Recent news of a convention for professional Santas failing has put most of the professional Santa community up in arms — except for one group, AorbsInc. A Vice President for the group slammed the City of Gatlinburg for saving the 2010 convention and the President of AorbsInc claims competing associations of professional Santas are “cut from the same fabric” as those who defrauded the City of Gatlinburg.
This latest outburst in the Santa community is a continuation of strife that erupted in 2006 amongst professional Santas. The true story of professional Santas fighting amongst themselves will be parodied in a new Hollywood film to be released soon tentatively titled “The Santa Wars”.
DefendingSanta.com tells the latest chapter in this saga at this link.
It does not surprise me that the reformed AorbsInc (note it is NOT AORBS, as that name was taken back by the owner of it), has a glee of happiness over any other Santa group or individuals, having had misfortune with an event. These people that run (if you want to call it that) this remake of what was once a great organization, are a sorry lot of individuals who find joy in others misery.
Well said Eileen,
We must remember AORBS was stolen from all of us by “Two buffoonish individuals who took charge of the organization, forever fracturing it.” (this quoted from another post.) Neither of these two were ever voted into the position they claim to hold.
What ever those two touch falls apart at the seams. I feel it is time to just bid farewell to a once great organization and move forward to putting on the First ever West Coast Santa Jamboree. It is shaping up nice and we are on top of paying as we go. This Jamboree will be something every Santa should get to and visit and learn together all that is needed to be the BEST Santas ever.
June 27th- July 1 2010. http://www.santajamboree.com/
Since the revolting incidents of 2007 I have not actively joined any national organizations except IOS and I’m not active there. I stop by the alumni site but it too is losing its lure.
Smaller regional organizations seem to be an effective answer in some areas.
I think national efforts are doomed to failure after the mishmash in Missour/Kansas