Dutch Schrap

Dutch Schrap was born in October 1974 in Abington, Pennsylvania. He grew up in the Willow Grove section of Abington Township, very close to the old Willow Grove Park. He attended Abington Senior High School and graduated in 1992.

From an early age, he took a liking towards entrepreneurship, acting, Santa Claus, and Hollywood. In 1991, Schrap formed a small entertainment business called "North Pole Entertainment" that supplied a realistic looking "Professional Santa Claus" to holiday parties. He started as a performer at small house parties, created some business cards, and is now doing parties for State Governors, well known people, country clubs, parades, tree lightings, and everything in between.Fact|article|date=August 2007 He can be found at the Mardi Gras Parade in Lansdale, Pennsylvania and annually rings the Opening Bell for the Philadelphia Stock Exchange kicking off the United States Marine Corps Toys for Tots Campaign.

Schrap is the Assistant Manager of an organization named "Santas Across the Globe" which is a network of hundreds of Professional Santa Clauses throughout the world who share ideas, gigs, and messages. The group is made up of both faux beard and real beard Santas.

In Schrap's 16 years as a Professional Santa, he has appeared on a number of television stations: ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CN8, WPVI, WCAU, WGAL, WFMZ-TV, and in print work, newspapers worldwide, FHM, The History Channel, and on radio with WMMR, KYW News Radio 1060, Y100 FM in Philadelphia.

In 2005, Schrap was named "America's Favorite Santa".

External links

* [http://www.npentertainment.com North Pole Entertainment]
* [http://www.myspace.com/npentertainment Dutch Schrap's Official MySpace Fan Page Site]
* [http://groups.msn.com/SantasAcrosstheGlobe Santa's Across the Globe Official Site]
* [http://www.centralpa.org/archives/04dec3santa.html Central PA Magazine Article about Dutch Schrap]
* [http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/articles/10989 Philadelphia Weekly Magazine Article "Dutch Treat"]