The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
Santas for the season
A few weeks ago, the United Kingdom’s Sun newspaper reported a potential Santa Claus shortage as UK citizens’ “demand” for more Father Christmases “soared” – triggered, it was reasoned, by the widespread malaise surrounding the country’s then-upcoming general election and ongoing Brexit woes.
Noted Sun writer Daniel Jones: “Many places are introducing (Santa) grottos as an antidote to the (Dec. 12) General Election, which they fear risks overshadowing the festive season.”
“Have we got enough Santas? Ho Ho No!” de- clared the visual that ac- companied the Nov. 9 Sun article.
Political tempests aside – both here and abroad – there doesn’t seem to be any shortage of local Santa stand-ins. At least, among the cheerful volunteers who represent the big guy in red at community events like Plymouth’s and Conshohocken’s tree-lighting ceremonies, the former’s Holiday Swim & Give and Breakfast with Santa, the latter’s Winter Wonderland Celebration at the Fellowship House and the Class of 2022 Holiday Breakfast at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School.
So, what motivates the good-hearted guys (and occasionally gals) who fill in for him when the real Santa Claus is too busy to make it down from the North Pole before Christmas Eve?
“I just enjoy seeing the smiles on people’s faces, especially the kids,” says Brent Duensing, a Norristown resident who dons the trademark red suit for Colonial Neighborhood Council events in Conshohocken … among them, CNC’s Dec. 20-21 gift give-away at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church. “The babies are great. They just stare me down. They’re so cute.”
Although Duensing has been filling in for Santa “longer than I can remember,” he easily recalls how he got the job.
“Well, for starters, I had the belly,” he laughs. “I guess it goes back to my family. They were always kind to everyone. Everybody was welcome to visit … come for dinner, stuff like that. It makes me feel good when I can make someone else happy.”
Even with the short-term memory loss he suffered as the result of a “long ago” auto accident, Duensing easily describes his own childhood Christmases in Wayne, New Jersey.
“I still have great memories of being with the family and friend, going to Paterson to see all the lights, just spending time together,” he says. “I’m 63-years-old now, so I’ve been around since the mountains were just a little bump in the ground, but I was the youngest of four – the baby – so they all took care of me. My favorite gift ever as a kid? A batteryoperated robot that shot missiles or beams of some kind out of its head. I think it was called Mr. Machine.”
CNC Executive Director Sandi Fryer – whom many would describe as a yearround, if non-costumed, Mrs. Claus – calls Duensing “a wonderful guy.”
“He takes a bus to get here from Norristown, and he’s one of a kind,” Fryer says. “He makes me laugh just about every day. He’ll do anything to help out, and there’s just about nothing he can’t do. He has such a kind heart, too. When my grandchildren are coming down to help out (with CNC’s Kids Crew), they always ask, ‘Is Mr. Brent gonna be there?’
“He helps unload the truck for Meals on Wheels and helps deliver meals, and right now, we’re collecting coats (ahead of) the deep freeze that we’ll probably get in January and February, and he’s right there with that, too, helping out … always smiling, always in a good mood no matter how crazy it gets. Maybe we should all take a page from his book.” Maybe. As Santas and shoppers everywhere go into overtime (the National Retail Federation predicts consumers will spend an average $1,048 this holiday season “for items such as decorations, candy and gifts as well as other purchases for themselves and their families”), Duensing sees the holiday craziness this way:
“There’s always gonna be more you could do, and If you get everything done, fine…that’s great. But if not, you tried. And there’s always next year.”