Who’s the best Santa in town?
Smiling faces of children make it all worthwhile
WHILE the real Santa has been busy ensuring all gifts and presents are packed and ready before his huge trek across the globe, a selection of his “helpers” have been bringing joy and merriment to shopping centres around Port Elizabeth.
From finding ways to cope with the blistering heat to having beards tugged, difficult questions asked and high gift expectations, Santa’s stand-ins are still full of passion and drive.
With Christmas merely days away, The Herald went on a mission to see what makes these Santas tick and what brings them the most joy while children try to convince the red-suited, whitebearded man they have been good all year.
We also rated them on their physical appearance, outfit, beard authenticity, and, of course, their “ho, ho, ho!”
Although some were careful not to encourage too much optimism regarding gifts, they said it was the joy and excitement on the little ones’ faces when they saw Santa that encouraged them to get the kiddies in a festive mood rather than a demanding one.
“Some of the children ask for things I have never heard of before – one little girl said she wanted anything,” one Santa quipped.
Apart from the beard-tugging, overly excited bladders and frightened screams, Baywest Mall Santa Hugh Davidson, 61, said it was the faces of the children that made it worth it.
Davidson was the only Santa being rated who had his own authentic beard, although Walmer Park’s Mike Baker, 78 – who has been Santa for three years – said he regretted not growing his out for the occasion.
“It [the fake beard] is a bit of a pest, especially when it is tugged,” he chuckled, adding he was happy there was a fan to keep him cool in his full Santa suit. Pier 14’s Afton Oosthuizen, 59, said that over the past 16 years he had been Santa, he had enjoyed the kids’ happiness at having their picture taken with him, although some babies were known to cry.
Greenacres’ novice Santa Colin Dobson, 48, said he had enjoyed his first year so far.
While some kids screamed blue murder at first, they generally quietened down.
Cleary Park’s Ralph Coltman, 61, in his second year as Santa, said it was a pleasure for him to sit with children and entertain them.
“I am comfortable with the children – if you know how to handle them and speak to them, then there are fewer tears,” he said.
The most popular gifts requested, according to the Santas, include PlayStation consoles, Barbie, Lego, computer games and trucks or fire engines.