My Mrs. Claus suit and the Winzer Cleaner wrappings.

I’m proud of two things in particular in this photo: my custom-made Mrs. Claus suit and the wrapper from Winzer Cleaners.

My outfit is now three seasons old. It needed some mild tailoring on the skirt and petticoat. And the jacket had never been cleaned because I had no idea how to go about that. I spent too much money for a local cleaner to ruin it.

So I took it to Ernest Winzer Cleaners in Morris Heights, Bronx. Ten miles from Times Square, Winzer is the go-to cleaner for Broadway shows. In fact, this third-generation mom and pop won a Tony for Excellence in 2018. Read this great New York Post story about Winzers’ Tony.

Or watch this video of co-owners Bruce and Sarah Barish here and try not to cry. “We’re not a normal family,” the Bruce said in his Tony acceptance speech. “We don’t take vacations.”

When I arrived at Winzer, Sarah gave me a recommendation. She preferred my green petticoat to the reddish velvet skirt. Hmmm. I’m listening, Sarah.

I showed her where I wanted the skirts taken in. Two employees came forward asking questions and making efficient notes.

The huge room behind them was as alive as Santa’s workshop with workers ironing, stitching, and doing all sorts of things I don’t understand. In September, before Broadway opened, I saw all sorts of complicated garments hanging on conveyer belt lines.

My jacket would be expensive to clean because staff would either have to remove decorative buttons and appliques or clean the jacket by hand. I suggested they clean the jacket by hand and then to wait another three seasons before getting another cleaning.

Later that week, she called. My garment was done. When I entered the shop, I gasped when I saw a long, long flamenco costume that seemed to float in the air like a bride in a Chagall painting. Sarah motioned for me to come into the office. My suit hung on a hook by the windows.

“Merry Christmas!” exclaimed Bruce, whose desk was around a corner. I never saw his face but I correctly guessed that he was the grandson of Al, an earlier owner. As Sarah finalized my purchase, I examined all the autographed celebrity photos that hung in the office. Everyone from James Earl Jones to the New York City Ballet had had dealings with Winzer.

I was really, really impressed.

Here is what Bruce says on his LinkedIn profile page:

“My family has been dry cleaning for Broadway and the public since 1908. If it ran on Broadway, we dry cleaned it. Chances are if your family is from NYC, we dry cleaned for your family as well.”

Ever since I got my outfit back, I have been trying to get a Q & A interview with Bruce. I thought the New York City Santas would love to hear what he had to say. Plus, I’m super nosy. But Bruce and I keep missing each other on the phone. As this is the busiest time of year for him, my gift is me not calling him. Instead, I’ll just thank him and Sarah for taking such good care of my suit.

It’s not just any outfit, after all.

In a way, it’s the face I present to the world. So in taking care of my clothes, they took care of me.

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To enter FAO Schwarz in Rockefeller Center is to walk in Oz. Each salesperson represents a distinct Technicolor realm of toys.

Sleeping now but not for long. Rockefeller Center's FAO Schwarz is hopping! #toys #christmas #november2019 #holidays #shopping #nyc #rockefellerplaza

11 Likes, 1 Comments - Mrs. Claus NYC (@mrsclausnyc) on Instagram: "Sleeping now but not for long. Rockefeller Center's FAO Schwarz is hopping! #toys #christmas..."

On this sunny day in October, Micah Feliciano, head of personal shopping, would help me on a challenging mission: learning as much about FAO’s 2019 shopping season in 15 minutes or less. As the oldest toy store in America, the one made famous in the 1988 movie Big, FAO is full of diversion. When I announced my arrival to an employee dressed as an astronaut, I determined I could easily take up 30 minutes on the first floor alone. 

Thanks for the tour, #faoschwarz! Mrs. C is now in the know, with help from the best toy store on earth! As you can see, the staff have rhythm. #toys #holidayshopping2019 #30rock #bigpiano #rockefeller

9 Likes, 0 Comments - Mrs. Claus NYC (@mrsclausnyc) on Instagram: "Thanks for the tour, #faoschwarz! Mrs. C is now in the know, with help from the best toy store on..."

“For my job interview here, I brought my puppet,” the astronaut told me while I waited for Micah. I asked him to repeat his statement, so I could let it fully absorb, but a Sharper Image 5 Inch Stunt Hand Controlled Lunar Drone flew by my head. Meanwhile, two employees raced by on light-up skates that hooked onto the heels of their shoes.

“Mrs. Claus!” exclaimed Micah when he saw me near the Melissa & Doug grocery store. “I’ve been working for you for years. Now I get to meet you in person.”

First, the tall, elegant Micah walked me back to the store’s entrance where we met two seasoned employees wearing uniforms in my favorite shade of Christmas red: Soldier Patrick standing outside the revolving doors and Soldier Johnny inside. Both had been with FAO when it was on Fifth Avenue, before this glorious new flagship store opened here on 30 Rock in 2018. 

Second, Micah showed me the menagerie of plush animals on the right and Ruby Red dolls on the left. Ruby Red dolls, each about $100, sold only in October and were similar to American Girl dolls with unique personalities and outfits. Their skin was so luminous the little girls looked real.

Third, Micah showed me the wall of Jimmy Fallon games by Hasbro. With the Tonight Show as an upstairs neighbor, FAO pretty much has to include products like the Face It Challenge Party Game and Best Friends Challenge Party Game for Teens & Adults. 

Finally, we entered the delightful FAO selection with its sturdy, high-quality choices of work benches, Vintage Bluetooth Musical Microphones, DJ Mixer Music Floor mats, Ultimate Jewelry Making kits, and Girls’ DIY Henna kits. Food items were big, with a Do It Yourself Gummy Bears Candy Maker for $48 and a Do It Yourself Cake Pop Maker for $32. Hint, this section will most likely be rife with deals on Black Friday.

Now we were in the section for Marvin’s Magic, a company that sells exclusively to Hamleys of Regent Street in central London and FAO Schwarz. We were soon to watch professional magicians demonstrate the Dynamic Coins trick and a card bit from the Mind-Blowing Magic Themed set. Price ranges were reasonable, from $20 to $100 depending on the type of set.

In addition to art easels and race cars (I liked the Remote Control Wrist Racer for $24), we passed big-names like Paw Patrol, UglyDolls, and Hatchimals. My nephews would love the science-based items from #MindBlown that include 4D Anatomy Kit Shark for $32 and the Model Engine Kit for $25.  

Classic Steiff teddy bears and Schleich figurines made me squint to admire the craftsmanship. Toys can be beautiful. 

Yet I was most impressed with the Barbies. 

In addition to the Star Wars collection (an unmasked Darth Vader is really a woman), I loved the David Bowie doll and all of the different shapes and colors of people.

“This is the fashion section,” Micah says pointing to the spectrum of Barbies in casual and evening wear. A few were gender-neutral dolls wearing outfits I might see any New Yorker wear on the street: shorts and patterned T-shirts. However, the biggest shift from decades past was the variety of skin tones. Browns and freckles were welcome. Body types ranged from slim to shapely.

“And this is the career section,” he said. Of course I appreciated the scientist Barbies, but I immediately, I wanted to jump into the hip food truck scenario with Barbie and Ken.

“Literally in every section, there is something new and interactive,” Micah told me in summary of our adventure through the store. “I’m seeing toys that promote the idea of ‘there’s no wrong answer’ and you can have a great time being you.”

Officially over our allotted time—it’s impossible to go through FAO without reverting back to childhood—Micah took me to the giant piano overlooking Rockefeller’s ice rink. I clapped in time while he and a fellow employee danced to “Heart and Soul.”

But before I left, I checked in with Soldier Johnny. Let’s just say, we Clauses know each other, wink wink.

With his wonderful Brooklyn accent, Johnny asked if I were the Mrs. Claus featured last year on Page 3 of the New York Post. I confirmed that yes, I am she—undercover—and still looking for work as a female in Santa-town. A Broadway actor with secret North Pole dealings of his own, Johnny said an elf had pinned that article to a bulletin board in an undisclosed NYC break room, as inspiration.

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Meet Diandrea, a new Our Generation Doll who wants to be a director. Our Generation Dolls are as tall as American Girl Dolls but cost much less. Diandrea is $21.99 at Target. A compatible American Girl Doll, like the company’s TrulyMe doll, may cost $115.

Americans typically overspend during the holidays. In 2017, they accumulated an average of $1,054 of debt, according to an annual survey by MagnifyMoney. Many shoppers put that debt on high-interest credit cards. This worries me. I want people to feel less overwhelmed during and after December.

In my experience, I see many broken toys and electronics in the garbage after January.

So while I support Santa’s toy distribution schedule and all the businesses that make wonderful things, I do want people to spend less on fewer, more thoughtful things and have more time with each other.

My goal this year is to learn about sustainability. How can we fix gadgets that are broken instead of buying more products on Amazon? Also, what are the beautiful, affordable toys that allow children to be kids and feel good about themselves. Children are so heavily marketed to that I hope to be a voice of reason.

I’m impressed with Our Generation Dolls at Target. They remind me of American Girl Dolls in that they’re relatively tall at 18’’ and have individual names and personalities. In fact, they’re compatible with most American Girl and Journey Girl dolls but cost more than half the price. That means, little ones can mix and match outfits for economical fashion options.

Meet Diandrea, a young girl of color who is interested in movie directing. Or Millie, a blond with “unique gray-blue eyes,” who is ready to go to a party in a vest and pink tutu, the kind so many little girls love to wear today. Leticia wears a cute beach outfit and has long brown braids and gorgeous brown eyes.

Prices range from $21 for regular dolls like Diandrea, Millie, and Leticia to $34.99 for deluxe editions like Sydney Lee who comes with a book and an extra change of dance clothes in addition to her traditional ballet skirt.

The adorable Grill to Go Food Truck is $109.99, an example of the high-quality accessories that go with these cuties.

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Jacki Chamberlain is on the right wearing her cherished green coat from Cheryl Claus, left, who died April 2018.

There’s an urban legend among Clauses. 

A beloved Santa died. His family had no idea how much his clothing was worth. So his $3,000 suit ended up in a thrift shop for $15.

If you’re a Santa, this tale is already horrifying. Your hand has probably landed on your mouth in shock. But it gets worse. A mother bought the gorgeous suit and cut the pant legs for her son’s Halloween costume.

I know!

Jacki Chamberlain, an Ohio Mrs. Claus, is here to help lovely things find good homes with wonderful people. She knows Kringle collections grow like forests and that gifts should go on giving, forever and ever. 

Last week, she and I talked on FaceTime. I showed her my Ikea shelving unit that currently holds summer clothes but will soon store thermal blouses and hand warmers, real sleigh bells, a cute little purse, wash cloths to remove stage makeup, sparkly earrings and accessories, and wrist- and elbow-length gloves in red and blue. Inside my closet, I hang a red tutu, a dark scarlet velvet jacket with ruffles, and a vintage 1930s red-orange dress with a rouched neckline. On a shelf inside a Tupperware bin, I stash a black and white skirt, three wigs (two from my grandmother), a bonnet, warm tights, and white faux fur. My hallway closet contains a jacket and a full red dress I covered with a sheet, so that the crimson doesn’t bleed onto the fur.

I live in NYC. Space is precious. So are my carefully curated costumes that say more about me than anything else I own.

Jacki walked me through her own Claus-et, more like an entire room with designated drawers for jewelry and racks devoted to a certain primary hue. I loved the backdrop she hung on the wall, an enlarged photo of her own kitchen that makes video calls with children more authentic. She even has a “staging area” to make sure she has all of her pieces in order before she walks out the door to an event. 

“People may not realize what the investment is,” she told me, “and it is an investment.”

In 2018 when a fellow Mrs. Claus passed away, Jacki was gifted several items from her sister-in-red's beautiful wardrobe. Attendees of Santa Nana Academy in Columbus, Ohio, also received items from this selection. “I know Cheryl’s with me when I wear something of hers, whether it’s a hat or a little pair of gloves,” Jacki says. 

In Gatlinburg, Tenn., at the 2019 Santa Family Reunion, she sold more of the items in a vending area. 

I bought several things from this angel Mrs. Claus, including a glorious pillbox hat with a veil and perky poinsettia and pom pom perched on top. As storytellers, we should wear pieces with history, even if we never reveal it or fully know ourselves. Here is the hat I bought, although I think Cheryl Claus wore it better.

Cheryl Claus with the dapper Santa Carlucci, her business partner. I bought this hat at a sale in Gatlinburg, Tenn. I am so happy to own it, especially because it is infused with such spirit.

Today, Jacki teaches members of the Buckeye Santas, a regional organization, how to record their prized possessions, so loved ones can pass them on to people who will love them.

With Jacki’s permission, I share from her one-page “Letter of Instruction” that is “a document that will asset your family in carrying out your wishes and distribution of property at your death. Not legally binding, but may prevent confusion and arguments.”

She suggests Santas create a spreadsheet that states something simple like: “I bequeath the following items of personal property to the beneficiaries below.”

Here are samples from Jacki’s template:

• ITEM-make sure to clearly describe the item(s) so it won’t be confused with a similar item.

• NAME-full name of recipient, not just Santa John, but John R. Jones

• CONTACT INFORMATION-include address, telephone number, email address, relationship to you.

• NOTES-

Here are examples of how to use the template:

• ITEM-Santa Walking Stick with Holly and Ivy

• NAME-Santa John R. Jones (Fellow Buckeye Member)

• CONTACT-555 Rideway Dr., Columbus, OH XXXXX, 555-555-5555, santajohnjones@yahoo.com

• NOTES-Item kept in the corner of my closet

To finish, sign and date the document. Because it isn’t legally binding, you don’t need witnesses or notarized signatures. (For that, you would need to consult a lawyer.)

Helpful instructions should include contact information for Santa organizations. Jacki also suggests writing your own obituary that includes your honors and Santa titles, like “founding member” or “past president.” Include a picture that best represents you as Santa, so loved ones know how you want to be remembered.

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