Too soon for the big guy from the North Pole? Santa Pappy of Bedford doesn’t think so
Too early for Santa?
Not according to Mike Stevens of Bedford, otherwise known as Santa “Pappy” Claus, one of the self-proclaimed helpers of Santa Claus.
“I start getting calls in February,” Santa Pappy said one day last month just before Halloween during another Christmas photography session in Fort Worth. “Photo shoots start in September, and they pick up in October. By November and December, 12-hour days are nothing unusual.”
The COVID-19 pandemic last year slowed down in-person photo sessions and visits by Santa Pappy and hundreds of other Santa’s helpers in Texas and across the United States.
For the record, Santa Pappy is a member of the International Brotherhood of Real Bearded Santas in Texas. And there is a Fraternal Order of Real Bearded Santas, which at last count had 850 members in America.
Virtual visits were common during the 2020 Christmas holiday season, and the few in-person Santa visits required masks and social distancing.
Virtual visits are still around this holiday season, and Santa Pappy has some scheduled for December, but there are more in-person visits this season. Santa Pappy has received COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots, and he works with children and parents with or without masks.
“We met Santa in-person last year, but we wore masks when we arrived,” said Tiffany Derrick of Fort Worth. Her children Hudson, 1, and Savannah, 3, met Santa Pappy in late October. “It’s never too early for Santa.”
Hudson Derrick had other ideas.
During the children’s photo session with Santa, tears flowed out of Hudson’s eyes as he sat near Santa Pappy. The ending was much happier as the 1-year-old stood near Santa Pappy without any tears.
But what a difference a year makes. Vaccines are fighting off COVID-19, and the Christmas photo sessions are now in full swing all across North Texas and the United States.
In fact, many North Texas photographers began scheduling Christmas photo sessions months ago.
Fort Worth photographer Carie Magee said she started bookings in August and she had some Santa photo sessions in September.
It picked up in October.
“I use two Santas because November really picks up,” said Magee, who has been a photographer for 12 years. The last five years she’s teamed with Santa Pappy. “I schedule just a few in December because I want to have time to celebrate Christmas with my family.”
Magee’s resume includes Christmas in July, with Santa Pappy decked out in swimwear.
And Magee is sort of an expert with children. She was at one time an elementary school teacher, instructing pre-kindergarten students and fourth-graders.
As evidence that it’s not too early for Christmas, Magee said the family Christmas tree is already up.
“I tell people it’s never too early for the Christmas magic,” Magee said. “In my world, Christmas is year round.”
That’s the way it is for Santa Pappy, who was not born in the North Pole.
He was born and raised in Lubbock, moving to North Texas in 1998, and he’s married, has three adult sons and has been in sales most of his life. He’s been around kids for more than 10 years as a scoutmaster with the Boy Scouts of America.
He started helping Santa Claus part-time a few years ago, showing up at maybe five to six events.
“Back in those days, I had to use towels for my waist,” he said with a chuckle. “We’ve now moved on to professional fat suits.”
Santa Pappy is now a full-time helper for the big guy from the North Pole, estimating this Christmas season he will be attending at least 140 events including schools, day cares and photo sessions with North Texas photographers.
Of course, some people might believe the first few days of November is too early for Santa Claus.
Santa Pappy has this answer for that.
“It’s a big world out there and there are just a few weekends from now until Christmas,” Santa Pappy said. “You just have so many days to see Santa.”
Contact Santa Pappy at (817) 371-1266 or on Facebook at facebook.com/PappyClaus
This story was originally published November 8, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Too soon for the big guy from the North Pole? Santa Pappy of Bedford doesn’t think so."
