Eric Kaplan To Present Keynote Address At 21st Annual Santa Reunion

BUENA PARK, Calif. - Jan. 9, 2015 - PRLog -- Media Advisory
(With Background info sheet added)
  January 8, 2015  (Happy Birthday, Elvis!)
Contact:   Reunion Chairman, Santa Ric Erwin
Office:         949 / 481-6356
Message:      909 / 636-1151


Eric Kaplan To Address 21^st Annual Santa Reunion

Who:          Eric Kaplan (ExecProd/Lead Writer for CBS’s “Big Bang Theory” & author of recently-released “Does Santa Exist?”) is adding a stop to his book’s launch tour:

         He will hopefully settle that age-old question once & for all, when he addresses the Members & Associates of the Fraternal Order of Real Bearded Santas (FORBS) —an Orange County-based 501(c)7 for professional Clauses.

What:          21^st Annual Real Bearded Santa Reunion– biggest & best ever BY FAR!
When:          Friday, Jan 23^rd -Sunday, Jan 25^th

Where:          Knott’s Berry Farm Resort Hotel
        7675 Crescent Ave, Buena Park, CA 90620
        (714) 995-1111  / Hotel class: 3 stars

Why:          Every year, as the world is relaxing after yet another Season of Joy, the hard-working Claus Corps, who made all that magic happen for others, gets to make a bit of magic for themselves!  This January, hundreds of professional Santas & Mrs. Clauses will gather from around the country as they have for the past 20 years—to spend 3 full days renewing old friendships (& beginning new ones), honing professional skills, browsing the latest Seasonal fashions, accessories & props, and sharing a panoply of products & services with the Christmas Community.

         This is be our 8^th Santa Reunion to be held at “America’s First Theme Park”!

         Come meet & interview more than 100 “REAL” Santas—all in the same place.  Many will be familiar to you—from TV shows, films, commercials & online ads!!

______________________________________________________________

IT ALL STARTED TWO DECADES AGO:

         In the late summer of 1994, German mail-order giant Otto Versandt was planning its Winter sales campaign. Their catalog, featuring Cindy Crawford, was ready to go, so they decided to shoot a TV commercial; word went out to casting agents throughout the Southwest that Santas were needed, and eventually 10 actors were found who were also professional Santas; Universal Studios’ “Brownstone Street” set was booked for a full day in September.

         Tom Hartsfield, selected as principal Santa, was shown sitting in his sleigh contentedly thumbing through the Otto Versandt catalog, while the other nine Santas scrambled around, bumping into each other as they delivered huge piles of wrapped presents up and down the street depicted in the set.

During the shooting, which lasted nearly 12 hours at Universal Studios' famed Brownstone Street, these actors did what all actors do: they swapped "war stories"—that is, tales of their most- & least-favorite acting roles.

They were getting along so well that they decided to continue the camaraderie overlunch sometime—but all agreed to wait until after the upcoming Christmas Season!  Now that they had their first “reunion” planned, they decided their group needed a name—and, since each had responded to casting calls stipulating "Santa with own suit & REAL Beard", they soon settled upon a rather whimsical title for their merry band: they called themselves the "Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas (AORBS)".

         When they gathered for that very first “Founders Luncheon”, only nine of the ten were able to make it.  Nonetheless, the klatch was an outstanding success—such a good time was had by all of the Santas that to a man they agreed to do it all over again the following year!  A couple of the original Santas had brought a fellow Santa as a guest to the second luncheon, so by the third year they all brought guests—and the reunions began to grow, quite rapidly!

         Around 300 of the group’s 800 members attended the 2008 Reunion, where it was decided to change their name to the FRATERNAL Order of Real Bearded Santas (FORBS) and officially become a 501(c)7 fraternity.  Since then, FORBS has been dedicated to providing professional Santas with peer support & social networking at the Chapter level, annual background checks & certification training at the regional level, and an incredible package of tangible benefits—like our game-changing FORBS Santa Insurance coverage!

         Our annual reunion has spawned countless Santa organizations, conventions, academies & documentaries.  Please join us this very special year, as we celebrate

TWENTY YEARS OF SANTA HISTORY!