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Last-Minute Santa Gig Leads to Rewarding Tradition
By
D. Oliver Black
Guest Columnist
I
wore my first Santa Claus suit some 35 years ago. At the time I was
working for a wholesale office supplier, and while waiting to talk
with a client, I overheard her on the phone trying to hire a Santa
to visit her home on Christmas morning.
Fortunately for me, that Santa was already booked. I told her that I thought
it seemed strange to hire someone she’d never even met to come to her home
on such a special occasion.
Having been a community actor for many years, I told the woman if she paid for
the costume rental, I would be honored to appear as Santa. She enthusiastically
agreed. I then drove home and told my wife what I had just done.
We lived in the Bay Area near San Jose, and both of our families lived in Sacramento.
My first customer lived in Vallejo, so the Santa stop would not be out of our
way.
It cost me about $60 dollars to rent the suit, and although it wasn’t as
nice as I would have liked, it was the best suit I could find on such short notice.
It came in one-size-fits-all, and I bought the wig and beard. I remember the
beard looked nothing like the real thing, and it was backed with a tacky sheet
of white plastic.
On Christmas Eve, I put on the suit. I added some of my wife’s rouge to
my cheeks and nose and whitened my eyebrows with white shoe polish (a trick I
learned in the theatre). I also took a pillow off the bed to give me added girth
(something I don’t have to do anymore), put on some white gloves, added
a pair of wire-rimmed gold-framed glasses and took a walk around the neighborhood
to try out my suit.
I was greeted warmly by all, and it felt so nice to see the joy that I brought
to others. For the first time, I experienced a heartwarming joy that I would
look forward to for many years to come.
The next morning, my wife and I headed off in our yellow Ford Pinto to my first
real visit as a Santa Claus. We had to be there by 8 a.m., so we hit the road
early, with me already dressed as Santa.
As we drove along, we passed vehicle after vehicle filled with tired adults and
weary children. Then an idea came to me. It was frosty cold, but I rolled down
my window, put my white glove-covered hand and my red-suited, white fur-trimmed
arm out into the freezing morning air.
I waved and honked at the next car I saw with children in the back. And how they
lit up! A boy and girl around 10 years old pressed their faces to the window,
animatedly gestured and shouted with glee, “SANTA!”
The parents turned and looked, too, and they also began to smile, wave and join
in the fun. The father honked the horn, and the mother rolled down her window
and shouted “Hello Santa” as loud as she could.
I continued this practice with several other vehicles on our trip, including
big rigs operated by some rather stoic looking drivers. Even they smiled and
sounded their air horns. It was exhilarating to say the least.
We arrived in Vallejo right on time, and I phoned my customer, Dee, from a payphone
to let her know I was just around the corner. I drove to her house where she
was waiting outside with gifts for her seven young grandchildren, nieces and
nephews.
Dee told me every child’s name and what they looked like and, believe it
or not, when I entered, I managed to call each child by the correct name. The
other adults had no idea Santa was coming, and since all the adult males in the
family were present, everyone wanted to know who Santa actually was and how he
knew all the children’s names.
Dee just smiled and smugly said “It’s Santa.” She kept the
secret for several months, letting her relatives guess who I was. The wife and
I then drove to Sacramento, and I got to play Santa again for our families. It
was exhilarating!
The next year, just after Thanksgiving, I found my very own Santa suit hanging
in the closet. My wife, who was a wonderful seamstress, had made it for me. And
I bought a much nicer wig and beard. I wore that suit for nearly 15 years before
a costumer friend of mine fashioned a new one. Both of the suits were made of
durable corduroy and served me well throughout the years.
This year, a good friend tailored a beautiful new suit for me. It’s velvety
and has longer, plushier fur. It’s spectacular! Last Christmas I decided
to let my real beard grow, and I haven’t shaved since. I no longer need
to wear a fake one or worry about anyone giving it a tug.
But it’s not really about the suit or beard; it’s about the feeling
I get every year when I don the suit and experience the joy I give and receive
from playing the part of Santa. I take the role seriously and have worked very
hard over the years to be the best Santa possible.
How could I have ever known where Santa would take me over the last 35 years?
I have been on TV, radio, worked at Macy’s and wrote, directed and played
Santa in my own original plays at Garbeau’s Dinner Theatre. My Santa picture
has been in nearly every local paper and magazine, and I’ve visited hospitals
and impoverished homes where the donated presents I was delivering were the only
ones the children would be getting.
Being Santa has brought me, and I hope many others, a whole lot of joy. Merry
Christmas to all.
This page and its contents ©2008
Metropolitan News Company, Inc.
