(Excerpt from the video)

Single channel video with sound, 1280 x 720, color

Length: 2’21’’ (Total length 8’06”)

2012

The Real Journey

Chen Hangfeng's conversation with Santa Claus, Santa Claus as S, Chen Hangfeng as C, Elf as E.

S: So, where you come from?

C: I come from a long way, Shanghai!

S: Shanghai, Nihao! hehehe!

C: Nihao! Do you speck Chinese? 

S: A few words, hehehe! Do you speak English?

C: Yes, I speak English.

E: Shanghai ren (Shanghainese), xiao xiao xiao xiao (means smile in Chinese), Qie Zi (Eggplant, the typical words when the cameraman make people smile in Chinese)… 

C: I have some questions, can I ask? Just second, I come from a long way, so I got some question for you.

C: OK, where are you from?

S: Where am I from? I am from around here, it's in Finland, a place called Korvatunturi. Yeah, originally I am from near here.

C: So how long have you living here?

S: Ah… Koskas taa Rovaniemelle tuli taa? (Ask the Elf in Finnish, means: when this came to Rovaniemi?)

E: Very very long time...

S: Ahhh… Very, very long time ago!

C: What's your nationality?

S: Ah, my nationality is… ah… it's a… let's say, it's a Finnish, then it's a bit of Lappish… it's ah...

C: Finnish! What's your real name? Nicolas, right?

S: Hehe, hmmm… ah… most Santa Claus, but it's different in every language. Because in some language, it called Père Noël in French, it's Papá Noel in Spanish, Babbo Natale in Italian, Santa Claus in the American English, Father Christmas in English, Joulupukki in Finnish (C: Joulupukki), Jule nisse in Norwegian, Julemanden in Danish, and so on… hehe!

C: How old are you?

S: Very old, I don't have the papers anymore… 

C: What do you do everyday?

S: I meet everyday people all around the world, like Shanghai and other places… (C: meeting people), meeting people, and, then for the Christmas eve I am coming out to deliver presents.

C: Do you like coffee? or tea? or maybe coke?

S: I would say I would prefer the Chinese Gunpowder Tea, hahahahaha!

C: Ok! Do you drink or smoke? 

S: No!

C: What kind of food you like? 

S: It's different, various different kind! I mean, of course, it's a question of what's really made by my wife? so it depends every time what's she prepares. But, mostly during the month, in christmas time it's christmas food, traditional things, christmas food. (C: Christmas food, traditional food.)

C: Are you vegetarian?

S: Hmmm… Let's say, I try to eat as much vegetarian as I could, because that's keep me old and healthy. So that's what I am trying to, if I have a choice, that what I like. 

C: Do you exercise?

S: Yeah, sure!

C: What kind of sports do you?

S: What keeps you young in China? it's Taiqi! Hahaha!

C: Taiqi, great! Do you ever get sick?

S: No…, not really! 

C: So, you have health care here?

S: Let's say it's like the way you have in China, when the doctor's job is keep you healthy, not to kill you from anything, so now I am healthy, so I don't need this kind of health care.

C: What kind of hobby you have? hobby? do you watch movie or something?

S: No, not very often… Ah… Let's see, I think my work is my hobby, meeting people and learning language, learning about the culture, (C: Learning language), and preparing the journey around the world for every Christmas. Hehehe! Because it's a long journey, then I must know all the people I gonna meet for the Christmas eve.

C: Do you enjoy being Santa? 

S: Sure!

C: Do you ever get bored with take photo with people like me? 

S: No, No…

C: May I ask how much is your salary? Are you paid in Euros?

S: Hehehe, no… It's a question which I don't know, because I don't know… hmmm, it's the question that I can not answer. because I don't know the answer, because I just work and I try to make people happy, and my experience are being paid. 

C: So, do you have holidays?

S: Ahhh, let's say, every day I have some free time. Because some month like in summer time, I am not so long meeting people, because not so many people coming anyway.

E: The next family is waiting, so you have one more question. The next family is coming… Dui, dui, dui (means yes in Chinese)!

C: Do you travel? I guess you do!

S: Of course I do, every Christmas eve I make a journey around the whole world, and I came to Shanghai too. 

C: You have been to Shanghai?

S: Hehe, every Christmas eve!

C: How do you travel? 

S: I took air plane, and fly with my reindeers, hehehe!

C: Do you have elves in China?

S: Do I have elves? Ah… I believe I have elves are come from China. 

C: I heard there is a workshop in China helping you making gifts.

S: I think I have a lot of elves helping me in China, maybe millions, haha, I don't know!

C: What's your biggest secrets?

S: My biggest secrets, ahh… That's a last question. What's my biggest secret? 

C: Yes.

E: So, it's ok? Hen hao (means very good in Chinese)!

S: The secret can only be a secret when is not being told. Hahaha!

C: So you can not told me?

S: No, hahaha, that is the biggest secret!

C: OK! One more question please? 

E: This is a last one!

C: Ok! Do you believe in god? Do you be 2012 is the end of the world?

S: No, I don't believe 2012 is the end of the world.

C: Thank you very much!

S: Thank you, bye! 

This video was bought as a souvenir from the 'official' santa's office at Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi (Taking photo and video from the visitor was strictly forbidden), on the day of 14 Dec 2012.