Rio de Janeiro's Santa Claus School marks graduation at Christ the Redeemer statue
In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 55 graduates of a school that trains Santa Claus performers held their graduation ceremony at the Christ the Redeemer statue. The free course for men aged 50 and over has run since 1993.
On Tuesday, 4 November, 55 graduates of the Escola de Papai Noel do Brasil, Brazil's Santa Claus School, gathered beneath the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro to mark the end of their training. The school prepares people to work as Santa Claus, and the graduation signalled the approach of the festive season.
Wearing red suits and white beards, the new Santas sang carols as they rode the Corcovado mountain railway up to the statue. They then climbed the final steps for a ceremony that included a blessing and the presentation of diplomas.
About the course
The course is free and open to men aged 50 and over who have naturally white or grey hair and beards. It lasts a month, with classes held on Tuesday afternoons. The curriculum covers acting, improvisation, diction, posture, make-up, costume and beard care, as well as Brazilian Sign Language.
History of the school
The school was founded in 1993 by the actors Limachem Cherem and Conrado Freitas, together with the costume designer Fátima Tavares Cherem. The first classes took place in the basement of Cherem's house in the Vila Isabel district. Over 33 years, more than 1,000 Santas have graduated, along with about 300 Noeletes, the female equivalent.
Many graduates are retirees who earn extra income at shopping centres, hospitals and parties. Some, such as the lorry driver Marinezio Teixeira de Oliveira, return to earn a second certificate.
