The True Meaning of Christmas

Santa does lots of visits and gives out lots of gifts during the Christmas holiday, but sometimes I am called on to do special deliveries.  On this night, after visiting a church group I was asked to deliver a Secret Santa package.  My instructions were to say it was from “a friend” and I was given two phone numbers and asked to text each one that “Santa was on his way.”  I was given a bag and inside was an envelope (a fairly fat envelope) with an address on it and a small wrapped present.

About 10 minutes before I arrived I pulled off the road and sent the first number the text.  Then about 5 minutes later I pulled over and sent a text to the second number.  The first number texted me back, “Who is this?” 

I pulled up in front of an older looking house which I could see was in need of some repairs and a new paint job.  I knocked on the door and the man who answered was wearing older worn clothes and beyond him I saw one folding chair and a woman in a wheelchair in the front room.

“Merry Christmas,” I said. “This is from a friend.”  Then I handed him the bag.  The man was befuddled and didn’t know what to say, but managed to say, “Thanks.”

I hadn’t gotten very far down the street when I received a text from the lady that said, “Thank you so much, Santa. You made our Christmas very merry!”

I sent the text on to the person who had sent me, and they responded that is why they did it, and I told him that he had found the true meaning of Christmas.

It's amazing to be part of the Christmas Spirit!

Christmastime is for Giving

Santa’s running around town "sleigh" requires gasoline instead of reindeer power.  A couple of nights ago as I was driving home from a party appearance, I noticed a gas station and decided I had better fill up my "sleigh."  

I got out in full costume and a man shouted, “Hey Santa!” and came running over to me.  Before I could put my card in the gas pump machine, he stepped in front of me and put his card in and put "prepay $20 on the machine.  As I thanked him, he smiled and said, “Merry Christmas Santa!” and went
back to his truck and drove away.  

I smiled to think there was still Christmas spirit like this in the world today.  Anyone can be like Santa - even to Santa.  

Giving is the spirit of Christmas.

God Bless Us, Everyone

Recently I was doing a Santa Visit for a local Daycare. I asked the first child what she wanted for Christmas. She said, "Sarah should go first." So Sarah came up and I asked her what she wanted for Christmas. She whispered in my ear, "for my baby brother not to have cancer anymore." I told her, "Santa can't take away the cancer but I will talk to your doctors and see what we can to to help him." She gave me a hug and jumped down. 

I asked the next child what he wanted and he whispered, "for Sarah's brother not to have cancer anymore." I repeated the same thing to him that I had said to Sarah. Well the next child came up and I asked her what she wanted and she whispered, "for Sarah's brother not to have cancer anymore." This went on for the whole class of 23 kids. At the end, the teachers were all crying and I was a bit teared up myself. I told the kids that they had found the true meaning of Christmas. It was to care for and love each other.

As I left the room Tiny Tim's words came to my mind as I thought about the children...

"God bless us, everyone!"

Children, the Magic of Christmas

I was doing a number of appearances at a local daycare this week. The kids would sing for their families then I would come in, bells ringing and do a magic trick for them. After this we would do a class picture, then I would hand out candy canes and wish them a merry Christmas. 

On one day as I sat down for the class picture, a younger sister of one of the kids in the class came up and climbed on my lap. The mom came quickly and got her. 

We got ready for the class picture when up she came again climbing on my lap. She was determined to talk to SANTA! I asked them to wait for a minute and I asked her what she wanted for Christmas.  She happily told me she wanted a Disney Dolly. She gave me a hug and returned to her seat (to a loud "awwwww" from the crowd.)

Children are the true Magic of Christmas.

My "Scott Calvin" Moment

One of my favorite Christmas movies is Disney's "The Santa Clause." And recently I had my own Scott Calvin moment:

Children Know...

I was walking into a store in my plain clothes to do a little Christmas shopping. Now I do not grow a beard or moustache to be Santa since I am a full time magical performer the rest of the year. 

Well a little boy came running up to me yelling "Santa, Santa!" He hugged my leg and called me Santa. His mom quickly came up and got him. "I am sorry! He said you had a Santa belly so he thought you were him." I laughed and told her it was all right. I then asked him if he had been a good boy. He said he had. I told him that I knew Santa and would let him know.

Even when I'm not dressed as Santa, I'm still Santa!

Santa is Your Friend

I had the opportunity to be Santa for a local library today. I was sitting there with children and families coming by telling me what they wanted for Christmas and posing for pictures. I had a young teenage girl come up. She was staring at her feet. Her mother was smiling and talking brightly to her. 

She sat on my lap and let her mom and take her picture. Then I asked her what she wanted for Christmas. She stared at the floor and I heard a sniffle. As a tear fell and hit my boot she quietly said "to go with you to the North Pole." A little startled and concerned, I asked her why. She responded, "because people are nice there." I lifted her chin and told her I was sorry, but no human had ever been there. She sniffle and said "OK." I quickly told her, "Remember that Mrs. Claus and I love you and we will always be your friends." To this she started to sob and placed her head on my shoulder.

She cried for about a minute and the library helper and her mother came forward to get her. I raised my hand to stop them. After a bit she stopped and said, "thanks Santa." I told her again that Santa loved her and she left with a smile on her face.  I never found out what had bothered her so much, but she seemed to appreciate me telling her that I loved her which touched my heart.

Santa is a friend to everyone.

My "Miracle on 34th Street" Moment

I was appearing as Santa at a party for a company that I've performed at for the last 5 years.  I was sitting there as usual having the kids come tell me what they want for Christmas and posing for pictures, when out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a young lady in her 20's who came acting very excited to see me.  She stood there talking with her co-workers and excitedly pointing at me.  Finally, when there was a lull in the crowd she eagerly she came and sat on my knee.  I asked her what she wanted for Christmas and I could tell by her accent that she was not from America. So I asked her where she was from originally and she said she was from Austria.

Well, my second language just so happens to be German, so I started to speak to her in her native language much to her surprise!  She quickly responded back to me in kind that she didn't know I spoke German and I responded that of course Santa knows German.  With a big grin and a sparkly tear in her eye, she told me that what she wanted most for Christmas was to go back to Austria to visit.  I didn't exactly know how I could respond to that request, so instead I asked her what her favorite memory was of Christmas back home in Austria.  She got a faraway look in her eyes and told me how she used to love to sing Christmas songs as a child.

Without hardly thinking, I started to sing, "Kling, Gretchen, Kling" (one of the Christmas songs that I knew that German speaking children sang). She immediately joined me and we sang the song together. When we finished, she smiled, clapped her hands and gave me a big hug.  She said that besides going back to Austria, I had just given her the best Christmas gift she could have gotten.

As she walked away, I thought of the scene in the movie, "A Miracle on 34th Street" where Kris Kringle is able to speak to the little Dutch girl and then they sing a Christmas song together in Dutch.  I chuckled to myself.

Sometimes being Santa is serendipitous!

Santa is the Good Guy

Today I was Santa Claus and I made a toddler cry....  Well no, not really - his parents did.  I was Santa for Oakwood Homes in their model home open house.  Benjamin came in with his family to visit Santa, and he walked right up to me and indicated that he wanted up. I picked up this 2 year old little boy and sat him on my knee, and he just sat there.  Not a word did he speak, he just sat there on my lap, happy as you please.  No one else was waiting to see me at the moment, so I did not put him down. I tried to talk to him, but he didn’t respond.  So we just sat there together.

Then the meanest person in the whole world came into the room to remove him from where he was so happy - His Mom!  Oh what screaming and wailing as she took him off my knee. “Snnnaanta help!” was his cry.  Off they went, Benjamin still screaming and reaching out for me, “Snnaanta help!”  Well it finally became quiet, when suddenly from the other room my little friend came running in and LEAPED into my arms.  Not one word did he speak, he just sat there, happy and contented. Then a co-conspirator in the meanness came in and ripped him away from his Snnaanta - his Dad.  The screaming started all over again, but this time, to Santa’s sadness, my little friend was dragged out of the house for good.

It’s fun to be the good guy!

The Real Santa!

Today I went to a local library as Santa Claus to greet the children there. Many of the children told me what they wanted for Christmas including Anna and Elsa dolls, legos and remote controlled trucks among other things. 

Some of them asked me very direct questions, such as is Rudolph real and does his nose really glow and why. I told them Rudolph was indeed real, and asked if they had ever watched those shows about those deep sea fish that glowed in the dark deep or the one with the dangling glowing thing like in "Finding Nemo". I explained they were real and glowed because of a good bacteria that caused the glow, and that is just why Rudolph's nose glows. They were satisfied.

But one of the children sat on my knee and looked up at me with bright piercing blue eyes and said, “Santa, I know that you can’t be everywhere at once so you have lots of helpers.  Last year I saw one of your helpers, and he was pretty good. But it’s so nice to have the real Santa here this year!”  My eyes started to get a little misty and I reached down and gave her a big hug.  Afterward her mother came up to me, and with tears in her eyes said, “you don’t know how much that means to her, because all she has talked about this year is that she was going to see Santa’s helper and that she would never see the real Santa.” She was so pleased that her daughter knew that she had finally seen the real Santa!

Being Santa is a big responsibility!

A Prayer With Santa

I was at a Challenger School doing one of three days worth of Santa appearances there.  As I walked in, beside the Secretary's desk was a sickroom and I looked in and saw a little girl laying on the bed.  I was in full Santa garb so when she saw me she waved, and Santa’s heart (as always around children) melted.  I went to her and pulling a candy cane out of my belt asked her what was wrong, to which she replied, “I'm not feeling too well today. My stomach is sick.”  

I thought I'd take this moment to take her mind off of her pain and ask her what she wanted for Christmas.  She told me the usual – dollies, Barbies, etc.  I was getting ready to leave when she said, “Santa I would feel a lot better if you would say a prayer with me.”  I told her I would be happy to hear one from her.  So she closed her eyes and bowed her head and she offered up a heartfelt prayer which could only could come from a sick little girl.  In it she said, “Heavenly Father, I'm not feeling well right now. But Santa came to visit me and I know that because Santa is here and praying with me, that I will feel better.  Please help me to feel better. Amen.”  A sweet spirit filled the room as she finished her prayer. 

I wished her a Merry Christmas and as I got up to leave I handed her a candy cane.  She laid back and looking at her mom who was in the room with her said, “I will be okay now because Santa came and said a prayer with me.”  I don't know whose eyes were more moist, the mother’s or mine.

Sometimes being Santa brings amazing moments.

Sometimes Santa Needs a Hand

This morning I had a GREAT Santa visit at the Sandy Library.  The children were great!  Lots of kids and even several parents got their pictures taken with me.  I had finished and was on my way out to my car when my head Elf told me she had locked the keys in the car.  I did not have a spare.  I laughed as she called a locksmith to help us out, or I should say to help us in to the car.  Well I now had a choice (as a 6'6" Santa does stick out a bit), I could either try to hide while we waited, or I could just sit out in front of the library on a bench and make the best of it.  Well, I didn't really have much choice as several children spotted me and ran over to visit with me, so I settled for the bench idea.  About 20 children came and we took pictures and they told me what they wanted for Christmas.  Finally the locksmith from Wally's Lock & Key came.  My Elf had not told him I was Santa, so he and his wife got a kick out of unlocking "Santa's Sleigh."

Thank goodness for those who can help Santa.  Thanks Wally & Mrs. Wally!

Fantasy is Fun

Being Santa Claus and having children sit on your lap, you get asked for some fun things. Last night at the daycare "Kids, Etc." one of my favorite requests was from a little boy who said (really fast and blended all his words together) "teenagemutantninjaturtles."  When I asked him which one, Donatello or Michelangelo or ... he emphatically replied "THE GREEN ONE!"

My second favorite response was from a little girl who she wanted a fairy.  I asked which one and she said "Tinkerbell, of course, 'cause she's the boss."  I told her I would see what I could do.  Then I said that I was stopping by Disneyland on my way back to the North Pole, and so I could say 'Hi' to Tinkerbell for her.  With a loud squeal and a thank you she jumped up, gave me a hug, and ran off to get a candy cane.

Santa's fantasy world is awesome!

                  Which "green one" do you think he wants???

Comfort and Joy

Tonight was my first Santa Claus appearance of this year!  I was on my way up to a show when I saw flashing lights up ahead.  After several minutes in the slow traffic, I saw it was an accident.  As I came up on the scene, I noticed that a mother and her young daughter were sitting on the side of the road, and of course I focused on the young girl who looked obviously shaken.  Being filled with the Santa Claus spirit, I pulled over in the parking lot behind the accident.  All I had on me was a candy cane.  I rang my bells and that little girl's eyes lit right up!  When she saw me she ran right to me and gave me a big hug.  I asked if she was okay and she said she was, but her mom's new car wasn't.  I asked her what she wanted for Christmas and gave her the candy cane.  I told her I had to get back to the North Pole and gave her another hug before getting back in my car. 

Sometimes being Santa Claus I can help to comfort others.

Hugs for Santa

Santa's main job is to have children sit on his lap and ask what they want for Christmas. When children are brought to me, there are many different reactions.  Some are so excited to see me that they bounce around and jump and wiggle.  Others are nonchalant like it is routine for them (but who visits Santa every day?).  Others are shy and timid and take quite a bit of coaxing.  And then there are the screamers!  I have to hold onto them like they are on a bucking bronco.

Last night while I was at a daycare center, I had one of my favorite kinds of reactions from a child.  This little boy came up to me and waited for me to pick him up and set him on my knee and he just snuggled back into my arm and kind of melted into me.  He seemed very contented and happy to be there.  After a picture was taken, I asked what he wanted for Christmas.  Smiling, he looked at me and said, "Oh, whatever, Santa."  So I started making some suggestions of certain toys and books, but he said he knew that I would bring him just the right thing.

I wished him Merry Christmas and was about to put him down and he squished closer in to me.  His mother came forward to take him, but he raised his hand to stop her and said that he didn't need to leave because Santa was his friend.  I signaled to his mom that it was okay and I looked down at him.  He looked up at me with his sparkling eyes and a big grin and said, "We're friends, right Santa?"  To which I agreed.

He sat with me for a minute, stroked my beard and then gave me a big hug, the kind of hug that melts you to your heart.  He told me he loved me, then hopped down and waved goodbye.

Santa loves being loved!

Santa's Happy Accident

Saturdays in December are my busiest days with several appearances scheduled.  There was a family in Saratoga Springs that I have previously done two magic shows for, but this year they wanted a Santa visit. The appearance was scheduled for 4:00 p.m. As usual I arrived about 5 minutes before so they could get me the gifts that I was to hand out.  I called just as I arrived to let him know I was out front, and his voice was a bit anxious.  He thought he had schedule me for 4:30 p.m.  I told him that was not a problem, that I would be back in a half hour.  Then I drove to a nearby street that had a field on one side and a house on the other that said, "Foreclosure/For Sale by Bank" on the other, so I thought I would be safe from people seeing me in my Santa attire.

As I sat there with my eyes closed listening to Christmas music, I had the distinct feeling that I was being watched.  I turned and looked at the "vacant" house only to see three little noses pressed against the glass door.  Doing what any respectable Santa would do, I quickly drove off.  But when my mind caught up with my car, I thought how awful it might be for those children to see Santa look at them then drive quickly away.

So I opened my stash of candy canes (every respectable Santa has one) grabbed a handful and headed back to the house.  When I pulled up to the curb, I saw a woman out front looking around.  I got out and asked if she was the mother here, to which she replied, "Are you the Santa my kids saw?"

I explained that I had a few minutes before my next appointment and asked if I could come and visit with her and her children.  She invited me right in.  I was greeted by three bouncing girls.  I noticed the meager belongings in the home and the disheveled appearance of the children. The mother told the oldest to go get Jonny.  A few moments later she came back with a young boy using forearm crutches.  I sat down and helped him onto my knee and asked what he wanted for Christmas.  He look up at me with tearful eyes and said he wanted to be able to keep their house.  I smiled and told him that I didn't think I could do that, but I would make sure he knew how much his family cared for him.  I told him that was the true spirit of Christmas.

He got down and one of his sisters climbed up and asked for a new shirt she could wear to school and a dolly.  Then each of the other two girls took a turn, one asked for warm shoes and the littlest also wanted a dolly.  At that moment I wished I had the magic to open my bag and produce the gifts they had asked for and looked like they needed, but all I had to give them were candy canes.  I handed them each one then watched as they each hung them on their sparsely decorated tree.  I wished them a Merry Christmas as I left.

I was grateful for the accident of my mixed up schedule which allowed me this opportunity to bring a little Christmas cheer into a difficult situation.

Being Santa brings sweet rewards!

Santa at Kneaders

I had the opportunity to be Santa for Kneaders located in Orem for their "French Toast with Santa" event. They had a section in the main dining room blocked off for people to visit with me and enjoy their specialty french toast.  Children would come tell me what they wanted, pose for pictures, and occasionally we would sing Christmas carols. Things were going along normally.

As things were winding down at the end of the night, an elderly woman came up and shook my hand.  I gently tugged on her hand and encouraged her to sit on my knee and said, "Tell Santa what you want for Christmas."

Her eyes lit up and she said, "Why don't you tell me what I want for Christmas?"

Smiling, I said, "You want all of your children and grandchildren to be healthy and happy and to have a wonderful holiday season." Then with a wink I added, "And that one special thing that you want for yourself, I'll try to get it under your tree this year."

She threw her arms around me and gave me a tight squeeze. "You're the best Santa we've ever had! You've made me believe in Santa again."

As she left the area, the gentleman who had been standing with her leaned down and asked me if I knew who she was, and I told him that I didn't.  He said that she was the owner of Kneaders!

Being Santa is NEVER normal!

My New Special Friend

Tonight I was Santa at the Sandy Library.  I had finished with my usual visits and was heading to my car when a little child stood in the doorway of the library, surprised to see me.  I could see that he was nervous and didn’t want to talk to me.  He was coming into the library with a book in his hand which I noticed was The Polar Express.  I commented that it was one of Santa’s favorite books.  Hearing this, he lit right up and started talking to me about his favorite parts of the story.  He kept coming back to the part where the boy gets the first gift of Christmas which was a jingle bell.

Now being Santa, I make sure that I jingle when I walk so everyone can hear me coming.  I have a strap of bells that I carry with me, and suddenly had a great idea for my new little friend.  I took the strap and pulled off one of the bells and handed it to him.  His eyes welled up with tears and he threw his arms around me and said, “Santa, you are my special friend, ‘cause Santa only gives a bell to his special friends.”  I look up to see that his mother and father were also teary eyed which got to me and I started to get emotional myself.  I managed to choke out, “Yes you are my special friend.”

That strap of bells only cost me about three dollars, but at that moment being Santa was priceless!

Santa Magic

Winder Dairy has me being their Santa every Thursday night from 6-8 p.m. until Christmas.  I get to meet a lot of fun people who tell me what they want for Christmas.  Most memorable  on my last visit were those who could not speak.

Three girls came in with two mentally disabled people, a man and a woman.  First the woman came up and stood beside me.  As always, I asked what she wanted for Christmas, but got no reply.  One of her companions explained to me that the woman could not communicate.  I stood up and took her hands and looked into her eyes and saw a spark of recognition for Santa.  I asked her companion what she liked to do and she told me she liked books.  Looking back into her eyes I asked the woman if she wanted Santa to bring her some books for Christmas.  Her eyes widened and she squoze my hand. Figuring that I was on the right track, I asked her some different types of books.  When I mentioned Disney books, her eyes widened again and she squoze my hands again.  I then asked about Disney princess books, and she squoze even tighter.  I smiled and sat down and looked at her companion and said, "It looks like she would like some Disney princess books for Christmas."

Her companion's mouth fell open in amazement and she said, "How did you do that?"  I smiled and winked and said, "Santa magic!"

Being Santa is magical!

Santa's Not a Doctor

Tonight as Santa at a library, I met a very sad little girl.  She came up to visit with me and I saw that she had a brand new bright yellow cast from her wrist all the way up her arm.  I carefully lifted her up to my knee and asked her what had happened.  Her eyes welled up with tears as she told me how she had fallen down the stairs and had broken her arm just before Christmas, and how much it hurt.

I told her how sorry I was that this had happened, and that Santa couldn't fix her arm.  But I told her I would bring her something special on Christmas morning that would make her happy.  I asked if there was anything else I could do for her, and she lowered her head for a moment the looked up into my eyes and said quickly, "I know!"

She carefully got down off my knee and walked away.  I continued visiting with the other children in line and having pictures taken.  After a while, I saw the little girl with the cast at the back of the line.  When it was finally her turn again, she marched up to me and handed me a sharpie marker.  She held up her cast and pointed to a specific spot and said, "Here, this will make it feel better."  So I was the first person to sign her cast - I signed "Santa" and "Ho, ho, ho."

Satisfied, she smiled and gave me the biggest one armed hug I have ever received.  She went over to show her mother, saying, "See, he signed it with a ho, ho, ho."  I was delighted to help replace a tear with a smile on a little girl's face.

Santa may not be able to mend broken bones, but it's great when I can help lift a little child's spirits.

A Gift for Santa

Sometimes it's better to receive than to give.  Yes, I said what I meant.

It is very important as Santa Claus to have fresh breath.  I usually have small mints with me at all times for just that reason.  Tonight as I was getting out a mint before my Santa appearance, I spilled them all over the parking lot - all but one small mint, thankfully.

On my way home after the party, I decided to stop at a 7-11 to pick up some more mints (besides I have a blast showing up unexpectedly in my Santa garb - I love the looks I get and the excitement of the surprised people around me, especially children).  I parked and reached for my wallet, then remembered that I had forgotten it at home.  I checked the payment I had just received for my Santa appearance, and the smallest bill was a $50.

I went in and grabbed 3 boxes of mini mints and went up to pay.  When it was my turn, the clerk rang it up and told me it was $6, and I handed him my $50.  His face fell, and he told me that a previous customer had paid with a $100 bill which cleaned him out of his small change.  I smiled and said, "never mind."  He smiled and said he hoped that wouldn't put him on the naughty list.

I turned to put the mints back when I felt a hand on my shoulder and heard a voice behind me say, "Just a minute Santa."  Then a very kind man put $6 plus tax on the counter and said the mints were on him.  I was about to tell him not to worry about it, but then a little voice inside my head said, "it's better to give than to receive," and I realized that this man was feeling the Christmas Spirit of giving by buying Santa some mints.  Then I decided that I needed to be gracious and accept this gift.  So I thanked him heartily and wished him a Merry Christmas.

Sometimes even Santa can receive.