Santa Claus visits Seattle's Pike Place Market

What a great day I had Saturday November 28th at our world famous Seattle's Pike Place Market. I met so many wonderful people, all who were in good Christmas spirit with big smiles on there faces to see Santa Claus. I even got to live out a dream of mine ~ I was serenaded by The Seattle Dickens Carolers with a joyous rendition of Here Comes Santa Claus. It was so cool. Scott Davies of The Market has already asked me back for next year. Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 27th 2010. I can't wait!!

For More info on Seattle's Pike Place Market Click Here
To invite Santa Claus to your Holiday Event go to MySeattleSanta.Com

Santa at Seattle's Pike Place Market

I'm happy to announce that I have been hired by our World Famous Seattle's Pike Place Market for Saturday,November 28th.

From the Market's website:
Magic in the Market Holiday Kick Off
Saturday, November 28, 2009
noon - 5:00 p.m.

Magic in the Market starts on November 28, with an afternoon of holiday activities followed by our annual lighting ceremony.

Starting at 12noon: Santa poses by our vintage Farm Truck under the Market clock. Bring your camera and take a family photo!

Donate four cans of food to our food drive benefitting the Downtown Food Bank, and you'll receive a free fabric shopping bag while supplies last.

The Dickens Carolers roam the Market from noon to 4:00 p.m., singing traditional holiday tunes while dressed in beautiful Victorian attire.

From 4:00 - 5:00, enjoy a holiday concert of Classical Music, on the stage near the clock.

At 5:00 p.m., the Market's 30 foot holiday tree and lights on the Market's buildings will be turned on for the season, creating one of the prettiest spots in downtown Seattle.

Please join us for the festivities and Happy Holidays!

For more info on The Market, go to www.pikeplacemarket.org

And to learn more about SantaClausNorthwest visit www.MySeattleSanta.com

I Yust go Nuts at Christmas

Being from The Great Northwest, I have wonderful memories of being at my grandparents' home on Lake Tapps and going through their LP records at Christmastime and putting a stack on the console stereo with an 8-track player, don't ya know. I remember a Johnny Cash Christmas album, Bobby Vinton, (my grandma loved anything by Bobby Vinton) The Ray Conniff Singers, and Stan Boreson - I yust go nuts at Christmas. If you have never heard the "King of Scandinavian Humor", do yourself a favor and find yourself a copy of the CD. To this day, I pull the CD out at Christmastime and give it a spin and have a good laugh. It always brings a smile to my face and lightens up the Holiday Season. Stan Boreson appeared for 18 years on several Seattle television shows including his longest running and most successful show on KING Channel 5 in Seattle "Kings Klubhouse." and is A True Northwest Icon. For more on Stan Boreson go to www.stanboreson.com

To learn more about Santa Trever & SantaClausNorthwest ~ Go to www.myseattlesanta.com

Children's Hospital of Seattle

Our daughter Sarah was diagnosed with Strabismus in January 2007 (Struh biss' mus). Strabismus is a visual defect in which the eyes are misaligned and point in different directions. With strabismus, one eye may look straight ahead, while the other turns in or outward; upward or downward. Sarah's eyes turn in and up (one more severely, but both do it). She has good vision, but her eyes are not able to work together which creates a real problem for depth perception.

On December 10th of 2007 Sarah had eye surgery done to correct this. Dr. Baran at Children's Hospital in Seattle performed the 3 hour surgery. She used sutures on 2 different muscles on each eye to adjust the turning in and up.Our entire experience at Children's Hospital was so positive and we are so lucky to have such a wonderful facility here. Everyone is just great - from the person who checked us in, to the recovery nurse who wheeled Sarah back in to us - they are wonderful! It didn't seem like work to them - they just made us all feel comfortable and took such good care of Sarah.

The eye muscle surgery that Dr. Baran performed is not as black and white as some other eye surgeries - it's really more of an art. The area is so tiny and the adjustments she makes are between 6 and 10 millimeters - it really is amazing! When we thanked her again as we were leaving our last post surgery check-up, Dr. Baran said to us "No, thank you. It really is my privilege." She is quite humble and we really are so grateful. SantaClausNorthwest is a supporter of Children's of Seattle. If you would like to see how you can donate or volunteer go to
www.waystohelp.seattlechildrens.org

Santa Trever Waltos received his Masters of “Santaclausology.” on July 26 2009 from IUSC School4Santas instructor Santa Tim Connaghan www.realsantas.com

Santa Trever has attended The School4Santas for the last 2 years here in Seattle. "I look forward to attend next year to receive my Doctorate of SantaClausOlogy"

To learn more about Santa Trever & SantaClausNorthwest ~ Go to www.myseattlesanta.com

Santa Claus on YouTube

One of the great things about websites like YouTube and Hulu is that we are able to go back in time and see things we may never have before such as Old Movies, TV Specials and Commercials. As a Professional Santa, it's great to be able see someone's interpretation of what Santa Claus should look and act like. Being able to watch old movies from the 1940's & 50's, TV shows from the 60's and TV Commercials from the likes of Coke~Cola or M&M's can inspire and give new ideas about Santa.



It's also a great way to network and get yourself seen out in the public eye as a Santa. This is a video that I put together from a slide show of pictures from last Christmas season 2008.



On Hulu.com you can watch full episodes of TV shows. This episode of Bewitched from 1964 titled A Vision Of Sugar Plums features Santa Claus at The North Pole.



If you would like to check out my YouTube Channel to see all of my favorite videos go to:SantaClausNorthwest's Channel I also invite you to find out more about me at my website ~ www.myseattlesanta.com

Nicholas of Myra movie trailer for release 2009

Santa Goes to School!

For Immediate Release: August 8, 2009

Contact: Santa Trever Waltos
santat@comcast.net
www.myseattlesanta.com

Santa goes to School? It is true. There are special schools for Santas and Santa Trever Waltos a resident of Puyallup, Washington recently attended the International University of Santa Claus and received his Masters Degree in “Santaclausology.”

Over two Dozen “Real Professional” Santa’s and a few Mrs. Claus from Washington, Oregon, and Alaska began their preparations for the 2009 Holiday Season when they attend the two-day “School 4 Santas,” presented by the International University of Santa Claus, IUSC.

Attending School4Santas for the last 2 years, Santa Trever learned there is more to being Santa, than just wearing a Red Suit and sitting in a chair. During the special two-day school he learned a great deal about “The Business of Santa Claus.” Subjects covered included the details, safety and today’s protocols of working with and handling children.

Santa Trever Waltos reports that this training was a very “in-depth” school covering not only the basics, but many other subjects. “We learned a great deal including how to work with special needs children & families, the history of Santa Claus, proper grooming and appearance, and how to maintain a proper Santa wardrobe.” Other subjects covered at the school included making appearances at special events, entertainment & presentation styles, and the basic business aspects of being a Santa. At the completion of the School all graduates receive a BSC, “Bachelor of Santa Claus” Diploma, conferring a degree in Santaclausology. And they instantly became members of the school’s alumni association, “The Red Suit Society.”

The school is presented by Santa Tim Connaghan, Chancellor of IUSC, who is celebrating his 40th year as a Santa. Santa Tim has appeared at thousands of events including Coca-Cola’s 75th Anniversary kick-off, on television shows including the Today Show, Deal or No Deal, the Hollywood Christmas Parade, Dr. Phil, the Tonight Show, and in advertising and commercials for such clients as J.C. Penney, HoneyBaked Ham, Planter’s, Ritz Crackers, Kraft, Old Navy, and the Hallmark Channel.

School4Santas is presented by The International University of Santa Claus and is the only school that travels to different cities across the U.S. and Canada. Each summer hundreds of Santas attend these schools, which will visit 10 cities across the US in 2009. Over 1500 Santas and Mrs. Claus have attended the School and it is the largest annual Santa Training School in the World.
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For more information on IUSC, School4Santas, RealSantas.com or The Red Suit Society, please visit our main web site at www.thekringlegroup.com For more information on Santa Tim, visit: www.SantaHollywood.com

Reindeer ~ Magical & Mystical

So, just was is the deal with these wonderful and mystical animals associated with Santa Claus. Well according to ROBA (Reindeer Owners and Breeders Association) Reindeer are of the family Cervidae-which means deer. In the case of reindeer, males & females both grow antlers, that are deciduous, solid antlers which grow from permanent bases or pedicles on the frontal bones of the skull; genus-Rangifer (reindeer and caribou), species-tarandus (reindeer). That’s the technical/scientific description. Farm raised reindeer are curious, friendly, likeable animals. They are easy to fence, feed and train to pull. Exhibition at Christmas and brood stock sales make them profitable, too! Reindeer look a lot like their wild North American cousins, the caribou, but are somewhat (8-10 inches) shorter, and there is a difference in color. Reindeer are believed by many to be the first domesticated animals with a written reference to herding in a 9th century letter from Norway’s King Ottar to Alfred the Great which mentioned his fine herd of over 600 reindeer.

Santa's Reindeer Is It Donner Or Donder? "Donner" means thunder in German. "Donder" is the Dutch word for thunder. So it can be pernounced either way."Blitz" means lightning in German. "Blitzen" is the verb form of "Blitz." That's why Donner and Blitzen are at the back of Santa's team. Their names mean Power. Dasher and Dancer are at the front of the team. They are the smaller of the Reindeer and easier for Santa to steer. Rudolph was not one of the original reindeer. He was added later for a guiding light through the winter fog. Santa’s reindeer live at the North Pole and are cared for by Mr. and Mrs. Claus and a few specially trained elves. Even though there are only nine, they are not listed as a threatened or endangered species. The life expectancy of Santa’s reindeer is infinite. There have been no deaths or fatalities, though some very close calls have been reported due to slippery roof tops and heavy jet traffic around the Los Angeles airport. The nine reindeer are named: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixon, Comet, Cupid, Donner/Donder, Blitzen, and Rudolph. They are all extremely agile, quick, and friendly. Little more is known of Santa’s reindeer. They remain well loved and rarely seen, though several reports of harness bells and hoof sounds on roof tops are reported each Christmas Eve.

To checkout a Real Working Reindeer Ranch ~ Go to The Double R Reindeer Ranch in Midlothian, Texas.
I also invite you to visit my website at SantaClausNorthwest

Price Of Freedom, July 4th 2009

As we celebrate our freedom today, I would like to share a message from my friend Santa James who is overseas with our U.S.troops helping to keep their spirits up.

*The following blog post on ClausNet was posted on July 3, 2009:

Our country is founded on the Principle of Freedom. The price of freedom is costly, and precious. Pause to remember those who have paid the Ultimate Price for you and I to be free. Recently, I spoke with a group of U S Soldiers that are here defending Freedom. They reminded me that Freedom is not Free. I thanked them and said, I honor and respect you for wearing that green uniform. Wearing green allows me to wear red. I am proud of these Americans that sacrifice every day to insure we are safe, secure, and Free.

I would like to Thank You for all you do, my fellow Santa Patriots, Wave your Flags and Banners, Forever in Peace may you wave-Happy 4th of July!

The American Spirit Santa,

Old Sante Claus
Santa James

Thank you Santa James for all that you are doing for our men and women serving to keep us free.

Why Santa Claus?

After my wife and I were married in December of 2000, my sister-in-law asked me to play Santa for a local Gold Crown Hallmark store that she worked at. I agreed and that first year something happened that would change me and the way I thought of Santa forever. It was great to talk to all the children, take the pictures and all, but at one point I was out in front of the store on the sidewalk trying to drum up business when a women who must have been at least 90 years of age was across the street from me with her family.

They escorted her across the road to where I was in front of the store. She said nothing to me but stuck out her hand for mine. She then gave my hand a good squeeze and looked me right in the eyes and smiled. That was it. That's all she wanted. Her grandson told me she just wanted to see Santa and with that they all left. For her the sleighbell still rang. I will never forget that moment and the respect it made me feel for the image of Santa Claus.

This event had a tremendous effect on me and is a major factor as to Why I am a Professional Santa Claus today. I invite you to visit my website at SantaClausNorthwest.

Yes, I am a Patches Pal

A very fond memory of my childhood growing up in the Northwest is of The J.P. Patches Show. Every weekday morning while getting ready for school at 7:30am I would tune in to my favorite TV Klown. Christmas time was the best time of the year to watch. J.P. He would make a trip up to the North Pole with a bundle of Patches pals letters to see if they had been naughty or nice .By feeding the letters in to the Pal-a-Vac J.P. and Santa could tell by the smile or the upside down frown on J.P's face on the front of the Pal-a-Vac. Some times J.P.'s name would get a frown of naughty if he had been trying to see his name in Santa's book. I never knew who played Santa but, he always did a wonderful job. The J.P.Patches Show ran on KIRO TV Seattle for 23 years endeing in 1981. J.P. was and still is a True Northwest Icon. *thanks chris...www.jppatches.com I invite you to visit my website at SantaClausNorthwest

Santa visits with the Washington National Guard Unit Deployed

On December 7th, 2008 I had the honor to visit with the families of deployed unit 303D Cavalry of the 81 Brigade Combat Team serving in Iraq. What a great event this was for all. I arrived and met my contact SSG Jack D. Rowlett 1/303d CAV OPERATIONS NCOIC. He led me to a hall full of about 200 people waiting for Santa. There were bounce houses and face painting for the kids, a nice big buffet of food and a modest little photo set over in the corner with a black back drop, Christmas tree and chair for Santa. The kids and families lined up to see Santa one at a time. Wrapped presents were donated and given to each child after they took a picture with Santa. As my visit came to an end the boys in uniform had some fun with a group photo with Santa.To help these folks forget about their worries for just a while... this is why I became Santa Claus! I invite you to visit my website at SantaClausNorthwest

The Story of Trever (Santa T ) & Santa Claus

It all started when I was old enough to figure out that I was the only kid in school that got to see Santa Claus on Christmas Eve night. My great grandparents had started a tradition many years ago back in North Dakota that was carried on by my grandparents when I was growing up here in Washington state. We celebrated on Christmas Eve with a traditional Polish dinner and after the dishes were done, Santa would arrive to hand out presents to all. Even when I was old enough to know that it was Uncle Tom in the suit, for that 30 or 40 minutes that Santa was on the scene, it was the real Santa to me. Now I know why I was born in to a family with such a great tradition. It has now been carried down to my children. And when my daughter asks to watch the Polar Express in the middle of the summer or sings Jingle Bells in the bath tub, I thank God for that tradition. For Me - The sleighbell still rings loud. I invite you to visit my website at SantaClausNorthwest