WHERE DID SANTA GO?
Rob Folk dresses up as the Grinch at Victoria Square Mall for Christmas photos with the kids, including Brody Parsons, two, and sister Chloe, seven.
Kids have waited up to an hour to get their photo taken with The Grinch at Victoria Square Mall.
The Dr. Seuss character hijacked Santa’s big chair this year, and the twist on a long-held Christmas tradition in shopping malls has proven to be very popular. When Rob Folk emerged from his dressing room at 11 a.m. on Monday, there was already a lineup of parents with their kids.
“Even before I sat in the chair for the first time, they asked, “Do you want to be back next year?,’” said Folk, a 45-year-old construction worker and father of four.
Whether it’s houses, apartment complexes or bridges, Folk has been building things his entire life. That passion has extended into a love of creating costumes.
You’ve probably seen Folk before. In Regina, he’s well known for his Darth Maul costume, which he wears to charity events and comic conventions. In April, he debuted his Grinch costume at this year’s Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo.
Folk likes choosing characters who are a little less frequently seen. His Grinch costume takes its inspiration from the 2000 movie starring Jim Carrey.
Getting into the mask and makeup usually takes him about 45 minutes. After he uses an adhesive to stick the mask to his face, he air-brushes makeup onto the rest of his skin. It doesn’t come off until well after 7 p.m., when his shift at the mall is over and he’s driven himself home.
In addition to his appearances at the mall, Folk was invited to appear as The Grinch at St. Timothy School, where he read the original book to a Grade 1 class. He recently offered to deliver oranges as the character to help promote a fundraiser for his daughter’s dance club. Less than 24 hours after putting out the word on social media, Folk had 250 requests for deliveries.
Many of his costumes are handmade, and Folk is knowledgeable about how to use makeup to bring a character to life.
The big payoff for Folk is always the reaction from children.
“The kids are honestly the best part. It is the reason I honestly started cosplaying,” said Folk.
That affection isn’t always mutual. Not every young child is enthused about getting their picture taken with The Grinch.
Some of them are downright terrified. He is as cuddly as a cactus after all.
Folk said parents know what they’re getting into, and with The Grinch, a photo with a crying kid somehow still works.
“The Grinch can give you that face that Santa can’t with a crying child,” said Folk.
Folk said he believes the character’s appearances have been so popular because it’s something new and novel in the city.
Marsha Burkhart’s seven-yearold daughter, Chloe, and twoyear-old son, Brody, had no fears about visiting The Grinch. The pair wore their Grinch-themed pyjamas, and each gave Folk a hug after smiling for the camera. Burkhart even picked her daughter up from school during recess to avoid the long wait to see The Grinch during the evening.
“Santa’s always Santa. He’s been there for eons, but The Grinch just gives it a little different twist ... Yeah he stole Christmas, but he gave it back,” said Burkhart.