TRENDS | PEOPLE | CULTURE | STYLE
209
the
Being Santa
CLAUS DARRELL PHILLIPS HAS A MAGICAL SEASONAL GIG BY NORA HESTON TARTE / D
DAN HOOD
Darrell Phillips, 80, has been Santa Claus for 39 years. His first gig was at the Clements Buckaroos Christmas Party, a private event for members and their guests. Since then, he’s kept busy being Santa, dressing up in a red suit and donning a full (natural) beard at Santa jobs across the county. In his job, which he does on a volunteer basis, Darrell says the best part is seeing babies start their Santa traditions; little ones just a few weeks or months old, visiting Santa for the first time with parents. When payment is given to Darrell for his efforts, he turns around and donates it to local causes. He’s not in it for the money, and that shows through his dedication to his seasonal role. Many kids who climb onto Darrell’s lap each Christmas—he estimates more than 25,000 kids have taken a seat on his lap so far—ask for the newest toys on the market, or Christmas staples
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