My Biz: What do you want for Christmas?

CEDAR RAPIDS — If you stopped by this year’s Festival of Trees in Cedar Rapids a few weeks ago, you likely spotted Santa and Mrs. Claus visiting with the good little girls and boys of the community.

Or if you dropped by Petersen Pet Hospital last week, your pet was able to nestle in the arms of Ken Frantz, 75, of Marion, aka Santa, and his wife, Judy, 73, aka Mrs. Claus.

The Frantzes started playing Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Festival of Trees in 2016 when the annual festival was at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Cedar Rapids Convention Complex.

“We started with the Festival of Trees when they had it downtown and then the next year at Hawkeye Downs,” Frantz recalled, noting that he and his wife used rented costumes their first year.

“The next year we bought our own suits and have been enjoying it ever since.”

Frantz, a former teacher at Wilson Middle School and Jefferson High School, and Judy, a retired nurse, have been told by many, including their friend and local photographer John Reed of Reed Photography, that they are “naturals” for the role.

Reed helped the couple get signed up for a few more Santa gigs during the holidays, and the couple’s side hustle “has just grown from there.”

“Some years we have had six or seven gigs, and this year we will have eight or nine,” Ken Frantz said. “We have enjoyed all of the events we have done. It is just such a joy watching the kids’ eyes light up when they see us and are able to talk to us.”

Frantz said some of the events are big ones, like the Festival of Trees, where Santa and Mrs. Claus are seated and wait for children to come visit. Other events are smaller affairs in homes. They even do photo shoots at local veterinary clinics, including Frey Animal Hospital and Petersen Animal Hospital.

The Frantzes typically charge $150 to $200 an hour for an appearance, though that rate drops for larger venues where they’re working more hours.

Kids and their lists

Not surprisingly, Frantz said he and his wife most appreciate the reactions of children as they visit Santa.

“To see the eager children run up and sit on our laps and tell us all the things they would like for Christmas is what we enjoy most,” Frantz said.

“Some kids have brought me paper lists that they wrote at home in their own handwriting. Sometimes that means it needs to be translated by them to me,” he said with a ho-ho-ho. “Once I got a long, three- to four-foot list on butcher paper with cut-out pictures from the newspaper and magazines of each of the items that child wanted, so I wouldn’t make a mistake.”

Frantz said Santa and Mrs. Claus do their best to make each interaction special, even during busy large community events.

“With the large mass sittings and all the people that are around and the noise, it can be hard to understand some of the children when they whisper their wishes,” he said. “But I just ask them to speak up or look to their parents for help.”

Other gigs

Outside the Christmas season, Frantz said he keeps busy with other interests.

“Since I retired about 18 years ago, I have loved doing two things: working on a hot-air balloon crew if there is no snow on the ground and the wind is under 10 mph, and taking tickets at the Paramount Theatre for events that happen to appear there,” Frantz said.

“Interestingly enough, when I am working at the Paramount Theatre, there have been many times that people have told me I would make a very good Santa.”

Turns out those concertgoers were right.

Know a business that should be considered for a “My Biz” feature? Let us know by emailing mary.sharp@thegazette.com.

  Buy Photo

  Buy Photo

  Buy Photo

  Buy Photo