Over the decades there has been a multitude of Santa Clauses to take the throne at Macy’s in Herald Square. A few have left their mark more firmly than others, though.

Probably the most noteworthy of the Santas to be hired at Macy’s was Charles W. Howard, an entrepreneur who began enacting Santa in 1935 after a period of working as a toy manufacturer. During his career, he worked as the Santa-in-chief at Macy’s in New York , appearing in the parade and in the store’s grotto throughout the season. Due to his observation that many Santa Claus impersonators were performing poorly, Howard founded the first ever Santa Claus School at Albion , N.Y. in 1937. This school, which is still in operation today, trains impersonators in everything from decorum to hygiene to knowing the appropriate answers to questions kids might ask.

Less influential in the Santa trade, but a headline maker nonetheless, was Mark Woodley, who worked as the Macy’s Santa in 1989. He was asked by Macy’s to return for the 1990 Christmas season, but the offer was revoked when Woodley listed on his application that he was on the anti-depressant Prozac and the HIV drug AZT. The store claimed that the mood-swings associated with Prozac would be unsuitable around children, but it was Woodley’s belief that Macy’s was fearful of AIDS and had rejected him for this reason. The company offered him a job as a Santa Supervisor instead, which paid $1 more per hour but would not involve interaction with customers. Woodley rejected the offer and proceeded to sue Macy’s for $3.25 million. By 1991 he was embroiled in a Supreme Court Case against the company. On November 29 th of that year more than 20 activists dressed in Santa costumes protested outside of Macy’s for Woodley’s reinstatement.[2]