Who's Playing Santa?

[theotherwaldo]

I've already played Santa once this year for our city.
I'll be the Blue Santa this evening for our City Police toys for the kiddies party this evening.
I've been doing this kind of thing most years (except last) for decades, as well as elementary school visits and the occasional parade.
It's type-casting, of course. I'm built for the job.

Anybody else that helps spread the Christmas spirit in this way?

 

[theotherwaldo]

That was a blast!
The lines went almost all of the way around the park.
The police gave out thousands of toys, then raffled off the bigger stuff.
Everyone got a candy cane and a picture with Blue Santa, of course,,, ,

 

[Phantom 309]

Never to that extent, but a couple of years ago I played Santa for a relative of a relative (my wife's cousins brother in law). He and his family are good people and were going through a really rough time. They and the rest of the family agreed to not exchange gifts with anybody that year. But we all pitched in and got them a bunch of household stuff, big grocery/food/Visa gift cards and a LOT of cool toys for their daughter.

They had only met me once before, when I was clean shaven and short haired. I happened to have grown a beard and skipped haircuts for a while, so I was pressed into service. On Christmas eve we parked a couple buildings over from their apartment and loaded up a wagon with goodies, I donned a Santa hat and rang the doorbell. They had no idea who I was but I got hugs from everybody, told them lots of people love them, wished them a merry Christmas, and skeedattled before they could spot our car. I've seen them a few times since, and from what I understand they still have no idea who "Santa" was. Damn that felt good.

 

[theotherwaldo]

-And then I paid for it.
Apparently I came down with the Omicron strain and didn't really notice it.
Then I passed it on to my sister, who had a slightly harder time.

Ah, well.
Apparently, everybody else got it, too.
I was supposed to host our library association meeting this next Thursday but almost all of the Valley's library directors have tested positive... .

 

[theotherwaldo]

I get to be Santa again!
This time I get to ride in the holiday parade on a fire engine before I star in the "photo with Santa" booth.
Please, no COVID this time... .

 

[theotherwaldo]

A practice run today with around 80 day-care kids.
Whew!
That costume is just too hot to wear indoors!
Well, it was fun while it lasted... .

 

[theotherwaldo]

Santa got new boots.
I got tired of messing with the cheap spats that came with the suit.
EBay to the rescue!

 

[theotherwaldo]

Well, it didn't rain on my parade.
I was riding the ladder platform with Mrs. Claus as we rode through town on the city's new ladder truck.
It was cool enough to make the Santa suit fairly comfortable.
My waving muscles got a workout.
After the parade we did a 'photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus' at the posada that they held in the town square park.
It went pretty well.
The weather-guessers said that rain would set in just after dark, but it held off until this morning.
All in all, a success... .

 

[theotherwaldo]

One more time.
I'll be going to the County Health Department staff party for a 'Photos with Santa' session tomorrow.
That should be the last one for the year.

Ominously, my staff just dragged out the Easter Bunny costume... .

 

[theotherwaldo]

They're lining up to put me in the Santa suit again... .

 

[LiveLife]

They're lining up to put me in the Santa suit again... .

Pictures ... We want to see pictures.

 

[theotherwaldo]

In the park:

In the library:

 

[LiveLife]

They're lining up to put me in the Santa suit again ... In the park ... In the library

"Dear Santa, I have been a good husband to my wife and here's my Christmas list ..."

 

[theotherwaldo]

It's that season.
Mrs. Claus and I will be riding on the ladder platform of the Donna Fire Department ladder truck again in our annual parade, then starring in the 'Picture with Santa and Mrs. Claus' booth.
Gonna be a long day - Saturday from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm.
And no overtime - I'm exempt... .

 

[theotherwaldo]

Mrs. Claus and I got to ride the ladder truck again, this time accompanied by a very young fireman in a Sparky the Fire Dog costume.
Lots of attendees along the parade route.
Then we had the photo booth, which was a fiberglass sleigh.
Hundreds of photos, hundreds of hugs.
-And thousands of toys given out by the Donna Police.
Exhausting, but fun!

 

[LiveLife]

Anybody else that helps spread the Christmas spirit in this way?

Wife and I have played "secret Santa" to many deserving (And not so deserving) recipients as part of our retirement "Pay It Forward" project as we don't plan on taking any money with us when we die.

Seeing unexpected surprised looks on recipients from afar puts smile on our faces.

Then the look on our kids' faces when they found out their parents were Santa, Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy ... Priceless.