At Macy’s, the department store of “Miracle on 34th Street” fame, Santa, whoever he is, remains surrounded by corporate gatekeepers. The identity of the Santa who graces ABC Carpet & Home? His identity is off the record, too.

“It isn’t a job,” Amy Chender, that store’s chief operating officer, wrote in an email. “He is Santa.”

We get it: Magic must be preserved. If you don’t want a Santa spoiler, stop reading here.

Every now and then, a brave Santa offers a peek behind the red velvet curtain. John Gebbie, a 70-year-old grandfather of three, agreed to share the tricks of his trade on one of his busiest weekends, the one before Christmas.