Yes, Virginia, there’s a real Fraternal Order of Real Bearded Santa Clauses

By Angela Hill
Oakland Tribune, published  in the San Jose Mercury News

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back to snow business  (excerpt from Angela Hill’s article published in the San Jose Mercury News)

‘Some hard feelings remain, but most have gotten back to the calling of Claus. Santa Walter, a sixth-grade teacher (his kids all know Mr. Roach and Santa are the same big, booming guy) at San Jose’s Norwood Creek Elementary School, has been Santa-ing for about nine years. He’s mostly an event Santa now, posing for photos at the Willow Glen shopping district, plus private parties, a breakfast with Santa at Happy Hollow Zoo, a company party at an In-N-Out Burger in Lathrop.

“I try to keep my number of appearances below 60 in five weeks,” he booms in his deep voice. “It’s still better than being a mall Santa. That’s a real grind. We’re entertainers, and it can be very draining. You’re ‘on’ all the time, pulling out all the stops for every child. And that’s the only way to do it. No child should ever be disappointed in Santa.”‘