I wore the Red Suit (13 page)

One little girl I remember so well came and sat upon my knee and told me that all she wanted for Christmas was to have her daddy not sick anymore. Her name was Priscilla, and when she looked at me, you know this child just ripped out my heart. If you love kids, it is easy to be emotionally involved in their lives either with something tragic or having a sick parent. I had to remain calm and unattached and tell the little girl that Santa would pray for her father and do the best he can. It is tough; Santa has to be a non-religious entity sometimes. I am a Christian, and I cannot be something I am not. Since I am a Christian, I trust in the Holy Spirit to give me the right answers to the little children's needs. I may assume the role of Santa Claus, but I know what Christmas is really about. She felt a little better I am sure. I asked her what else she might want in the way of toys for Christmas. She said no toys, just her daddy made well again. I had no idea what his condition was; either sick with the flu or terminally ill. Some adults will just come to sit and watch Santa to see how he listens, and deals with the kids’ special requests

Several of the parents must have alerted the local newspaper because they did an article on me the following Saturday. They wrote a very small portion of one of my normal days at the mall as Santa. I had told the reporter about the little girl that wanted her sick father healed. I told her that I could not do that. Only God in heaven could perform miracles. However, what I could do was to pray for her father to Jesus. The little girl looked at me with hope in her eyes and said that was ok. From that newspaper article, I now have a host of people coming to me for healing and blessings. Secretly, every child who comes and sees me; I say a little prayer for them anyway. It is a prayer for their protection and good health. It is a tough world out there, with the kidnappers and degenerates prowling. St Nicholas went around healing the sick, blessing children, and praying for everyone's well being; could I do no less?

A small child once gave me a penny that he found on the floor by the wishing pool in the mall. He was so worried that whoever lost it will not get their wish because the penny did not go into the water. Now his logic was, since I am Santa Claus, and I know all the children in the world, and can grant Christmas wishes, would I give the penny back to the one who lost it? Then maybe they can ask for the wish again. I stuck the penny in my glove so I would not lose it. It shifted inside the glove every time I reached for a child to place on my knee. This gave me the idea how to remember to say a little prayer for each child that comes to me when those times become hectic and the line endless. From that one experience of the lost coin, and as a little reminder to say a pray for each precious child, I place a shiny new penny inside each gloved hand before I start my Santa role. As I reach for a child to put upon my knee, the penny will shift inside one of the gloves as a subtle reminder, but one that works for me. At the end of a busy day when I remove my gloves, there is a telltale copper stain in the palm of both my hands. I remember each child as I scrub it clean again. I still have that 1963 penny at the bottom of my red Santa bag. Someday the one who lost it will stop by. When that happens, I will know it.

Once a teen-age girl came to me and said she read about me in the paper, and would I bless her unborn baby?
 
She closed her eyes and put folded hands in her lap. I put my hands over hers and said a prayer for the protection to the child and its mother. She kissed me on the cheek and went upon her way smiling very contented. The world is in a sad shape if people need to see Santa for prayers and blessings. I do this because that is what Jesus has charged me to do. In a way, I feel it is my spiritual calling. Sometimes it feels like I have become St. Nicholas. Praying for children, blessing unborn babies and their mothers, and being a good role model.

A child asked me as I was doing my Santa routine, could he pray to me like he prays to God. “Will you hear me if I do?” “No” I return. “Only God and Jesus can hear your prayers. However, if you want, just write me a Christmas list and mail it to me at the North Pole or bring it here. I will try to do my best to bring you what you want.” She says she is too young to write, and she does not know all the words yet. “My spelling is very bad” she says. “Ok, then have your mommy or daddy write it for you.” “Daddy cannot write either.” “Well, I am sure that is not your daddy's fault he cannot write. Tell you what," I say while stroking my beard, “let’s write it now.” She smiles and says “yes.” I ask one of my helpers to bring me a notepad and a crayon, make it a green one. “Why a green one” the little girl asks? “Because green is your favorite color,” I add. “Yes, she says, how did you know?” “Santa magic” I answer back. She smiles with a twinkle in her eyes. The young girl sits on my lap and straightens out her little green dress. Before long, we compose a splendid Christmas list. She prints with the crayon, and Santa helps with the spelling of the words she cannot write yet. Barbie dolls, baby dolls, and several games.
 
I tell her at the end to put her name on it, so I know it is from her. She does that, and then adds a couple Xs and Os. I know what they are, but I ask her anyway. “What are those things?” “They are hugs, and kisses” she says. Then she gives me several of each.

Kringle Ear

           
Everybody has heard of Extra Sensory Perception (ESP). How about "that feeling that this happened to me before" (Dijivu). Well, I got a new one for all of you; I have coined it the “Kringle Ear.” Feel free to use it in everyday conversation if you will.

With a Kringle Ear is the ability to carry on a conversation with a child or adult and hear other people not near you talking and calling each other by name. I mentioned that Kringle Ear ability in earlier. I use this ability to eavesdrop on those who are coming to see me. It must have a Christmas magic behind it, as it only is strongest during that holiday. I watch people’s behavior and listen to what they tell each other what they want for Christmas before they even get near Santa. This has been an invaluable tool and has saved me from children asking, "what's my name"? Sure, I do not catch all of them, but I do average about seventy percent success in knowing a child’s name. The other times I rely on my helpers to catch a child's name from conversation or by asking the parents.

While I was sitting with a small child, I could overhear a father talking to his son somewhere behind me. I bet you Santa rides a Harley Davidson Motorcycle says a deep male voice. No, he does not dad, returns a higher pitch of a young boy. Just because you have that kind of motorcycle does not mean everybody else does. True said the father, but go ahead get in line and ask him? I do not want to dad. I tell you what says the father; I will bet you an ice cream, he rides a Harley. Putting another child down from my lap, I glance around to see what the child and his father look like. No, it was not anyone that I knew. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the child get on the end of the line. After several minutes, it was his turn. “Hi there Tommy” (A name already given me by my staff). He jumped on my knee and asked for several Christmas items. Oh Santa, he asked while getting down. “What kind of motorcycle do you have?” “I ride a Honda motorcycle Tommy. Are you interested in motorcycles too?” His face lit up even more, and he started to grin. I said it loud enough so the father could overhear me. “Yes” said the boy, “I am now.” The father's face got this blank look on it as his son came running up to tell him what he already had heard. As they started to walk away I said to Tommy, “enjoy your ice cream.” He waved good-bye, and I winked at the father. He smiled back; he knew.

This is hard, but it can be done with a little practice. Keep your ears open, your eyes too. Parents will call their kid's name more than once to say that Santa is sitting there. When you say hi Jimmy or Carla, I have been waiting for you. They do not realize that their parents had just called their name. The kids are used to their parents knowing the names, but not some fat guy in a red suit.

Another facet of this Kringle Ear is to understand children when they speak.

No matter how garbled they talk or whisper to me, I manage to figure out what they are saying. Sometimes they use just one word to describe a toy they want. After doing this for a while, I can understand them easily enough.