It might have been Santa’s pesky list that was taking up all the time. Or perhaps he was so busy and slammed by mall shifts, retirement home visits, and even helping set up lights in Sacramento’s Fab 40s that Jolly Old Saint Nicholas was too distracted to double-check the numbers on his payment app account. Either way, this Sacramento Santa didn’t get paid.The particular Santa with the problem here is named Andrew. He handles the morning shift at Arden Fair Mall, helping to spread joy to Northern California children. Not unlike a typical work situation, before employment can begin as part of the Christmas industrial complex, you must complete the necessary paperwork. Reindeer food, sled polish and cocoa do not come free, after all. So Santa Andrew was asked to give banking information to the company handling his placement: Cherry Hill Photography. He chose a Venmo account.This, dear readers, is where our tale really begins. Of course we all know that Santa has a heavy responsibility in judging the “goodness” of children and whether they get their presents. Alas, in our case, Santa Andrew seemed not to apply that same scrutiny when inputting the numbers of his Venmo account. He juxtaposed two numbers. That simple mistake led to a major mishap. Santa Andrew’s pay ended up not going to the man in the big red suit, but to somewhere else instead, lost in the digital void, far from Rudolph’s bright spotlight. Santa Andrew did reach out to his employer and Venmo, asking if they could fix the issue and retrieve the nearly $700 he was owed. Venmo, of course, needed tracking information and proof of employment. Those first communications were in November. But fast-forward a few weeks and Santa Andrew was still no closer to a resolution — and not the New Year’s kind. The money he was owed was no longer in that other, mystery account, he was told. Was it the Grinch? Nobody had answers.Here Santa was, a week from Christmas and his holiday cheer at risk from worries over his mistake. This is where Mrs. Claus enters the story. She reached out to KCRA 3 Investigates. I’ll be honest with you, dear reader. Banking issues due to someone’s own error are not things we normally think we can help with. It’s a tough candy cane to climb.But in this case, we’re talking about Santa Claus — Santa! — and we had to try, right? So we sent emails on Santa’s behalf, first to Venmo, then to Arden Fair Mall itself. Venmo’s communications office said they’d immediately look into it. The response was followed within minutes by Arden Fair Mall. It’s important to point out that the mall itself didn’t hire Santa Andrew. They did, however, hire Cherry Hill Photography, who set up the whole experience. Representatives from the mall reached out to Cherry Hill and got an immediate response, saying, “Our payroll team has been actively working on this matter after incorrect account details caused a payment issue, and was already coordinating with Santa to confirm the correct banking information. In the meantime, we’re advancing the Santa his pay through a different channel so he’s not impacted during the holiday season.” Advancing his pay! Now, that’s the spirit of Christmas!Mrs. Claus said that Santa Andrew was always embarrassed by the error. He might have possibly been even more so that she reached out to a television station on his behalf. But before Santa Andrew’s shift on the morning of Dec. 18, he emailed KCRA 3 Investigates. Santa Andrew said that both Cherry Hill and Venmo/Paypal reached out in emails and calls and told him how important the issue was to them. “I’m overwhelmed with joy,” Santa Andrew said. “I am excited to hear what they have to say. I will be responding to them shortly.” He did have to start his shift, after all.As for any embarrassment over Mrs. Claus reaching out to KCRA 3 Investigates, that’s all gone. “I’m so grateful that my Mrs. Claus reached out to you. Now I feel like someone is listening,” he said.Santa Andrew sent a follow-up message on Friday indicating he’d now received all of the missing money. As for us here at KCRA 3 Investigates? We don’t feel like we really did all that much. It took a small portion of our day to ask a few questions to see what could be done. After all, even Santa and his helpers can make errors. And herein lies the takeaway to this tale. No one is perfect. We all make mistakes. And in the end, everyone wants to do the right thing.Perhaps the best gift of all, for this scribe, was the end of an email Santa Andrew penned, a simple 10 words: “I’m so proud of you! Keep up the good work!”We will try to do so and we hope you do, too. Happy holidays to all!
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
It might have been Santa’s pesky list that was taking up all the time. Or perhaps he was so busy and slammed by mall shifts, retirement home visits, and even helping set up lights in Sacramento’s Fab 40s that Jolly Old Saint Nicholas was too distracted to double-check the numbers on his payment app account.
Either way, this Sacramento Santa didn’t get paid.
The particular Santa with the problem here is named Andrew. He handles the morning shift at Arden Fair Mall, helping to spread joy to Northern California children.
Not unlike a typical work situation, before employment can begin as part of the Christmas industrial complex, you must complete the necessary paperwork. Reindeer food, sled polish and cocoa do not come free, after all.
So Santa Andrew was asked to give banking information to the company handling his placement: Cherry Hill Photography. He chose a Venmo account.
This, dear readers, is where our tale really begins.
Of course we all know that Santa has a heavy responsibility in judging the “goodness” of children and whether they get their presents. Alas, in our case, Santa Andrew seemed not to apply that same scrutiny when inputting the numbers of his Venmo account. He juxtaposed two numbers.
That simple mistake led to a major mishap. Santa Andrew’s pay ended up not going to the man in the big red suit, but to somewhere else instead, lost in the digital void, far from Rudolph’s bright spotlight.
Santa Andrew did reach out to his employer and Venmo, asking if they could fix the issue and retrieve the nearly $700 he was owed.
Venmo, of course, needed tracking information and proof of employment.
Those first communications were in November. But fast-forward a few weeks and Santa Andrew was still no closer to a resolution — and not the New Year’s kind.
The money he was owed was no longer in that other, mystery account, he was told. Was it the Grinch? Nobody had answers.
Here Santa was, a week from Christmas and his holiday cheer at risk from worries over his mistake.
This is where Mrs. Claus enters the story. She reached out to KCRA 3 Investigates.
I’ll be honest with you, dear reader. Banking issues due to someone’s own error are not things we normally think we can help with. It’s a tough candy cane to climb.
But in this case, we’re talking about Santa Claus — Santa! — and we had to try, right?
So we sent emails on Santa’s behalf, first to Venmo, then to Arden Fair Mall itself.
Venmo’s communications office said they’d immediately look into it. The response was followed within minutes by Arden Fair Mall.
It’s important to point out that the mall itself didn’t hire Santa Andrew. They did, however, hire Cherry Hill Photography, who set up the whole experience.
Representatives from the mall reached out to Cherry Hill and got an immediate response, saying, “Our payroll team has been actively working on this matter after incorrect account details caused a payment issue, and was already coordinating with Santa to confirm the correct banking information. In the meantime, we’re advancing the Santa his pay through a different channel so he’s not impacted during the holiday season.”
Advancing his pay! Now, that’s the spirit of Christmas!
Mrs. Claus said that Santa Andrew was always embarrassed by the error. He might have possibly been even more so that she reached out to a television station on his behalf.
But before Santa Andrew’s shift on the morning of Dec. 18, he emailed KCRA 3 Investigates.
Santa Andrew said that both Cherry Hill and Venmo/Paypal reached out in emails and calls and told him how important the issue was to them.
“I’m overwhelmed with joy,” Santa Andrew said. “I am excited to hear what they have to say. I will be responding to them shortly.”
He did have to start his shift, after all.
As for any embarrassment over Mrs. Claus reaching out to KCRA 3 Investigates, that’s all gone.
“I’m so grateful that my Mrs. Claus reached out to you. Now I feel like someone is listening,” he said.
Santa Andrew sent a follow-up message on Friday indicating he’d now received all of the missing money.
As for us here at KCRA 3 Investigates? We don’t feel like we really did all that much. It took a small portion of our day to ask a few questions to see what could be done. After all, even Santa and his helpers can make errors.
And herein lies the takeaway to this tale. No one is perfect. We all make mistakes. And in the end, everyone wants to do the right thing.
Perhaps the best gift of all, for this scribe, was the end of an email Santa Andrew penned, a simple 10 words: “I’m so proud of you! Keep up the good work!”
We will try to do so and we hope you do, too.
Happy holidays to all!