Pictured is a busy Seadrift Santa at Seadrift’s Chamber Christmas event on December 2nd. Seadrift has been very fortunate to have had several Santas over the years…Judge Simmons, Allen Braun, Joe and Mary Beaver as Santa and Mrs. Claus, George Carter and his merry elves, Kenneth Reese, and the list may go on! Our hats off to all that donned a Santa suit to bring Christmas cheer to all, especially the children.

Did you know?

The real Santa Claus was known as Saint Nicholas who was born around A.D. 280 in Patara, near Myra in modern-day Turkey. Much admired for his piety and kindness, St. Nicholas became the subject of many legends. It is said that he gave away all his inherited wealth and traveled to the countryside helping the poor and sick.

Santa Scoop

Kenneth Reese has this to say about his experience as Santa: “I first started my Santa show for kids in 2001 after watching kids standing in line to visit a mall Santa. It was disheartening for me to see the mall Santa just rushing the kiddos through the experience, not really interacting with them, really just concerned about getting that picture taken so the photographer could dun the parents for a $10 picture, I thought I could do better. So, I bought me a J.C. Penney Santa suit and set up a Santa desk in my front yard, put a sign out at the street announcing that Santa would be there…and the kids came. I did my Dancin’ Santa show in my Brentwood neighborhood for 11 wonderful, fun filled years and literally interacted with hundreds of kiddos during those times.

In March of 2012, I retired from my job and my wife and I moved from Victoria to our home in Seadrift. I learned that Seadrift’s lawn mower Santa would no longer be making the little kiddos in Seadrift smile, so I stepped up to the job. I am now in my 11th year as Seadrift’s Bayfront Santa. I am happy to say that my 11 years of being Seadrift Santa has been every bit as rewarding as my first 11 years in Brentwood, but my Seadrift years have been a little more heartwarming. In Seadrift I get to visit with the grandkids and great grandkids of old dear friends…and it’s so cool!”

-Tayna DeForest