Santa: This was my best Christmas ever

Christmas 2004 was by far the most productive Christmas for Santa Claus. The jolly-by-nature local Kris Kringle who hails from Cascade has had to refuse jobs, even on Christmas day so as to catch up on some rest. Simon Araujo has had no less than five jobs a week since the start of the season bringing cheer to children at malls, homes, parties, schools and nurseries; also to the sick and infirmed at the St James Medical Complex. He has been everywhere: at the banks; on the beach with sunglasses, durag and Hawaiian shirt; and in television commercials, save for chimneys. He arrives at his destination by car, however, and sometimes by foot. His health may not be at its best as he has problems with blood sugar, blood pressure and stomach acid, but these in no way prevent him from performing his tasks.

Araujo, who holds a full-time office manager job and is dedicated to working with the Catholic church, has played the role of Santa Claus for some 10 years now. He was born on the Feast of Holy Innocence. “I have the face for it,” he explained as the main reason he was initially offered the job. Although missing is the snow white beard and hair, Araujo has the “real” assets. “Children always want to know if the belly is real, and if they believe it’s real they are more accepting,” he said. But his contentment comes in “bringing joy to kids, putting a little bit of life and love back to children. Santa is a way of bringing comfort. It allows children to live out their fantasies,” said Araujo. Last Wednesday, Araujo visited the St James infirmary and was touched by the response he received.

“It was my first time there and it kind of opens your mind to see what people go through.” At the malls, children come to him with requests for gifts and pictures. Others are just content to receive a gift from Santa. There are occasions aplenty where he is unable to furnish a youngster with his request. How does he handle it? “Santa will never promise that they will get it, but I never tell them that they won’t get their gift. I tell them it depends on how they behave and if they have been naughty, I tell them they can quickly get back on the nice list. Then I would pass the list to their parent.” He is prepared too, for occasions when children express their disbelief in Santa Claus. “I try not to respond to it. I reason in my mind that okay, they don’t believe but they still take a gift and that means something.”

The laugh (Ho! Ho! Ho!), and the tailor-made outfit are all part of the act, but he enjoys giving, more so than receiving. “I will do it all my life. I love to be around people and I’ll take whatever job that allows me to do that... The hours are long and hard sometimes. Sometimes I spend eight to 10 hours in that suit (in a day), cause I may have to move from mall to mall, and it’s very tiring. I have something heavy on and there is no air coming in, so I sweat a lot. But I try to drink as much water as I could.” A few days prior to December 25, anyone recognising a dressed-down Santa, would have found him shopping for Christmas presents for his family. Don’t call him “Santa!” out of costume nor “Simon”, or “Mr Araujo” while on the job because, like the professionals do it, he would not respond. “No gifts please!,” he requested. He had a wish though: “I wish for peace and understanding. We have to be able to understand others’ beliefs and ways. We have to recognise that what we want may not be right for everybody else.”