It's hard to measure up to the jolly old fellow from the North Pole, but for those charged with bringing joy to little ones, Mike Ching offers some ways to create a realistic Santa experience.

As a magician, Ching is accustomed to creating the “;wow”; factor and does the same when portraying Santa. The operator of Honolulu Santa said that the Santa service became an extension of his holiday magic shows.

“;One of the things that make our service unique is that these are not just sit-down Santas, they are for everyone. Adults, too,”; Ching said. “;Given the opportunity, they walk around the room and meet and greet everyone within reach, smiling, taking pictures, giving them compliments and telling them how nice it is to see them again.

“;That's what the real Santa would do. He knew everyone as a child and doesn't forget them just because they've grown up,”; he added. “;The adults get a kick out of that. For a few moments, they remember what being with Santa was like. Everyone should have the experience of meeting Santa again.”;

The experience involves much more than just a red suit. In fact, the last thing you should do is suit up at the last minute.

“;Always do a test fitting prior to the event,”; he said. “;Suiting up 'cold' for the first time will surprise you with issues you didn't anticipate, and last-minute nervousness always compounds problems.”;

Santas are built from the ground up, says Ching, who says, “;The best order for putting on the suit is: pants, boots, belly apron, makeup (if any), beard, wig, glasses, coat, belt and hat.”;

Ching understands that people recruit friends or co-workers to wear a Santa suit for holiday parties, and that may work out just fine. But sometimes, the costume is poorly done or in bad shape, he explained. He offered the following tips to help avoid mishaps that can ruin the experience for young ones:

THE BOOTS

Most suits come with fur-trimmed spats for boots, but kids are critical of them and often decide if Santa is real based on whether he wears spats or real boots. Ching suggests cutting the fur trim off the spats and pinning it around the top of black garden boots. Used garden boots may be rehabilitated with soap and water, followed by a wipe with Armor All or black tire sprays.

SANTA BELLY

For padding, the average man can use “;Santa Belly”; aprons sold in larger party and costume shops for around $22. Wear it around your neck like a giant bib and insert a medium bed pillow.

The apron should hold the pillow vertically from crotch level to just around chest level. If positioned too high, it will be difficult to sit and talk to kids.

Ching cuts about a quarter of the top stuffing off an old pillow for correct appearance. In a pinch, a pillow can be safety-pinned inside a T-shirt for padding. Pinning it inside the shirt smoothes it over into a more natural body shape.

Party City in Waikele and Costume Closet off Kapahulu are good sources of Santa togs, Ching said.

HAIR

When it comes to Santa's hair, you get what you pay for, Ching said. Inexpensive wig-and-beard sets start at $20, but if you are seeking quality, expect to pay $100 or more. The most prestigious sets are custom-made of yak hair and may cost more than $1,000, he said.

The beard/mustache set goes on first. One band of white elastic usually goes over the top of your head, and another goes round the back to hold it securely to your chin. It looks best when your bottom lip shows. Try to line it up well with your mouth.

If the beard is too loose, try safety-pinning the elastic onto itself until the tension is right (elastic tends to relax with time). The mustache is often “;wired,”; allowing you to position it correctly.

A “;Santa Secret”;: Put a 1-inch tab of double-stick tape into the “;chin-cup”; area of the beard just below your lower lip to allow better contact with your face and more realistic mouth movement. Shake the beard out, and fluff it with your fingers to the right shape.

Put on the wig by pinching the front and holding it to your forehead. Pull the back (tagged) part down at the back. If your real hair shows, try tucking a few side locks of hair over it and down under the beard at the side.

MAKEUP

Santa might use some light rouge on nose and cheeks for a cold-nipped look, and some might even powder down “;shine”; for the cameras, but for most that's it. Unless you're experienced with makeup, don't try too much.

“;Remember, Santa is masculine. Don't let anyone overdo it and make you look like Dolores Del Rio,”; Ching said.

If you look at the Haddon Sundblom 1930s Coca-Cola St. Nick that inspired the look of modern Santas, you'll notice the jolly man had natural black brows rather than white to match his beard. If you want white brows, they are available at costume shops. They require teasing out and application with spirit gum adhesive, but this detail is unnecessary for the most part, Ching said.

Instead, he uses white lipstick available at Longs. The lipstick is carefully applied over the eyebrows. He finishes the looks with a little baby powder applied with his fingertip. Brush the excess powder away.

COAT

Put on the coat and adjust Santa's hair over it. You'll find you can probably open the collar a little for a cooler experience. The beard covers that area anyway.

BELT

Belts are the worst part about inexpensive suits, Ching said. They're usually made of flimsy material prone to breaking, so care should be taken to avoid overstressing. “;If you overstuff your Santa, breaking is almost a guarantee,”; said Ching, who made his own belt.

If you have time to make a belt, start with black vinyl. Buckles can be ordered or improvised using a one-fourths-inch piece of plywood painted gold. In a pinch, vinyl could be pinned around the suit with a decorative buckle attached to the front.

Even easier, a black sash may work when dealing with a large, stocky Santa.

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On the Net

honolulusanta.com or www.mikechingmagic.com/index.html