Terry Leahy of Loveland, Colorado, takes a selfie before a session begins.
It takes a certain white-bearded look and a lot of practice to truly master becoming the man worthy of a plate of cookies and a glass of milk on Christmas Eve in homes across the world. Those who take being Santa Claus (and Mrs. Claus) seriously often turn to the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School in Midland, Michigan. It's the world's oldest, continually running school of its kind, and each year in October, hand-selected Kris Kringles from across the country and beyond gather at the school for three days of instruction and a ride on the Polar Express.
We sent photographer Mark Felix to the school to spend time with this year's attendees and give us an inside look at what it takes to become old St. Nick.