Howie Adams played Santa every year at the office party for the company I used to work for. Employees would bring in their young children to get a gift from the big man himself.
What’s it like playing Santa at the office party?
It’s great with the kids, with the looks on their faces and everything. They just love it. It’s like I’m a god. This is it. This is the man they look up to, and they really worship, and they really wanna get all the goodies for Christmas. You know what I mean?
They finally bought me a real suit. Last year they gave me this total piece of shit — I said, You expect me to wear this? I said, It looks like I’m Salvation Army, I am not wearing this. So they bought me a real good one. I have it in my closet at home.
My granddaughter, she was two last year. You’d think she would recognize the voice and everything, but she was mystified by the whole bit, the whole outfit. Some of them cry — they’re scared because they’re young, you know. Some of the older ones, they see me every year, they’re getting older and they’re starting to figure it out. They don’t say too much, they don’t squeal on ya, pull your beard off or somethin’. With some of them I say, You say anything, you’ll get a good swift kick in the butt for Christmas, kid. Don’t you mention it to your little sister.