Skip Happens Podcast - Every Boot Has a Story!

How Santa Turns Belief Into Action And Joy For Every Child

• Skip Clark

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SPEAKER_03:

We go.

SPEAKER_04:

We're live. Hello, everybody.

SPEAKER_03:

I'm so excited.

SPEAKER_04:

Um, welcome to another edition of Independence because uh tonight is on our holiday show. This is so so amazing. Um, it's like I maybe have to find out he's driving a red truck. I don't know why it's red. I have a good idea, but he pulled up my son Zenak went absolutely nuts to the mother.

SPEAKER_01:

I was like having like buddy the yellow from out.

SPEAKER_04:

I was like, buddy, buddy. Yeah, yeah. Send him a welcome. Welcome to the pod zone. Well, thank you for having me. Well, that's a pleasure. Um, I have to ask, um, is this your first like podcast, or are you doing anything like this? Or have you become an influencer?

SPEAKER_00:

Um, I guess I have for some reason. Um, yes, this is definitely my first podcast. I cool. I'm kind of like get shook up over this technology, but I did, I think it was called Zoom. Yeah, oh yeah, yep. And it was for some children in El Paso, Texas. Oh wow, it was the poorest school district there. So I talked with the children, they asked a lot of questions about when I was a little boy, and they realized that I grew up a lot like they did.

SPEAKER_04:

And amazing comes seeing them. Amazing. I can't believe you're sitting here at my pod table, pod zone table. I'm like, I'm I'm just all giddy giddy.

SPEAKER_03:

Me too. Me too. I'm like, oh my god.

SPEAKER_04:

Exactly. Uh well, again, welcome. And uh, I know you're insanely busy this time of the year. Um, but what made you want to stop by Skip Happens? The podcast.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, I've known you, young man, for well over my life 50 years. Yes. Well, yeah, well over 50. Yes, and I've heard you on the radio. Thank you. And I saw you at the gala for Gigi's Playhouse. Oh, yes, yes. And uh, I was at another place helping out with a fundraiser at the stadium, and we ran into each other again. We did, we did, and your son, wonderful little boy.

SPEAKER_04:

Thank you. He was, he's just, you know, matter of fact, he he told me says dad before Santa Lee's he got to give him my list. And I said, uh, we got it covered, honey. I said, buddy. I said, but you know what? You just gotta keep this on the down low because uh here you are at at Zach's house in the pod zone. So I don't need anywhere I need to call somebody for security, if you know what I mean. Yeah. So how cool. It's good to see you though.

SPEAKER_00:

So good to see you. Really good to see you again, young man.

SPEAKER_04:

And a strong lady.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_04:

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01:

I'm just in shock. I really am. I'm just like, oh my gosh, it's here in the flesh.

SPEAKER_04:

Santa, you know, I have to ask, what's a um a normal workday like at the North Pole?

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, it's very busy. It slows down a little bit during warmer weather because we don't have air conditioning, but it's still fairly cool there. But we have trucks arriving all the time and occasionally an airplane. Really? And they're bringing items there to help us to build the toys, you know, wood and other things. So, and we had a big slowdown during COVID.

SPEAKER_04:

Oh, yeah. I was sorry about that.

SPEAKER_00:

Yes, a lot of the the elves were ill, and a lot of the people driving the big trucks bringing things were ill. So I said, you know, I hope you kids can understand I might not be able to have as many toys out there. So if you only get one, you're gonna know why.

SPEAKER_04:

I get it, I totally get it. And but I do have to I want to back it up a little bit because you arrived and I mentioned the red truck, and I'm like, I was expecting to hear maybe uh reindeer on the roof or something, or somebody knocking on my roof or the back door, but uh no, you pulled up in a red truck. So, what's that all about?

SPEAKER_00:

Well, actually, it's kind of warm for the reindeer. I get you. And the local firemen, no matter where I go, they loan me a red truck to use.

SPEAKER_01:

Very cool. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_04:

And and red for obviously reasons. I like that. Yeah, red. Red's your favorite color. Yes, it is, as I can see. Second favorite is green. No, yeah, I know. I was thinking about putting the green lights in here along with the red ones. You can't see them from where we're sitting, but then they are above you, so that that's kind of cool. Um, you know, uh, what's harder? Can I I don't mean to get into a lot of the uh the business side of things or what Santa does at the North Pole, but uh who's harder to manage? You gotta you gotta deal with the elves, yes, and then you have to deal with the reindeer, yes, and Mrs. Claus and Mrs. Claus.

SPEAKER_00:

Yes, by the way, give her give her her our love, um, yeah, our love. Well, you know that old thing about the three ring circus. Well, I'm supposed to be the guy juggling everything, but um, everybody really works together very hard. And the thing is, you know, people don't know that all of Santa's reindeer are girls.

SPEAKER_03:

Really?

SPEAKER_00:

And I've had children ask me why. I said, well, I said the girl reindeers they keep their horns till late, late in the summer so they can protect the little ones when they're born, so the boys don't need them. And I had one lady say it figures if there's hard work to do, a woman will have to do it. I said, please don't say that or all Mrs. Claws. I was gonna say, yeah, is the door closed? Yeah, it is. Okay.

SPEAKER_01:

So of course, Rudolph is the most famous reindeer of all, but do you have a famous reindeer, or who's like who's the reindeer that you like you just like you resonate with, you know?

SPEAKER_00:

You know what? All of them. All of them, not a single you know, they are they go way beyond being like a pet. They they just work so hard, and you know, they're all the time out there practicing, and sometimes they get injured, so we have to make sure everybody stays in good shape. And yeah, I um yes, I I know a lot of people are surprised when they hear all the reindeer girls. Do they ever call in sick on Christmas Eve?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, no, what happens when someone gets a sick day?

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, actually, knock on wood. I've never had it happen on Christmas Eve. And the way everybody pitches in for that big night, and do you know I couldn't possibly carry all the presents, millions and millions of them. And what I do is I swoop down to all these old train stations, and there you have the responder, first responders, yeah, yeah, like firefighters, people in law enforcement, uh, ambulance drivers and technicians, and they are there ready to hand it. Doesn't make any difference the weather, they are there to help me get that sleigh loaded up right off.

SPEAKER_04:

Oh, it's amazing you can get that off the ground because you got so much in the way of gifts and and all that, and and just and the speed you travel. I I I don't get it, I think it's the coolest thing going.

SPEAKER_01:

I'm like, man, you know, I like speed, I like to go fast, but well, that's amazing, but you know a thing or two about going fast.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, believe it or not, I hope there's nobody here from law enforcement, but now we we keep this hidden. I used to have a Harley Davidson really, and I rode them for years, and I did have a tendency to drive way too fast with it. Oh, well, even Mrs. Clos didn't complain, she liked it. She liked to ride it. Oh, yeah. Oh, I bet. I bet.

SPEAKER_01:

What role does Mrs. Claus play that we don't really like realize she plays?

SPEAKER_00:

Well, she got me a gift several years ago, she got me a very elaborate GPS. What she does, she keeps it on her desk, and every time the United Postal Service has a change in uh, you know, location as far as any family, they put it into a computer and they send it to her. So I always have an updated list of where everybody is, and oh, it's great. I get on there, I hit one button, and I can follow every place I have to go. So it's amazing. Yes, I get to have well, I do have some cookies for breakfast. But I get to I get to have breakfast with everybody, with all the owls, the reindeer, anybody that helps me.

SPEAKER_04:

You know, one thing, Santa, I don't mean to interrupt, but um if people are watching this, uh, because Santa, I mean, this does not happen all that often. No, it's like I can't remember the last time Santa sat in on a podcast, but he's here in the Skip Happens pod zone. Um, if you're watching this on YouTube, you feel free to comment. You want to say hello, you got somebody that wants to ask a question of Santa. But if you're watching this on Facebook, do me a favor, switch over to YouTube if you can. Uh, just go skip happens. It's gonna come up. You can watch it and let us know. If your little ones are watching this, by all means, I'd love to know. We'd love to give them a shout-out as well.

SPEAKER_00:

So, well, you know, Santa's been doing this since most of the parents uh that have children now before they were born. I started out in 1970. Mrs. Kloss and I had a little girl, oh, and that was the year in 1970, and I wanted to be a Santa for my children. Well, it just mushroom from there. My fur suit was plastic, you could see through it, you could see my street clothes, and I Harley clothes, right? Yeah, right. And I from there, a lady started making my suits, this jacket and pants. The lady spent over 200 hours hand sewing it.

SPEAKER_04:

Oh my goodness, you know, I it looks good on you, Santa. Thank you. It looks really good, really good. You know, I have uh James is on there, says, Hey Santa, please define good.

SPEAKER_00:

Good is when you do something, even though it's not fun and it doesn't help hurt anybody, and it puts a smile on your face. Can you um let me know if I'm on the naughty list? Oh no, I don't do that at all. You you don't disclose that. No, I was kind of worried that way. Everybody's good right up till Christmas Eve. Okay. And after that, I kind of give them a pass.

unknown:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04:

Ah, you're a good Santa. You're good. You're good. What's your um I know you get a lot of good when you show up here on Christmas Eve? I mean, you have like a great spread of cookies, and you got the milk, and we even put a little reindeer food out front. You've probably seen that when you come by. I did. But uh, do you have a favorite cookie?

SPEAKER_00:

Well, everybody thinks it's chocolate chip. But the truth is, I like the no baked cookies.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh my gosh, it's my baby. Right.

SPEAKER_00:

Yes, it's made with oatmeal and uh with cocoa, the powdered cocoa, and I I like it with a little coconut in it. And if you want to throw in some walnuts, it's really weird.

SPEAKER_03:

Wow, that sounds good.

SPEAKER_04:

I'll have to let Mrs. Clark know about that. So yeah, absolutely, absolutely. So Christmas.

SPEAKER_01:

Do you have any like pre-flight rituals? Like, how do you prepare yourself the night before Christmas?

SPEAKER_00:

Well, I start off by saying a prayer that I'll have at least one gift for each child. And there's a lot of times there's a single parent um household. So I like something also for that parent. And I say another prayer that everything will go well, that there won't be any injuries or hurt feelings or that. And you know, my reindeer will actually get down and they'll squat down. They say their own prayer that they have a safe trip. Wow, I love that.

SPEAKER_04:

You know, there's a lot going on in the world, and you go around the world. I mean, it's so like I mentioned before, the speed is unbelievable. But uh, when you head around the world and now with all the uprising in the Middle East, does that any of that worry you, Santa? Are you, you know, you got your sleigh, you're moving through the atmosphere, you you're trying to, you know, you've got guests for everybody, and we're all human. Well, we all need to love each other.

SPEAKER_00:

Let me tell you, I have dealt with people from all over the world, people where there's wars and so on. And I guess could say they have told me they know my heart is pure and I want to help everybody. I guess could say that politics never enter into what Santa's doing. And they know I don't just help children. They know sometimes people need, I guess, say some encouragement or whatever about their what they're doing. And you know, Santa does it, but it it does bother Santa. Now I kind of got this from my parents, but more from my dad. He was the first American soldier to enter DACO when it was liberated.

SPEAKER_04:

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_00:

So I I have really made an effort to go out there and actually with youth groups teaching them, look, we may have differences, but in a lot of ways we're the same. Yeah. I gotcha. I gotcha.

SPEAKER_04:

Wow. I'm just I'm still all giddy giddy. I don't know what else to tell you. I'm just like all giddy giddy. Um, when it doesn't snow, let's say, you know, we've had, and there's places in the world where there's no snow, but you still you still show up. How does the the sleigh and the reindeer handle all that?

SPEAKER_00:

I mean you know, I wish I had the answer. It's magic. It's you don't even the reindeer don't know how they say, we just know that we can, and we have enough faith to believe we can do it. So they do. Wow. And you know, it was a shame when I first got Rudolph, the other reindeer made fun of them. I heard that. That that was sad. And then one night, and it was a horrible night, a really bad blizzard. I couldn't see. And they tweeted wrote Rudolph about his nose glowing. And I said, Boy, you know what? I'll bet you if he was up there in front with that red nose, he could like the way. And it was a good lesson not only for the other reindeer, but it's like I tell children, you may have children in your class that may look a little different, or they may be in a wheelchair. My best friend in high school was in a wheelchair his whole life. He was such a very smart person. And you know, I try to point out to kids just because you're different doesn't mean there's something wrong with you. Oh, absolutely. So now I've had little ones tell me that when they've gone back to school, they make a point to be friends with these kids. And I said, you know, they're really all very special.

SPEAKER_04:

They are. I know I know very well. Yeah, well, that almost did me in. Wow. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

What's your your favorite way of receiving letters? Do you like the handwritten letters? Do you like the drawings of the presents that the kids want? Do you like email? Yeah, like the email. Do you like the USB file that's got the presentation? I don't know. Well, I'll tell you.

SPEAKER_00:

What's your favorite way to I have the handwritten letters and pictures and so on going all the way back to 1970 when I started doing this? And I have some families that I've been doing sanophore for so long that the infants now have children of their own. And some of those children are in their teens. So, you know, it goes from one generation to another.

SPEAKER_04:

How do you fuel your sleigh? Is it the more you believe, the time, and the faster you go?

SPEAKER_00:

I I think that's it. And you know, one of the things I try to tell children and parents, it's so cold up there. But with my suit, I'm plenty warm, and the reindeer are. But I can't I can't bring pets with me. It's way, way too cold, and they would freeze up there. Oh, yeah, that's a good point.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, but uh there's gotta be another way though, because Santa does bring pets for the kids, so you just can't do it that way. Maybe you have them shipped somehow, somehow, and you you make sure they end up there.

SPEAKER_00:

So no, I I do have helpers. Oh, that's a secret, and they're they're kind of sneaky, they'll put a little puppy into a great big box and leave it on the front steps, or they'll ring the doorbell and they'll run, and the kids will come to the door and see the box, and they'll hear the noise. Yes, one little girl, she got a Saint Bernard puppy. That's a big puppy. It was like that is a big puppy, it was definitely like a full-grown dog, and you know, it was instant love with the two of them. He comes out of the box, runs right to her, she's hugging them, and he's licking her face, and the parents are staying there with tears in their eyes. I said, How much joy can you get? You know, we my uh Mrs. Closs and I have a little rescue, and he's wicked funny, and he's also wicked smart. He knows what time it is to eat. Oh, we have a yellow lab that does that. Well, I'll tell you.

SPEAKER_01:

I have a mini Australian that does the same thing.

SPEAKER_00:

I'll tell you what he did one day to me, and I go, Oh god, I don't need this. He would eat his dinner at four in the evening. So he comes over and he yips, and it says, Yip for I want to eat. And I go, No, it's too early. And I pointed at the clock on the mantle. So he disappears. I'm watching my movie on TV. He comes back down, he yips, turns, and he looked right at the clock. Like, yeah, I know it's four o'clock. So you knew it.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, you knew it. What um this is the the busy time time of the year for you, and it all comes to a head like pretty soon in a week. A week a week from now, it's gonna be over with.

SPEAKER_03:

Yes.

SPEAKER_04:

So when you get back to the North Pole, everything settles down. Do you does everybody just go on vacation? Do they chill? Do you have a party saying everybody did a great job? How does that work with everybody?

SPEAKER_00:

We definitely have a party for everybody. Extra rations for the reindeer, extra sweets. Yeah. For the elves. And sometime Mrs. Kloss and I will actually go to upstate New York to go and visit around the Thousand Islands and uh downtown Sarnack, Placid, uh all the lakes, the finger. Yeah, watch out for the bears up there. Yes. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04:

I was there when I was in Boy Scouts, you may remember. Um, I don't know because Santa watches you all year round, but uh at uh Camp Sebatis, if we left left the food out on the table, it would disappear, it would disappear. And the bears would be at the uh dump, but they'd always kind of wander around.

SPEAKER_00:

So yeah, yes, crazy. Santa had the fright of his life. I was out hiking, and I think it was Warrensburg, New York. So I sat down and I nodded off, and I heard this hoomph, and it was it was a bear and it like made a huffing noise, and I stood up, turned, and looked, and he looked, and we both ran.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, but you were in incognito because you weren't in your I wasn't wearing my Santa suit. Right, exactly. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01:

The holidays are full of a lot of Christmas cheer imagination. Um, what role do you think imagination plays in society, or how important do you think that that spirit, that that joyfulness is for the bigger picture of things?

SPEAKER_00:

I'm a firm believer that anything human beings can imagine, they can create. And one of those things, of course, it smiles on people's faces. Um walking up to somebody's a complete stranger and telling me you're sorry they're having a bad day. Um it's just it's extremely important. I mean, as you said, there's so many things going on in the world, and this is like you say, the time of the year when I really try very, very hard to make people smile. Well, you do a good job of it.

SPEAKER_04:

Oh, thank you. Always, always. I mean, we look forward to it, you know, and Santa, we know Santa's coming. That's pretty exciting news.

SPEAKER_00:

You know, there's so many ways that people can help others. Back in 2000, I was approached by the Red Cross, and they asked me if I'd be willing to be a bone marrow donor. Oh, wow. So in 2000, I got to be a bone marrow donor, and I I felt very, very blessed. But according to the doctor, it was unusual because he said they mixed my blood with his child's blood, who happened to be in England, uh-huh. It had never been done before. The National Institute of Health had to create paperwork. And do you know what? It took maybe all of two hours of my life. But like they say, a man maybe can't give uh birth, but you know what? We can give them an extended life.

SPEAKER_04:

So yeah, Santa, that that's wonderful. And that's that's great that you're saying that. And again, I if anybody's watching this and you want to ask Santa a question, you got the kids there, they want to give a shout out. Santa, and Santa will give you a shout-out. Let them know what you want. You know, yeah, we'll just pass along. He's sitting right here in the uh in the pod zone, first time ever on a podcast. Yes, this is amazing. It is amazing, isn't it? Now see, now yep. When you talk to other people around the world, you can just go, you know, I saw this guy skip in uh Miss Ray in Syracuse.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, you know, Santa actually did a seminar for Santa's from all over the country, Ohio, Maine, Rhode Island, just all over. And uh this other gentleman who's one of my helpers asked me if I would do a seminar. And I go, Well, sure, what do you want me to do? And he said, I want you to tell all these other Santas what you do, like raising the money by going to house and company parties and donating it out and the impact that you can have when you go and talk to children. You know, it's uh I can't even begin to tell you how rewarding it's gotta be.

SPEAKER_04:

It's gotta be. And Heather, um Heather commented, uh, Santa, oh how I love you and the magic you bring to so many of us.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, thank you. But you know what? I think Santa kind of gets a lot more out of it than everybody because it's just such a joyful thing to be able to do.

SPEAKER_04:

And that's why you've been doing this for so many years, that you can just keep going and going and going because it's it's believing, it's uh knowing what people need. Uh, it's that whole thing, it all comes from your heart, you know.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, children will ask me how old I am, and I'm very honest. Uh-oh. I tell them I was born BC. Oh, okay. And I was at a house party, and there were two Catholic priests. I said, now for Santa, BC means something different. So the little kids all leaned forward and said, What does it mean? I said, I'm so old. I was born before computers, and they can relate to it. They go, Wow, you're really old. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04:

I love that. I love that. I was gonna say before Christmas, but obviously before computers, that's what everybody thinks. Yeah. That was that was they had no idea, but uh, we don't give out the numbers, so we don't need to do that. Yeah, new, not at all.

SPEAKER_01:

So during the month of December, you do a lot of community involvement. You know, you go and visit kids all over all over the state, all over New York State, all over the country, all over the world. Um, and then you deliver presents um on Christmas. What does a normal day look like outside of December? So up in the North Pole, what is it normally like up there? What do you I mean, do you celebrate summer? Do you do summer?

SPEAKER_04:

Oh, most definitely. Well, he said he does a little uh camping upstairs. That's true.

SPEAKER_01:

There has to be no snow at one point in your life if you're Harley Davidson. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, actually, that's something that never faced Santa. I rode my Harley Davidson from Binghamton, New York to Syracuse, and it was snowing so hard, people were pulling over. I got caught off guard. I didn't know it was going to snow, neither did anybody else, but I got home.

SPEAKER_04:

Wow, if only they had known that was Santa. Well, that's why. That's that's that's why because you're Santa.

SPEAKER_00:

I mean, come on, you got the magic, you make it happen. Well, people waved at me, and some of them just shook their heads like this man is crazy. But you're not Harley Snow. Yes, yeah. So was it a fat boy? No, no, no, I'm the fat boy. No, it was called a heritage soft tail, okay, and it looked like a Harley from oh, the late 40s, early 50s. Sweet, sweet, love that.

SPEAKER_04:

So, what do you I mean in the offseason? You get together and play ball with the elves. What goes on?

SPEAKER_00:

Yes, I'm always up to anything they want to do that's going to give them a good time.

SPEAKER_01:

And do you vacation? Have you ever vacationed?

SPEAKER_00:

This sounds like the commercial on television where the progressive girl said, What's that? Oh, yeah, you mean like what I'm setting in my well, actually, to me, a vacation is having time to do some things with Mrs. Kloss, things to do with the elves. Like we all will share time together. Uh, we've gone fishing together, we've gone camping together. And uh, I also have brought them along because Santa is a volunteer on a wilderness search and rescue team. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So they really like that a lot because they were taught things like low angle rescue, which means like if somebody falls down a cliff or whatever, uh crime scene preservation, because we work all the time with law enforcement. Uh, we there's just so many things, and you don't get the normal first aid when we get our training, because sometimes the people are way out, you know, three or four miles into the woods. So it's a lot of things.

SPEAKER_04:

I I never realized Santa was into all that. I mean, I guess it's like a guy I go back to saying you've got the magic, you got the belief, you know, you know where things are and how to fix things and just make it happen for everybody.

SPEAKER_01:

I'm not surprised by any of this, if I do say so myself. Have you ever seen Santa Clauses come into town? He was so in touch with the animals, he was he was so in nature. He movies they do a great job of showing you in your story, of course. What's your favorite Christmas movie? What's one more that you're like, you know, I kind of tell you tells my story.

SPEAKER_00:

The Christmas story with Darren McGay. Oh, yeah, yes. Now, I'll tell you how I say how much that's my favorite. I actually talked with a gentleman who's local, and he makes a um barbecue sauce, it's very special, and we got talking. He knows the man that played the little boy that was in the snowsuit that puts his arms up in there and he can't, you know, walk or whatever.

SPEAKER_01:

Like the little brother ran.

SPEAKER_00:

So he has a snowsuit and he has a big piece of plywood with a cutout, so people can go up and put their face there and have their picture taken with that original snow suit. That's it. And he also has the fire truck from the movie. So Santa's gonna be doing some fundraisers this next year. Oh, nice. Uh, one of them will be furs, feathers, and fins, which will be for basically any type of animal. There's some people they love their pets, but they need a little bit of help. So Santa tries to help with that.

SPEAKER_04:

So Abilene, I gotta know from somebody. Abilene has been especially good this year, Santa. So you need to know that.

SPEAKER_00:

You know that, I'm sure that's uh you got the definitely, yeah, yeah. Yeah, way to go, Abilene. Yes, Abeline, and thank goodness for the elves on the shelf. Boy, do they oh do they report back?

SPEAKER_04:

Do they really come on? They are required to.

unknown:

Wow.

SPEAKER_04:

Tell us about that.

SPEAKER_01:

That whole I mean, yeah, and then I I always happens if a family doesn't have an elf on the shelf. What what do you do in those situations?

SPEAKER_00:

Like, how do you I still find you still know?

SPEAKER_01:

You still know.

SPEAKER_00:

You know, I have been out, I have been out shopping.

SPEAKER_01:

I should have known better. He knows, he knows.

SPEAKER_00:

I've been out shopping in street clothes, and they think I'm just a guy with a beard and white hair. Little do they know, yes, little do they know, so they'll be misbehaving, and I'll walk up to their mom because I never give anything to a child. I let the parents do that, and I will give the card to the parent and has a magnet on the back. I said, if they misbehave like this anymore, keep this on your refrigerator. She goes, Oh my god, it's really you, isn't it? And I said, Yes, it is. I was just gonna ask kids' eyes get so big.

SPEAKER_04:

Wow, that is any close calls of somebody going, Oh my god, that's Santa.

SPEAKER_00:

I know it's Santa. I I got a phone call from a mom and dad whose children were just raising heck, so they were fairly close by. So I go to visit, and there's a stairway in their garage to go down into the basement. It was so loud, the screaming and hollering. So I knocked on the door, they opened the door, and I stood there with my hands on my hips, and I said, What is the meaning of this? You promised me you were all going to behave. I said, Where's your mother and father? So they came down and I go, I'm so disappointed. Santa, we're really sorry. We told them they better behave. It's close to Christmas. I go, This is the last chance. I said, You've promised and promised. So next year, if you're not behaving, I'm not gonna be able to bring presents for any of you, and I don't want it to be like that.

SPEAKER_01:

So someone can have a rough year and still be able to make it on the good list, or okay, okay.

SPEAKER_04:

I was kind of wondering about it.

SPEAKER_00:

That is good to know if you're that is good to know. It's like but three chances you're out. Yeah, it's like adults, they know they're supposed to behave. And I guess you could say as they get to the end of their years, they start thinking about that, and they change, I guess say, the attitude they have, and they behave like they should have when they were little kids.

SPEAKER_04:

I have to ask, do you listen to music while you're doing your thing? Um so and what's on your playlist in the sleigh?

SPEAKER_00:

Well, of course, I think it's gotta be quick. My number one button is 92.1, of course.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, well called that yeah, exactly. And uh as a matter of fact, I kind of figured that, and I was hoping you would say that. Yes. But that's cool. But so you're listening to some country while you're you're getting things done.

SPEAKER_00:

Most definitely.

SPEAKER_04:

That's cool. That's cool. And plus with the the the extensive satellite equipment that I would assume is on your sleigh, you can listen to us anywhere in the world.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, Motorola actually helps support our search and rescue team. So, needless to say, they know who I am and I get some of their latest equipment. Here, we just want you to try it, you know.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, but speak highly of it, and you can have yes. But it all works. Oh, I get that. That is cool. That is cool.

SPEAKER_01:

How has the evolution of technology helped with the delivery of presents and stuff? Has it made it easy? That's a great question. Or do you struggle with technology?

SPEAKER_00:

I do some, but um, I have found ways using technology to get money for charities. Like one charity needed uh eight thousand dollars for engineering work and blueprints to get this building built, which is called Casey's Place.

SPEAKER_04:

Oh, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

And I'm kind of sneaky, they say I have a little bit of the devil in me. But I went to a foundation, didn't ask them for$8,000, I asked them for$10,000. They gave it to me, and oh my gosh, they did a they did a big blown-up check that I had my bag and the children with uh Casey's place, they were having their party at the zoo. So I said, Young lady, Mrs. Diane Napa, come here.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, I know Diane.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I have something for you. And I took it out of my bag, gave it to two gentlemen with a foundation, and when I stepped away and she saw the check, she started crying. I said, Wait a minute, you're unhappy? Isn't this what you want? And she comes over and she hugged me.

SPEAKER_04:

She's oh my gosh. So Santa comes through.

SPEAKER_00:

People want to help. It's just, you know, it's just normal. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04:

So I can't say this enough. If you're sitting there and you're watching this, uh, this is really happening. Santa is sitting here in the pod zone, and it's an opportunity for any of you to, if you have a question, maybe you're, you know, some of your kids are sitting there with you and you're watching this. Uh by all means, uh just uh comment and Santa will respond. He's sitting right here. And as I said that, another one came in. So let's see what this one's all about. I would love Santa to share more about how he makes sure kids with disabilities feel his magic. It's my favorite. So it said, I would love Santa to share more about how he makes sure kids with disabilities feel his magic.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, I'm extremely patient. And people said you have a God-given gift because I can make any child or elderly person in particular smile. And since about 1980, Santa has been involved with several different organizations that help children with disabilities. I was one of the founding members of the wheelchair, the Syracuse wheelchair sports team. I would take children that were uh in the youth groups and have them meet with people with disabilities. One gentleman, he didn't have any use of his legs, only the use of one arm, and he swam competitively. And he was he was within he was within 10 seconds of the Olympic record for freestyle. Now stop and think about that. 10 seconds, which is a long, long time. Yes, yeah, but he only had the use of one arm. So he I had him sitting in a chair when we had this get together with the children, and he's talking about the different things he did in his life, and he turns to me. Of course, we had pre-planned this. He said, Would you go get my chair? I go, sure. And I went over, I took his wheelchair out of the closet, and those children just sat there with their jaws hanging down. Yeah, that's great story. Santa has done a lot to raise money for children with disabilities. And I was told that I did miracles, but I pointed out to them it wasn't me. I said there's a power much stronger than me, and I pointed up. I've had so many nonverbal autistic children that I was able to get to talk. And when they say it's a miracle, I point out to them. I look them right in the eye, I ask them a question, and they know I expect them to answer. The oldest child that was nonverbal that talked to me was 15.

unknown:

Wow.

SPEAKER_00:

So Santa just I'm just happening to be the monkey in the middle.

SPEAKER_04:

No, but you know, and everything you've been telling Miss Ray and myself, and a lot of things we did not know about you, Santa, um, that even when it's not Christmas time, you're somewhere. Oh, yeah. And and the people just don't realize it's you and you're making it happen. And oh man, that just wow. I that's inspirational. I got goosebumps, I got the chicken noodles.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, Santa actually has a big thick binder about three inches thick with over 400 business cards. So if somebody's going to do a fundraiser, I have all these different cards for bands, food, whatever. And the director of Make a Wish locally, uh, Diane Cuperman said, why don't you put together some kind of a, you know, a binder, a smaller one for people so they'll know how to do fundraisers. So I did exactly that. And I can hand that to somebody. It has everything they're going to need in there a volunteer form, a vent form. So if somebody donates something, you can also ask can we put up a poster? But Santa has got pretty good even. Guessing how much they're gonna be.

SPEAKER_04:

That's pretty awesome. That's pretty awesome. I would like to um, I know I'm I'm seeing um, I guess the majority of these comments are adults, but if some of the kids want to come on and just type in, I mean, you can watch over their shoulder, mom and dad. But Santa is sitting right here, and um, you know, he I'm sure he'd love to hear what they want if they have a question, and whether it's about the reindeer or whether it's about Santa's life, what he's been doing, and how he keeps going and the motivation to do that, uh, feel free to uh just reach out. That's why we're here tonight. Something a little bit different for me with the Skip Happens podcast. And different for Santa he's never done this before. Well, welcome. I love it. But uh normally I have country artists sitting around this table, or we're talking to them through you know, through the wonders of today's technology, as you mentioned, Zoom, which was it's pretty old school now, but uh you know, we use different methods, but still the same way.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, yeah, it's pretty cool. It's amazing with technology.

SPEAKER_04:

It's it's just so cool.

SPEAKER_01:

So you teach um children many, many lessons, you know, to be compassionate, to be kind. What are some of the biggest lessons that you've learned from children? You spoke about some really inspirational stories of swimmer, like that swimmer that swam with one arm. What over all of your years um as Santa, how has what what have you learned from children?

SPEAKER_00:

That they are all God-given gifts because some of the children I've dealt with were so incredibly sick. One little boy had cancer three different times, and he actually had uh two open heart surgeries, and he fell and broke his arm, and he did all this within like two years. So he was afraid. I'd visit him at the hospital and he asked me a question that completely caught me off guard. And I knew it was because he was afraid. And he said, Santa, am I going to die? So I go, God, don't fail me now. This child is definitely afraid of dying. I looked him right in the eye and I was extremely honest. I said, Well, of course you're gonna die. Everybody dies, and I started laughing, he started laughing. And I said, What makes you think you're so special? So we're both laughing. The nurse walks in the room, she said, What's so funny? And the little boy raised the hand, I said, Oh, he said, We're just talking about dying. So she comes over, puts her hand on my arm, and she said, You are the most spiritual person I've ever met. And I get that a lot from the clergy. And they ask me, Why is that? Why are you so spiritual?

SPEAKER_01:

You're the Christmas spirit. I know that's why you're the Christmas spirit, and that goes all year round, all through and through.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, and the clergy will say, Yes, I I think you might be right. You have more faith than we do. But I go, you know, to me, I look at these children and I know how blessed I am, I know how blessed my family is. And when I would see people complain, and when they had a really good job or they had a good life and all that, I just feel sorry for them.

SPEAKER_04:

Oh Santa, you're just wow. Wow. Ah, this whole conversation. I mean, it's like wow.

unknown:

That's awesome.

SPEAKER_04:

It's like what we say. What do we do? It's amazing. I know I I hit the button for the bells a little bit, you know, a little sleigh bells, but uh just kind of keep us in the spirit. That is uh that's amazing what you do, and uh taking the time out to come and hang out with us tonight. If there's something you could tell all the the boys and girls out there right now, getting ready for Christmas, uh, you know, like I say, one week from today, by now, all the gifts, all the gifts would have been opened for the most part, depending on how you celebrate. But I know we do it and we're up in the morning and our gifts are open. So at this point in the day, it's all right, we just need a nap. We're done, but it'll be over with. But is there something you'd like to tell the young uh boys and girls?

SPEAKER_00:

Yes, I know that you make promises that you're gonna keep your room clean or you're gonna do this, you're gonna do that. And it's a big letdown for me when you don't because mommies and daddies, you know what? You're only with them for maybe 20 years, 25 years, and you go off on your own. And then you're going to realize, like I have, what it means to be a grandparent or to have little ones. And it's so important you do those things that you promise.

SPEAKER_04:

Or um, are your grandkids allowed to say, do they know you're Santa? They didn't for a long, long time. Okay. How you know, I I don't even know how I would react, come to find out. What do you mean by grandpa Santa? Oh my gosh. You know, it's just wow.

SPEAKER_01:

So they gotta feel like the luckiest kids in the world.

SPEAKER_04:

Exactly. Exactly.

SPEAKER_00:

You know, even now that they're in their 30s and other young people that I know that are around that age, they say, you know, we know that kids usually they get around nine years old, ten years old, they don't believe in Santa anymore. But trust me, oh no, oh no. Once they have grandchildren, they immediately start believing again. So I said, I know you get picked on, you get teased. But I go, let me show you this. And a young lady who said kids were making fun of her because she believed in Santa. And I had a book with all kinds of pictures in it, a big binder, and it was letters from different people, adults and children, saying how much they appreciated what I did, but I point out to them donations come from other people. I just had to be the one in the middle. You're Santa.

SPEAKER_04:

Come on, you're Santa. Yeah, I got the bell, I'll ring it. I mean I'm just saying that wow, and uh, you know, I'm here to tell you that he's sitting right over here, so that that's Santa Claus.

SPEAKER_00:

Did you know that the Salvation Army, and I don't know what city, they have a goat that rings the bell. Really? And they said it's so unique, and everybody gets excited. They they'll come over for no other reason to see that goat ringing the bell. Yeah.

unknown:

Wow.

SPEAKER_01:

Is there anything this year that anybody can do to make your job a little easier on Christmas?

SPEAKER_04:

Leave lots of cookies. Unless you like hot cocoa, uh maybe an extra glass of milk.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, Santa's really blessed. You know what I really like from everybody? Not just the adults, but the kids too, that they say prayers for the less fortunate. And if they see a way of helping them, like I can remember as a little boy, people in the neighborhood would run out of food, and my parents would find out and they go and buy groceries for them. And as I got older and there were some people that were having problems, I did the same because you know there's some people out there in really dire need, they're so disgusted, they feel hopeless. And guess what? We can give them hope.

SPEAKER_04:

And you're doing that too. We're all doing that, absolutely 100%, 100%, Santa. Wow. I'm I'm speechless at this point. I've asked my questions. I know this is so cool.

SPEAKER_01:

I am too. I'm speechless.

SPEAKER_04:

I was just, you know, when I was uh mentioning the fact that you had planned to stop by the pod zone and say hello to everybody, and it was on my Facebook today, and one of my neighbors across the street was like, Oh my god, big uppercase letters that Santa was gonna be here, and it it's just it's just so cool. And I wouldn't uh I wouldn't be surprised if when you walk out to the red truck that they're letting you drive, that she'll scream, Santa. I mean, it's been known to happen in this neighborhood.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, yeah. Santa has a lot of friends in law enforcement and firefighters. Yep, and this one girl, she got burned 86 percent of her body when she was 12. And I befriended her and I made sure that she had Christmas presents, her and her two little brothers, and we are still friends. God bless you. She is 38 now. That's awesome. That's awesome.

unknown:

That's beautiful.

SPEAKER_04:

Oh, Santa! Wow, it got warm in here. I don't know how he's doing in the nut, you know, in the yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

Do you ever get warm in your suit?

SPEAKER_00:

Uh, not really because see, it's it's it's lined, it's lined, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04:

So it's nice. Is the temperature controlled for like when you hit those high altitudes? Can you like is it just you know how we have those heated vests now? I don't know if they have something for the Santa suit.

SPEAKER_00:

No, no, you just I imagine I could find something, but yeah, um, like the gloves wouldn't be red. The vest not be right.

SPEAKER_04:

You're right. I got you. I got you. You know, Santa, you're wonderful.

SPEAKER_00:

It's warm enough.

SPEAKER_04:

And if you know, here's all the more reason to believe he's sitting right here. This is awesome. Santa Claus, um, just first ever pod zone in how many years uh ever, ever. So yeah, it's happening. It's happening, Miss Ray. You have anything else you want to add there?

SPEAKER_01:

Um, I I don't think so. I think you did great. What do I want for Christmas?

SPEAKER_04:

Okay, we gotta go now.

SPEAKER_01:

I was I really want to get this in. I know we were gonna try to do something funny, but I'm gonna genuinely ask.

SPEAKER_03:

Okay.

SPEAKER_01:

I love records and like vinyl and stuff, so I just want as many of those as possible. That's that's really it. Okay, okay. That's my wish list is records and vinyls.

SPEAKER_04:

I just want to continue to be happy.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay, no, I sound me too.

SPEAKER_04:

No, no, but no, no, you know, here Santa, I mean, here's the difference.

SPEAKER_01:

I was just sorry. No, no, go ahead. I was gonna kind of ask a question. So with Christmas, you can wish for a lot of things. Yeah, there's materialistic things, there's emotional things. What do you dare I say think is the most important? Do you think the materialistic, like, do you think that that like getting somebody the gift is the most important, or is it the the happiness, the spending time together?

SPEAKER_00:

Well, if you're giving them, say, food or clothing that they need, you know, that's really extremely important. If you know somebody is in need of help and guidance, like Santa does a lot with Bera House, and um, they asked me to do a TV spot for them, which I did, and I pointed out that's not just children and females, but also males that are being abused. And they said it I was so informative they wanted to go with what I had lived with.

SPEAKER_04:

And move that microphone a little closer to you, Sandy.

SPEAKER_00:

There you go. We I I think we all owe it to everyone else. If we see we can help someone, we should do it.

SPEAKER_01:

In any way, right?

SPEAKER_04:

Whether it's emotional, it's not about the gift sometimes, it's about the emotional side. Yeah, like the giving as family and friends and being together and celebrating, you know.

SPEAKER_00:

And just thanking people, you know, like people in law enforcements, firefighters, you know, people on a systems, people in the military, nurses, nurses.

SPEAKER_04:

When was the last time that you know of somebody actually doing that? Think about it. You know what I mean? I mean, I'm sure you do it. Uh I've got a first responder background. Miss Ray knows a little bit about it. Uh, but uh just for the everyday person, when was the last time you actually walked up to a police officer or a firefighter, the men and women that protect us every day, the ambulance corps, you get all that. There's so many different avenues of that type of work. When was the last time you walked up and said, you know, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for doing what you're doing. And I think it's uh, Santa, if I may say, no, I'm gonna go off here. No, in a good way, in a good way, please. In a good way.

SPEAKER_01:

I interrupted earlier, so please. No, no, no, no.

SPEAKER_04:

I just it just bothers me that all these individuals are taken for granted and they're they're expected to be there on a minute's notice. But when was the last time you actually said thank you? And let me give you a good example of what happened just the other day. I know that we're kind of getting off a little bit here with Santa, but uh at work, we work in the inner harbor at the inner harbor, right in the down Syracuse in that area. And uh the fire department went flying by, the rescue truck went by, the ladder truck went by, the ambulance went by, uh, a mini went by towing a boat. I'm going, uh oh. I bet you they found somebody in the harbor. So I get really curious, and I get in my vehicle and I drive over and I pull in the other side where I could see what was going on. Two firemen jumped in that cold water, jumped in the cold water, and the guy, thank the good lord. Uh I wouldn't be talking about it if he didn't survive. But the guy was alive and they pulled him out. But without those firefighters doing what they did, not even thinking twice about what they're going to do, pulling that gentleman out of the water. It was just, you know, just this is why you need to say thank you. Thank you. Because that could have been you, it could have been me, could have been anybody.

SPEAKER_00:

So ironic, you just said that. That young girl that got burned so bad. I bought a bunch of presents and signed from the Syracuse firefighters, and we met at her grandmother's house. That was just a probably not a much bigger room than this, the living room. So she was opening all these gifts, and I asked her, What is the best gift you got tonight? She said that these firemen who didn't even know me rescued their lives to save me. And you know what? All these big tough firemen, they all had tight tears in their eyes as they were walking out, and they kept thanking me for inviting Michael. Absolutely. I thank God for you people every day.

SPEAKER_04:

Exactly. And you know, right from Santa, you just heard it. Make sure you say thank you. I mean, just you know, even do a little something for them. They're gonna be working on the holiday Christmas, the men and women, they give up their time with their family to to do that, you know. Uh, it's just so maybe maybe drop off some cupcakes, maybe drop off a you know, do something. Just say we're thinking of you. Thank you for being there in case we need you. So Santa, I want to say thank you for being there.

SPEAKER_00:

Thank you for having me. I really enjoyed this.

SPEAKER_04:

Oh my goodness. So, I mean, yeah, here you are. I only gotta lighten this up a little bit. It was getting pretty heavy, but uh so I have to be here again next year, right? Hey, you you want to come next week? I wouldn't after after Christmas. No, you need to you need to rest a little bit, so we wouldn't do that to you. But uh absolutely uh, you know, and I know we've had a lot of people watching, not too many commenting, but there's a lot of viewers, so that which is pretty cool. And they've heard what Santa is about and what you're doing, and uh just you know, if you don't believe, now you believe maybe. You know what I mean? Look at I am when you pulled up and to see the look on my son's face when you walked through that door was priceless, and Miss Ray is like I know him, yes, in my head.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, yes, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04:

Santa, thank you for being here. God bless you. Safe travels on Christmas Eve. Thank you. Thank you for all the inspiring words as well. I mean, just it's good to you know to hear it all from you. So it's pretty cool. Um, on behalf of Skip Happens, I want to say um Miss Ray and myself, I want to tell you all to have a great, great, great holiday. Uh the Skip Happens podcast, of course, will be back next week leading up to the holiday. And uh after the first year, we got some good stuff planned, as you know, Miss Ray.

SPEAKER_01:

Stay tuned. Yes, she's come on board.

SPEAKER_04:

So that's pretty cool. Uh Santa's waving. Wave back, everybody. We see you waving.

unknown:

Santa!

SPEAKER_04:

Santa, I know him.

SPEAKER_01:

Merry Christmas, everyone.

SPEAKER_00:

Merry Christmas.

Head Shot

Skip Clark

Host