Crying, Sneezing, Pant-Wetting: Survey Reveals What Mall Santas Endure Every Year

Auntie Anne's® lends support with the "Santa We Got Your Back" Survival Kit

GAP, Pa. (November 21, 2006) - When was the last time someone pulled your beard or wet on your lap at work? This is what mall Santas cheerfully endure every year. After discovering that 34 percent of mall Santas have been "wet" on by a child, Auntie Anne's believes that no one has it as bad during the holidays as the mall Santa. Auntie Anne's Pretzels, located primarily in malls, conducted a survey to understand just how much abuse old St. Nick withstands. And based on it findings, mall Santas across the nation are finally going to receive some tender loving care with the Santa Survival Kit.

The "Santa We Got Your Back" survey, administered online by Brand IQ, polled more than 330 of the 1,000+ members with the Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas (AORBS), an international association of real bearded gentlemen dedicated to the joy of being Santa, to prove he truly is the hardest working man in retail during the holiday season. The average real bearded Santa respondent is 59-years-old, 5 feet 10 inches tall and a healthy 257 pounds.

Beyond how many kids have been "naughty or nice," following are the survey highlights:

• If Santa could "pimp his sleigh," 44% would add a GPS for Mrs. Claus
• More than 60% are sneezed or coughed on up to 10 times each day
• 74% have up to 10 children cry while on their lap each day
• Nearly 90% of mall Santas have their beard pulled each day to see if it's real
• Nearly half of mall Santas' black boots are between a size 10 to 11½, and more than 50 percent of Santas have children step on their boots 1 to 10 times a day
• 45% of Santas see camera "flash" spots more than 25 times a day
• Nearly 50% have up to 10 children try to take their glasses off each day
• Nearly 30% of mall Santas have more than 100 children sit on their lap every day
• If moms and dads think requests from their little ones are over-the-top, here's a sampling of the far out items mall Santas are asked for - exotic pets (giraffes, pigs, elephants and penguins to name a few), cookbooks for Mom because she can't cook very well, a new sibling because kids don't care for the one they have or to have their little brother taken care of - if you know what we mean!
• While most people look forward to family vacations or watching football games after Christmas, 52% of Santas look forward to taking a nice, long nap
• After spending her year freezing at the North Pole, Mrs. Claus wishes for time alone with her jolly old husband in a warm climate

In light of these findings, Auntie Anne's is providing mall Santas nationwide with the "Santa We Got Your Back" Survival Kit to help them through the crying, sneezing, toe-stomping, pant-wetting and beard-pulling this holiday. The Santa Survival Kit includes:

"While Santas' workload increases over the holiday season, we love every minute of our jobs," said Santa Timothy Connaghan, executive director of AORBS. "We are delighted to receive the Santa Survival Kits filled with goodies to help us through this busy, yet exciting, time of year."

The following are additional mall Santa facts:

• 60% of real bearded Santas groom their beard up to four times each day
• 23% own four to six red suits to stay looking sharp for the holiday
• Mall Santas are very well-hydrated men, with 45% drinking 5 to 10 glasses of water each day
• Fresh breath is of top priority for 20% of Santas who eat four to six mints each day
• 52% of Santas believe girls are more shy than boys
• When children come to visit Santa at the mall, over 75% believe they have been good all year long while only half of Santas believe they are telling the truth

Representatives from Auntie Anne's stores nationwide will distribute the Santa Survival Kits throughout the holiday season, making sure mall Santas are well equipped for this chaotic time of year.

See the complete survey results along with the top 10 list of strangest gift requests of mall Santas.

About Auntie Anne's
Auntie Anne's, Inc. is a Pennsylvania-based franchisor that supports over 900 Auntie Anne's Pretzels locations worldwide. The concept mixes, twists and bakes pretzels to golden brown perfection in full view of customers. Auntie Anne's is committed to pretzel perfection by guaranteeing you will love its pretzels or they will replace it with one that you do. For more information, please visit www.auntieannes.com.