This will be a place that I can tell stories about my time as Santa Claus. There are several and I hope everyone enjoys them as much as I do.
The first story comes from when I first took up the mantel of Santa Claus. My family and I lived in Oak Harbor, Washington. I was in the Navy and was stationed there. I had met my wife and we had our first child there. The local department store on the island was looking for a part-time Santa Claus. Money was tight since having our first child and I saw this as an opportunity to provide a little more for my new little family.
The Santa suit, the beard and wig were awful but I had decided to do the best I could with what I had. I was set up in the middle of the store, in the middle of the aisle. People would walk by me on both sides. I had already been there three weekends and was really getting into the spirit of the gig. I had several children sit on my knee and tell me what their Christmas wishes were. It was wonderful to see their eyes light up while speaking to me.
One Sunday, I was sitting there and it was a kind of slow day. I had a few that stopped by but I was pretty much just sitting or walking around the store. I had just sat back down in the throne the store had me in when I noticed an elderly lady walking from behind me. She had a death grip on the cart.
“Hello young lady, what could ol’ Santa bring you for Christmas,” I said in my Santa voice.
The old woman reached her hand out and took mine and toddled around. She sat on my knee.
“Santa as of this December 10th, I will be 99 years old,” she said. “I would like for you to bring me one more year so I can be called a centenarian”.
“Well, my dear, I am not in charge of that, being a simple toy maker. But I know who is, so I’ll put in a good word for you,” I said smiling.
I did not see the old woman again that year.
The next Christmas season I got called to be the Santa again. I was sitting there and who should walk in. The elderly woman from the year before. She made a beeline for me.
Again, she reached out and sat on my knee. I told her it was very good to see her. She told me that she was now 100 years old. From then on, every Christmas season I would look for her. She was 103 years old when she passed away but she always said when she saw me that I was her personal Santa.
