By Jeff Rea aka Santa Clause
Mr. and Mrs. Santa aka Jeff and Julie Rea
I had never done anything like being a Santa for children at Christmast time and quite honestly, I really could not imagine myself doing it. I agreed because my wife Julie (aka Mrs. Santa ) was working with an addiction services organization and they were in a spot. Most of the children were having a very rough upbringing – parents were addicts/alcoholics, incarcerated, divorced or separated, had CSD involvement, as well as living on the street. Just about as bad a start as you can imagine, so it sounded like the right thing for me to do.
Julie jumped on Amazon and here comes a silly red outfit with this cheap beard. She assured me that it the cheap suit was just this time and….. well the big day arrived and I was nervous. Julie and a few of her co-workers were dressed up as an elves. Julie was also the photographer/child wrangler. I pretty much felt like a prop for pictures with no clue what to do or say. How bad can I screw up? Ho Ho Ho.
There was a big group in the lobby, and I see them looking down at a little girl who was moving like a pro football player. She was ducking and weaving, pushing her way to the front before breaking away from the rest on the run. This little girl “Bella” in a pink coat comes flying up into my lap. She looked up with big eyes and a look of wonder on her face. I felt something change deep inside. Such a sweet child who has no idea what a priceless gift she was giving me. I looked up a changed man as the next child came forward.
I felt the magic that being Santa brings. I was able to become him and get out of myself. It really felt amazing. I expected to have a bunch of little misbehaving brats begging for toys. I could not have been more wrong if I tried. They were not asking for things for themselves, but for family and others. For their family to be back together and places to live. They sat there and talked to me about adult problems that these children were dealing with. I just let then talk about whatever they needed to. Children give it to you like it is – unfiltered and raw. They shared their pain and joys. I prayed for the right thing to say but in the end, I found that just having someone listen to them was what they really wanted.
I learned about birth order, how the oldest one was treated one way and the last born was treated another. How those in the middle were sometimes in need of being heard the most. I was so overwhelmed after the day that I was exhausted and realized just what being Santa meant. I did some research and found a CD on “Being Santa”. I learned how not to make promises you can’t keep and not let yourself be backed into a corner. Children are way smarter than you think, especially ones that have heard it all before.
I went into the next year better equipped to handle some of the tougher questions. I wish I could say I have it down, but I am still learning. My Elf is now Mrs. Clause with thousands of pictures under her belt. The outfits have changed because I know I am not just going to stop. I feel it is a Calling at this point. You either feel it or you don’t. We all know the Santas who are just being a prop and those who feel it. I have to thank my wife for such a fulfilling gift. I could not do it without her. She is the one who spends the days of editing and getting the pictures for all the children. She has a supply of elf outfits for those kind enough to help, complete with the pointy ears. She even has an over size book of “The Night Before Christmas” that she reads to the children.
My big decisions are do I look at the child or the camera. I even bring a bucket of coal for a prop. I thought it was a prop until a little guy asked for a piece to take home. That was over 8 years ago. You just never know what the occasion will hold, but one thing for sure is the Spirit of Christmas is alive and well. Ho Ho Ho!
