Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus

Happy, Happy Birthday Dad!

When Mom and Dad came out for dinner on Sunday I noticed his beard looked a bit unkempt. Then I realized it is rapidly approaching the holidays. About this time of year he allows his normally well-groomed and closely trimmed white beard to grow out long, full and fluffy. Dad volunteers his time as Santa for the local veterans, nursing homes, senior centers, a few charitable organizations, local businesses and various individuals.
It’s also about time for his yearly Santa photo shoot. He goes to Wal-Mart where the photo gallery staff does a collection of him as Santa. (One year the girls entered his photos in a nation wide contest of some sort and he won. He really enjoyed that.) The wallet sized photos he carries in his checkbook to hand out to children. Many times when we have been out for dinner, families with children seated close to us have a tendency to stare, point and whisper. When the children or we are leaving, Dad will stop and speak, asking one of those oh so pertinent questions like "Have you been a good boy or girl?" then pull out one of his Santa photos. Many times he will ask their names, sign the photo "To __…Merry Christmas Santa and date it. Other times when a total stranger will mention to him in passing that he looks like Santa, he will also hand them a photo, smile and say this is where he vacations.
One year (when I lived in TN and they were visiting) we were out shopping, a store manager approached Dad and asked if he would be their in-store Santa, he said he wished he could but he had to get back North. He wasn’t fibbing LOL MO is north of TN. The company I worked for at the time also thought he would also make a wonderful Santa for the annual Christmas party (he didn't). Last year a local optometrist asked him to be Santa in their holiday advertisements for the paper. Each year he volunteers for one new Santa gig as he calls them, plus has many that he turns down. He stays busy for 6 weeks during November and December.

The photo above is from last year at our Christmas family gathering. Dad the eldest member of our family at 77 years young holding his 3rd great grand child(son) at 7 months old.