FAQs
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I work hard to keep up with the history of our winter traditions, including Celtic, Christian, Jewish and pagan. There are always new stories to learn, traditions to research.
- How did you get started doing this type of work?
I was a youth minister for 35 years. Early on my kids wanted to go caroliing at a veteran's hospital near our church. My friend made me the Santa suit with red corduroy and we put together song books. Off to the hospital we went. I went to each bed, holding each patient's hand and whispering to them as the kids and some parents sang carols. Sometimes the patient's were in coma, or gravely weakened. We sang nonetheless. During these visits there were sometimes family member sitting in the room, quiet and simply present to their unconscious son or daughter or spouse or parent.... There were often tears. But they were mostly tender tears, not altogether sad. Those experiences brought me into it all.
- What types of customers have you worked with?
I guess there are three: 1. Wandering a campus or town or event just being Pere Noel, greeting everyone, going into rooms and stores and restaurants and making sure every child is recognized. 2. Sitting in some kind of chair or throne with children lined up to visit and take photographs. 3. Speaking to a group, a church congregation or class.