GENERAL GROWTH PROPERTIES LOGO General Growth Properties logo. (PR NewsFoto)[AS] CHICAGO, IL USA

    CHICAGO, Nov. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Santa Claus is one of the most elusive
people in the world, with boys and girls hoping to catch a peek of the jolly
elf delivering gifts under their tree.  While most may never see Santa Claus,
a national survey shows he's an average guy.
    According to the 2001 Annual General Growth Properties Santa Survey of
more than 130 shopping mall Santas, the average Santa weighs approximately 220
pounds and stands five-foot-nine.  Depending on the Santa you ask, he's
anywhere between 52 and 1,700 years old.  You ask: "1,700 years old?"   He
looks good for his age.  More than half (55%) graduated from high school,
35-percent from college and 10-percent continuing on to graduate school.
    After spending the majority of the year at the North Pole, 25-percent of
the Santas surveyed plan to head to South Florida after the holidays, followed
by Mexico (15%) and Colorado (10%).  Other hot spots of those Santas surveyed
include Shreveport, Louisiana (5%), Flagstaff, Arizona (5%) and Myrtle Beach,
South Carolina (5%).  Santa doesn't take a long vacation.  A few days off and
it's back to the North Pole.
    Judging by the amount of wrapping paper used to wrap all the good boys'
and girls' gifts, it seems there will be more "nice" boys and girls than
"naughty" this year.  Seventy-five percent of the Santas surveyed expect to
use more than 30-million square feet of wrapping paper.  That's enough
wrapping paper to cover 700 football fields.
    Santa delivers gifts to millions of homes around the world.  In
consideration of time, he must have a sleigh that can handle a tough load.
The survey shows only five percent of the GGP Santas prefer the old-fashioned
9-reindeer powered sleigh for delivering gifts.
    It's no wonder how Santa keeps his jolly figure.  Of those surveyed,
70-percent said cookies and ice-cream contribute to their 43-inch waistline.
Many of the Santas surveyed said they try and exercise every day.  The Santas
prefer walking (55%) to any other exercise.
    It seems the girls and boys like to grill Santa with many questions.  The
top question seems to be "Why are there other Santas at other malls?"   The
GGP Santas all responded by saying "You never know who the real Santa might
be."
    General Growth Properties, Inc. is one of the nation's largest shopping
center owners, managers and developers.  GGP currently has ownership interest
in, or management responsibility for, a portfolio of 145 regional shopping
malls in 39 states.  The company portfolio totals more than 125 million square
feet of retail space and includes over 15,000 retailers nationwide.  A
publicly traded Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), General Growth
Properties, Inc. is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol
GGP.  For more information General Growth Properties, visit the corporate web
site at http://www.generalgrowth.com .


                        2001 GENERAL GROWTH PROPERTIES
                             SANTA SURVEY RESULTS
                   (other random survey questions/results)

     STATS (average)
     HEIGHT:    5' 9"
     WEIGHT:    218
     WAIST:     43"
     AGE:       52--1,700

     EDUCATION LEVEL
     High School         55%
     College             35%
     Grad School         10%

     FAVORITE HOLIDAY SONG
     "Here Comes Santa Claus"           30%
     "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer"   15%
     "Little Drummer Boy"               10%
     "Silent Night"                     10%
     "I'll Be Home for Christmas"       10%
     "White Christmas"                  10%
     "Lively Christmas Jingles"          5%
     "The Christmas Song"                5%
     "Night Before Christmas"            5%

     FAVORITE SPORTS TEAMS
     Green Bay Packers                  15%
     No Favorite                        15%
     Kansas City Chiefs                  5%
     Florida State Seminoles             5%
     Texas Rangers                       5%
     Minnesota Vikings                   5%
     Miami Dolphins                      5%
     Tampa Bay Lightning                 5%
     Nebraska Cornhuskers                5%
     North Pole Wrappers                 5%
     Vancouver Canucks                   5%
     Georgia Tech                        5%
     University of Florida               5%
     Tennessee Titans                    5%
     Michigan State Spartans             5%
     San Diego Chargers                  5%

     FAVORITE COOKIES
     Chocolate Chip                     45%
     Oatmeal                            15%
     Macadamia                          10%
     All Cookies                        10%
     Old Fashioned German                5%
     Peanut Butter                       5%
     Ginger Snap                         5%

     FAVORITE BEVERAGE TO GO WITH THE COOKIES
     Milk                               45%
     Hot Chocolate                      15%
     Root Beer                          10%
     Coffee                             10%
     Coke                                5%
     Water                               5%
     Hot Tea                             5%

Link to this page:

  

http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/110740.html
CONTACT:
David Keating, Manager, Media and Consumer
Relations of General Growth Properties, Inc., +1-312-960-6325,
fax, +1-312-960-5484

---

---

Issuers of news releases and not PR Newswire are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.
Terms and conditions, including restrictions on redistribution, apply.
Copyright © 1996- PR Newswire Association LLC. All Rights Reserved.
A United Business Media company.