Like the changing of the season, I see balloon entertainers abandon their craft to become Santa. Months of producing YouTube instructional videos, Facebook posts, and attending balloon conventions are discarded like a broken toy in the quest to be the fat, white-haired, gift-promising guy.
If you have the “greatest job in the world,” why would you leave it? I spend countless hours honing and marketing my skill as a balloon entertainer. Yet, some “balloon entertainers” change skill levels like changing their underwear.
Veteran entertainers complain about newbies’ lack of experience, demeanor, and shotty attire. Their skill levels may not match the venue’s grandeur and do not get me started on what they charge. Are these words echoed from a balloon entertainer or a professional Santa who hone their craft 365 days of the year?
I can hear the argument now, “You cannot be Santa 365! It’s seasonal”. Those with closed-off minds say the same about balloon entertainment. When it is your livelihood, you find the paying gig. When you are a hobbyist, you seek out quick, easy cash.
For all the turncoats seeking Christmas cash, run to it like a moth to a flame. For this entertainer, I stay true to my heart and twists latex into the holiday night. I am gathering all gigs abandoned by Santa’s flight.
