I want to share with you, a personal glimpse into who “my” Santa is.  Meet Lynn.  He goes to church with me at North Run.  A lifelong member.  This is primarily how I know him and spend my time with him.  He is a husband, father and grandfather.  His children went to the same day care that I grew up at, the oldest just a few years behind me.  His youngest was in the pre-k class that I assisted in my late teenage years.  She would later become a sweet friend of mine.  His wife does more for people than anyone I’ve ever met.  She needs a Mrs. Claus suit ASAP!  I cherish her and her friendship.

Lynn and his family were dear friends of the late Legendary Santa who passed away 2 years ago.  I’m not sure Lynn had ever once considered being “Santa” because we all knew and loved Dan Rowe to play the part for many, many years.  However, in 2020, the world change.  Everything shut down.  Lynn’s beard grew.  And grew.  Dan passed away during this time.  I felt like I watched Lynn morph into the part that so many hearts needed.  I joked with him in 2020 about starting to look like Santa.  In 2021, he was ready.  The part belonged to him.  And he brought a piece of Lengendary Santa with him.

He showed up at my studio, ready for his very first appearance as Santa last year, dressed in Dan Rowe’s Santa Coat and white gloves.  He said he could feel the magic when he slipped it on.  And I believe him.  His eyes sparkled when he was in it!  I watched, behind my lens, as he sat with kids he didn’t know and treated them like his own.  He told them stories, listened to theirs, tapped the side of his nose and gave a wink to each child.

He is a giver.  He is kind and patient.  He is everything you would want and expect Santa to be… even out of the red suit.