Santa has always loved Christmas and watching holiday specials has been a part of his life for as long as he can remember. Miracle on 34th Street and The Santa Clause are two of his favorite Christmas movies. The Rankin/Bass special, Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, with Mickey Rooney as Santa, is still mandatory viewing in his house every year!
He first put on the red suit some time around 1979, when he was in the Cub Scouts. It was for a Christmas skit, and naturally he portrayed Santa Claus, who imparted a holiday lesson on his fellow scouts. Although the red suit was “retired” for quite some time after the first performance, Santa spent over three decades as a performer. He acted in plays over the years and performed in many skits for Vacation Bible School. While working with VBS as well as other entertainment companies, he would bring various characters to life, working without a script while interacting with children as well as adults. It was also during this time that Santa got his first few experiences being in parades, ironically enough, they were Christmas parades, even though he was not there to represent Santa yet.
It wasn’t until 2012 that he put the red suit back on. This time, he became Santa for an event at River City Wrestling in San Antonio. Although he was only Santa for a short time that evening, he definitely felt the magic of being Santa Claus. And it was something that he needed to do again.
In 2020, Santa was hired at the San Antonio Zoo for its annual Zoo Lights event. During his first weekend, one child caught the eye of a local news photographer, and they both ended up in an article in the San Antonio Express News. He spent many hours in the sleigh with countless children. While working for the Zoo, he also got the opportunity to do his first series of virtual visits for some close friends and family. And before the season came to an end, he got to do his first personal photo session, sharing the magic of a baby’s first Christmas.
In 2021, while serving as the primary Santa at the San Antonio Zoo, he made his debut as a “Santa for hire.” He has since made home visits, work with professional photographers, appeared at a wedding, birthday parties, appeared for different retailers, and was a hit at corporate and private Christmas parties.
He has also appeared at the Christmas Showcase at the Freeman Expo Hall, a brief stop at River City Wrestling, and performed twice with the Texas State University Stutters at the Strutters Holiday Spectacular.
Mrs. Claus started making appearances with Santa in 2022. Her experience working with children, since the late 1990’s, has prepared her to become a great Mrs. Claus. Interacting with kids requires patience, creativity, and a warm demeanor. These qualities are essential for embodying the spirit of Mrs. Claus and bringing joy to young ones during the holiday season.
