Training

Shortcake had training this weekend. She was asked to help train the new elves, and she sat in on Santa training.

Elf training is mostly about getting the new elves familiar and comfortable with their positions. Crowd control, maze, village, etc. Shortcake could only be with one group. She showed them how to photo (which she hasn't done in 3 years, but it all came back), and walked them through the entire worst-case scenario line. Through women's petites (not women's coats - what, what), through parade hallways, past the switch into HR 1,  around the back HR offices, back into Parade hallway, down stroller alley, into the train and maze and finally into the village. It is quite the line. We have about 3 1/2 hours worth of line right now.

Santa training isn't about training Santa. It's more about reminding Santa of how it works at Macy's versus the North Pole, and then he tells stories from previous years. Shortcake and Cider and Jeanne (yay Team Strawboss!) are there mostly to listen and support. Santa told a story from last year about how this family came from Toronto, all the way to NYC, to see him with their tiny baby. The baby was 8 months old, but was born with its heart outside its chest, and had had nine surgeries. The family was just so excited the baby would get to stay with them.

The joy and magic Santa brings people during the holiday season is wondrous to behold. It is an honor for Shortcake to work for him.