Santa’s Adventures in the Mall

by

Minnesota

When Santa came to our magazine office, he didn’t say “Ho, Ho, Howdy.” He simply shook my hand and gave me the merriest of smiles.

Sometimes going by Brian Thiry, for the last five years, Santa has spent most of his days from two weeks before Thanksgiving until Christmas Eve at the Miller Hill Mall in Duluth. (Thank goodness those elves know what to do to keep the North Pole workshop humming!)

He came to his vocation after his white mustache added a white goatee that became a full fledged beard. Then he acquired the red outfit that did indeed fit. “I certainly had the belly that filled out the jacket!”

Diane, his wife for 39 years (plus forever), made herself an outfit, too – the perfect Mrs. Claus.

Santa finds much joy in listening to the Christmas wishes of children – and sometimes adults – at the mall. He gets a chuckle when children ask for dishwashers or garbage disposals (Santa suspects mom applied some pressure for those requests). He explains after any wish that he will see what he can do – never making a promise he cannot keep. People come from all over the region, sometimes as far as Thunder Bay. One young couple have had their picture taken with him every year – and last year brought their first child for a group portrait.

I asked Santa to tell me some of his memories from past holidays so we can see the season through Santa’s eyes.

Each year, Miller Hill Mall has a special holiday event for children with autism or other disabilities that make it impossible to stand in the line to see Santa in a place that’s busy, bright and buzzing with activity.

The children and their parents come before the mall opens. The lights are turned low; the piped-in music is shut off. Santa greets everyone and listens to children’s wishes, but instead of a line, the children take numbers and go to different play stations to pass the time.

Santa really enjoys making connections in this way. The children like it, too, and sometimes amazing things happen. Even if they seem quite small.

Small indeed was the hand of the little girl when she walked timidly up to Santa at this event one year. Patiently, he waited and then held out his white-gloved hand to her. She reached out and barely clasped his fingers. Santa smiled and looked over at her mom. He was surprised to see her softly crying. Her little girl, it seems, had never before touched another person.

Santa loves when parents are able to help him make the best experience possible for the children who visit. He recalls one time when a determined little fellow marched boldly to him, hopped into his lap and demanded, “If you’re Santa, what’s my name?”

Glancing at the mom nearby, Santa saw her mouthing “Mason.”

“Hmm,” Santa told Mason. “I know so many children. Let me think through the alphabet. A, B, C … does your name start with an M?” Then he proceeded to spell out Mason’s name. With each letter, the little boy’s eyes got wider. Just when Santa was sure he had persuaded him, Mason suddenly scowled again and said, “Sure, but what’s my last name?”

A lesser fellow might have panicked, but Santa kept calm, and Mason’s mom came through again. With a smile she lifted up Mason’s hockey jersey that she was holding … with their last name emblazoned on the back.

Often musical guests come to join Santa at the mall, performing for the shoppers. One day, the orchestra from East High School set up outside Barnes and Noble.

The music inspired a tiny girl, perhaps 3 or 4 years old. She began to dance not far from Santa’s chair. Soon, he got up and danced with her to everyone’s delight.

“I wonder if she ever thinks about that,” Santa muses. “I do.”

The little boy held tightly to the envelope as he made his way with his mom to the front of the line to sit on Santa’s lap. Santa suspected he knew what was in that envelope – a list of wishes the boy hoped would be fulfilled on Christmas Eve.

The boy didn’t really say much once he crawled onto Santa’s lap, he just handed up the envelope. Inside, Santa found a gift certificate, good for the Caribou Coffee shop a few paces down from where he was greeting children.

How nice! thought the jolly fellow. Then he found the note that still brings his tears when he speaks of it today.

It read: “The children and I are doing 26 random acts of kindness for the 26 women and children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School. You are No. 5.”

“What a great mom,” Santa says, “to make something positive for her children out of something so horrible.”

A true gift in the spirit of the season forever living now in Santa’s heart.