GRAWN — Despite being out of their usual season, a group of professional Santas had their monthly lunch together.
They are part of the Michigan Association of Professional Santas, with about 600 members in total.
Seven Santas gathered at Rico’s in Grawn on Tuesday to trade stories and their plans for the upcoming Christmas in July.
“Saturday, I’ll be at Moomers from 1-4 for a Toys for Tots Christmas in July event, and then I’m going to Chain of Lake Campground that evening,” Greg Kaskie said. “Randy’s doing several campgrounds, and I’m doing the Dunesville Music Festival.”
Kaskie, also known as Santa Greg, said that there is a lot that goes into being Santa, including schooling, background checks and liability insurance. This October, members of the Michigan Association of Professional Santas are set to study at the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School in Midland.
“We’re always going to school,” he said.
Another part of being Santa is maintaining the image, according to Randy Wheelock, also known as Santa Randy. Even outside the holiday season, he regularly brushes his hat and suit and trims his beard.
“If a kid comes up to you, got to be able to get down at their level and talk to them.”
Santa Randy actually started his profession by covering for someone else.
“I had a friend of mine who did Santa Claus at our local fire department,” he said. “He got sick. He asked me to fill in, and once I put the suit on and saw all the love in the kids’ eyes, I couldn’t stop doing it.”
Even after 30 years that feeling of joy has not left Santa Randy. He said that he sees the goodness of all people when he’s in the red suit.
“You’ve got to enjoy what you’re doing and do it for the other people,” Santa Randy said. “Don’t do it for yourself.”
He recalled a time, two or three years ago, when he was taking a picture with a family that had recently lost their father. He said that one of the daughters came up to him after the picture to ask if they could do a prayer. Wheelock asked everybody in line to turn around and pray together for her.
“That made me the happiest,” he said. “But it also made Santa Claus cry.”
Santa Randy can be found in downtown Traverse City during the summer, blowing bubbles and driving his convertible.
During the lunch, the Santas discussed more stories about their interactions with people.
Bob Zielinski, also known as Santa Bob, talked about how he had to be Santa during the summer, even with a knee injury.
“I had a child in the summertime ask me, ‘Santa, what happened to your knee?’” he said. “I looked at the dad and he says, ‘You know how many houses don’t shovel their roofs for Santa Claus?’ And the dad mouthed to me, “Thanks a lot.”
When the lunch ended, the Santas got pictures together and sang “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”