I was born and raised right here in Acadiana and have lived here for most of my life. Christmas has always been my favorite holiday; I love the music, the decorations, but above all else I love the giving spirit of Christmas. Everyone seems to be happier and just a little more compassionate; it is simply the most magical time of year. Even as a child, I was always amazed at the lengths parents wou
ld go to ensure that their children could experience the generosity and love of such a selfless being as Santa Claus. In 2010, I finally got the chance to share the magic of Christmas with a child of my own. My wife and I have continued some family traditions with regards to Christmas, but we have also started some of our own. We took our daughter to see Santa every Christmas for many years, and every year I was in complete awe of each of the Santa’s we met and envious of the richly rewarding experience they must have. As luck would have it, a gentleman went into my wife’s place of business one day in December of 2016, and they had a most interesting conversation. He informed my wife that he was Santa and had been for the better part of thirty years in the Acadiana area. She shared with him my love of all things Christmas, and asked him if he would be willing to meet with me to discuss his experiences. Of course, I was overjoyed at the thought of meeting this man and hearing all of his terrific stories. We met one Saturday morning for coffee (well I drank coffee); he, being true to his alter ego, had milk! Anyway, when he walked through the doors, my jaw dropped…it was like Santa himself was there. We spoke for what seemed like hours about his years as the big man in red, and I discovered we had a lot in common. At one point he asked me to stand up, so I did, thinking all the while…this man is crazy. He then said to me, with all seriousness, “you know… you would make a great Santa.” I suddenly remembered what a clever woman I married; she had this in mind the whole time! The conversation continued as Santa Jack gave me some terrific advice on how to begin this journey. As soon as I returned home and thanked my beautiful wife, I immediately started shopping online. After several weeks of searching numerous websites for the right suit, I purchased a reasonably priced hand-made suit, along with a whole mess of accessories. I also ordered a fantastic wig and beard set (made from real hair and hand sewn) from Custom Wig Company out of Kentucky. I spent the next few months adding some finishing touches to the suit in order to achieve my one of a kind look and learning everything I could about Santa Claus. I spent hours reading book after book on the subject, everything from historical facts about St. Nicholas to marketing strategies and running a Santa business. With my newly completed suit, the support of a loving family, valuable advice from my incredible mentor (Santa Jack) and even more advice from another legendary Santa in the area (Santa Pat), Acadiana Santa was ready for his first Christmas Season in 2017. I had a truly unforgettable experience, and I look forward to providing the families and children in the Acadiana area with many more magical Christmas seasons.
