he said somberly revealing a five per cent naughty figure.
"But we are working on it. Up here in the North that ratio is really low."
