Santa, Grinch team up to visit kids
NORFOLK — Only in 2020 could the Grinch spread joy across Hampton Roads.
For several weeks, the green furry-faced character has been crashing charity events, cruising down the road in Santa’s sleigh and popping up at small businesses.
Though his identity is being kept under wraps, the Grinch is an employee of Lawyer Garage, a Virginia Beach automotive shop. Its owner, Aaron Lawyer, is known for having a fleet of quirky vehicles, including a life-sized Tonka truck and the Mystery Machine from Scooby-Doo.
This holiday fun is an extension of Lawyer’s latest car project. His Grinch has spent the past few weeks driving around in a 1997 Jeep Cherokee that had its top cut off and had been converted into Santa’s sleigh.
The sight of the Grinch touring around on a sleigh has attracted quite a bit of attention. People have posted pictures on social media of him on the road and at businesses.
On Tuesday, with his yellow eyes pressed to the windows of St. Mary’s Home for Disabled Children, the Grinch and Santa Claus made the residents smile and laugh.
“Some bounced up and down in their wheelchairs while others blew them kisses,” said Kristen Nelson, St. Mary’s Home spokesperson.
Santa and the Grinch arrived on Lawyer’s Cherokee-turned-sleigh. They presented St. Mary’s Home with $750 raised at Lawyer’s Garage drive-through light display on London Bridge Road in Virginia Beach.
The Grinch has visited Toys for Tots events and paid a visit to the grounds of The Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters.
Children are usually scared at first sight of the Grinch, but quickly warm up.
“When he breaks out the toys for them, they turn that frown around real quick,” said Aaron Lawyer. The Grinch works for him, but they’re keeping his real identity under wraps for now.
The mean one has been logging 17 hours a day traipsing around Hampton Roads, with many of his stops documented on social media.
“He has a following,” Lawyer said. “People are reaching out to us and asking, ‘Where’s the sleigh? Where can we find the Grinch?’”