Much like the main character of Christmas classic The Santa Clause, it took becoming Santa for Brian Crisp to discover the joy of the festive season. Photo: Brian Crisp.
Christmas was just another day for Albion Park boy Brian Crisp.
Across his 40-year career as a journalist, Brian said much of the time he was on shift for the most magical day of the year.
But two years ago, thanks to prompting from a friend, Brian signed up to become a shopping centre Santa, and in a Hollywood-worthy moment, found his Christmas spirit.
“It’s incredibly rewarding,” he said.
“It’s amazing; you put on the red suit and walk through the shopping centre, suddenly you’re high-fiving people and giving them hugs.
“It feels like when Albion Park Rail was a country town and you said hello to everybody.
“I never really warmed to Christmas before, but this has reawakened the spirit for me.”
Brian, who is midway through his second season as Santa, said there were a couple of perks to the job.
Perk No. 1, the banter.
“Everybody with me is on the nice list,” he said.
“Kids love to find out they’re on the nice list. Particularly little boys, and often dad goes, ‘Geez, you must have a different list to me’.
“A little girl who looked like butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth looked straight at the camera and said, ‘I want mum to be happy for once’.
“Her poor mum went about as red as my suit, but I couldn’t help laughing.
“I think Santa’s job is to make everyone believe they’re going to get something good, so if kids tell me they missed out on a bike last year I’ll let them know I’m going to have a word with Mrs Clause and the elves about it.
“Everyone is reaching for that Christmas moment and you’ve just got to embrace it.”
The second big perk?
Spreading joy to all.
“A big highlight is kids and adults with disabilities,” he said.
“They have such a genuine reaction to seeing Santa.
“They’ll come up to you with the biggest grin, saying ‘Santa, Santa’, and give you a big hug.
“Sometimes they’re so excited they are shaking, and you can’t help but play up to that. It’s just so much fun.”
Being Santa comes with some weighty responsibilities too.
Brian said it was impossible not to share in kids’ heartbreak as much as their excitement.
“Last year, a little girl sat on my lap, you could see she felt a bit broken,” he said.
“She said she wanted guardianship because she was in the foster care system and wanted a home.
“I don’t care how tough you think you are, if you hear that, you’re going to cry.”
If you’d like to spread a little extra Christmas cheer to those who most sorely need it, Santa said it was easier than it looked.
You don’t even have to wear a red suit.
“The key to it is just being open,” he said.
“Everyone is reaching for that Christmas moment. You just have to embrace it.”
If you happen to be on holidays on the Gold Coast, you can visit Santa Brian and share some Christmas cheer at Westfield Helensvale.
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