I completely see the attraction of wanting to dress up as Santa Claus at this time of year.  You get to play celebrity for a day — bringing joy with your mere presence, receiving top billing in any number of Christmas parades,  soaking up  the excitement and adulation of all the kids in sight and taking all the credit for Mom and Dad’s thoughtfulness and hard work.  Plenty of Santas are happy to talk the talk during the holiday season, but apparently some of them even walk the walk.

Bill Swank (a.k.a. Baseball Santa) has been the Gaslamp Quarter’s Santa for years (as well as Balboa Park’s, among others’) and he is as jolly as they come.  Last week, while Bill was marching in the Gaslamp Quarter Holiday Pet Parade, some kids shouted at him from a second-story window of a low-income residence along the parade route.  He waved back at them and shot them a “Merry Christmas, kids!” at which they became visibly Santa-struck.  “Santa saw us!”  Santa Bill (Swankta Claus?) was so touched by the kids’ reaction to him that he decided he would try to track them down and find out who was in charge of them and what they want for Christmas.  He’s on the case now, and if this Santa can help it, those kids are going to get the Christmas surprise they deserve this year.

Sure, this is just one act of kindness for one group of kids, but wouldn’t it be great if every man and woman who donned a Santa suit during the holidays would follow suit? 

I don’t know about you, but I’m on the edge of my seat for this Christmas story, so check back after the holidays and I’ll let you know whether or not Santa made contact. 

Good hunting, Santa!

Santa’s Update:

I’m happy to report that, as if you had any doubt, Santa located the kids’ mother and told her what he had in mind for her family.  She told him that it had been a tough year and there were no gifts for her two boys, 6 and 3, on Christmas morning.  “Look out your window on Christmas morning,” Bill told her, “because Santa Claus is comin’ to town.”  A surprised and very grateful mom told Santa what her kids would like, and he was off to the toy store.  (Look, shipping costs from the North Pole are outrageous during the holidays!)  The wish list was happily filled, along with a few extra treats you’d expect from Baseball Santa —  baseballs, a bat, and a couple of yo-yos (why not?) — and Santa was ready to give at least these two less-than-fortunate kids an extra fortunate Christmas morning.

Imagine the boys’ surprise and delight when Santa delivered their gifts to them, still in their footies.  The Christmas spirit was all up in those kids, and they even spontaneously burst into “Jingle Bells” to thank Ol’ Saint Swank.  No doubt the kids’ excitement was thanks enough, but it was the youngest boy who reminded the Jolly Man what it’s all about when he said, “I’m so happy!”  Homerun, Santa. 

If San Diego doesn’t already have an official Santa Claus (and happens to need one), I nominate Bill “Baseball Santa” Swank.

Happy New Year, everyone!  All the best to you in 2010!