Why I became a Mall Santa
Becoming a Mall Santa isn't like any other job.
Growing up I wanted to be President. I even thought I wanted to be a teacher.
When you are young and believe in Santa you don't think that his job is available.
I wanted to be an actor, a writer, and a soldier. Santa wasn't a job that ever crossed my mind until my sisters had kids.
It all started with a small dilemma that my sister Kim had. She wanted her kids to visit Santa Claus without going to the mall.
She wanted pictures of her kids with Santa.
My first wife, Dorothy, said "Why don't you be Santa?"
That is how it all began.
Next thing I knew I was the Santa for my National Guard unit's Christmas Party. And then that became an annual thing.
Then it stopped for years. The Costume gathered dust in a closet. My wife and I divorced. I moved to New Mexico. It seemed that my days as Santa were over.
I remarried. Times got tough. I needed to make some extra money during the holidays.
Like magic an add for Mall Santa's appeared in the local newspaper. I thought about how much fun it was to be Santa. I thought about how easy it was to get into the role. So I applied.
That was the beginning of my journey as the Jolly Old Elf.
She wanted pictures of her kids with Santa.
My first wife, Dorothy, said "Why don't you be Santa?"
That is how it all began.
Next thing I knew I was the Santa for my National Guard unit's Christmas Party. And then that became an annual thing.
Then it stopped for years. The Costume gathered dust in a closet. My wife and I divorced. I moved to New Mexico. It seemed that my days as Santa were over.
I remarried. Times got tough. I needed to make some extra money during the holidays.
Like magic an add for Mall Santa's appeared in the local newspaper. I thought about how much fun it was to be Santa. I thought about how easy it was to get into the role. So I applied.
That was the beginning of my journey as the Jolly Old Elf.
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