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Mall Santa Claus in Pleasanton fired for wearing fake beard

Friday November 01, 2002

 

PLEASANTON — Santa’s out of a job this year. No, it’s not the economic downturn, it’s his lack of facial hair. 

Tom Galletti, who’s played Santa Claus at Stoneridge mall for the past 16 years, will be replaced by someone with a real beard. 

“This is a national trend,” said Robert Wolfe, chief executive of New Jersey-based Cherry Hill Photo Enterprises, which hires and fires mall Santas. “Stoneridge is just one of hundreds of malls that want their Santa Claus to have a real beard. People are demanding it.” 

Wolfe said most of the 350-plus malls the company supplies with Santas insist on ones with real beards. 

Galletti, who wears a trimmed beard, said he cannot grow a full Santa Claus-like beard because he doesn’t feel it’s appropriate for his day job as an investigator for a local utility. 

“I could grow one, but I don’t see what’s wrong with a fake beard,” Galletti said. “Natural beards aren’t usually white and shiny like fake ones anyhow. Real ones don’t look like a Santa Claus beard.” 

“We have a brand-new holiday set this year and our Santa Claus will be out in the open,” said Diana Jan Coelho, the mall’s marketing director. “Many of our customers had asked for a Santa Claus with a real beard, so we thought this was the perfect opportunity with the new holiday decor.” 

Galletti said Santas with a natural beard can make up to twice as much as ones with a fake one.