END OF AN ERA FOR SANTA JOE
SANTA Joe has been donning the red suit and beard as one of “Santa’s helpers” in shopping malls for more than 25 years.
Joe Feeney, born in Glasgow, Scotland, has had to retire the beard and boots after seven years as Santa at Westfield Helensvale due to health issues, but said he had loved making children’s Christmas dreams come true as the man in red.
The former actor – who decided to start a career as a mall Santa when he retired – has
had roles in films such as Aquaman, Pirates of the Caribbean, Thor and Peter Pan.
The former air force pilot has jumped out of planes, captained sailing boats and chauffeured Formula 1 race car drivers, so was certainly qualified to steer a reindeer-led sleigh.
In his work as an actor, Mr Feeney has been a simulated patient for training doctors and had many community theatre roles with Gold Coast Little Theatre, Spotlight Theatre and Tweed Theatre Company.
But it has been his role as Santa for more than two decades that has given him the most joy and fulfilment.
His affinity with Christmas began when he was growing up in an orphanage in Scotland. When he was about 9 years old he was invited to Christmas dinner with a family and six other orphans.
He said the Christmas gift he received from the family was taken off him at by the sisters at the orphanage because it was “unfair to the other kids”.
“We got a nice meal and a gift and I will never forget it,” Mr Feeney said. “I wish I could have kept it.
“I wanted to do the same for other kids.”
Over his time as Santa, Mr Feeney has donated more than $8000 of his own money to buy gifts for disadvantaged kids so they could enjoy Christmas.
In fact, it was events like these that prompted the actor to take on the role of Santa at shopping centres.
“I have had quite a long following of people coming in each year,” he said.
“You are making memories for the family and your picture is going to be a part of their albums for years to come.
Mr Feeney has a sure-fire tactics of getting shy children to open up – he bonds with little girls over their love of the movie Frozen and calm the nerves of little boys by discussing the Cars movies.
“You have to be familiar with all the kids movies and toys and things so you can relate to them and strike up a conversation,” he said.
“Then the tears stop and can you just chat to them about things they like.”
The youngest person Santa Joe posed with was only four days old and he said he had seen customers come in yearly from a young age and has seen them literally grow up.
He has even had customers from his early days as Santa bring there own children in to have photos with him.
His red, padded suit can get hot during the Gold Coast summer as it was custommade in New York for an American winter.
“It’s an authentic suit but it does get a bit hot,” he said.
“But my life has been good and I’ve enjoyed being here.
YOU HAVE TO BE FAMILIAR WITH ALL THE KIDS MOVIES AND TOYS AND THINGS SO YOU CAN RELATE TO THEM AND STRIKE UP A CONVERSATION
SANTA JOE FEENY