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Recent Articles and Links for Celebrate Santa
From the Waxahachie Daily Light in Texas:
Lone Star Santas pick Ellis County ranch for site of annual gathering
By JOANN LIVINGSTON
Daily Light Managing Editor
Published: Sunday, January 24, 2010 2:19 AM CST
It was Christmas in January at Rick and Roberta Smith’s rural Ellis County ranch when dozens of Santas stopped by for a visit with the couple’s reindeer, Comet and Cupid.
The Smiths acquired the two reindeer earlier this year for use in a new venture, Double R Reindeer Ranch, which makes Comet and Cupid available for special appearances during the holidays, among other activities.
On Jan. 16, Rick Smith brought out Cupid for photos with the Santas, who spent the weekend in Waxahachie as part of a Lone Star Santa Gathering.
“It looks like a Santa convention to me,” he said as a variety of Santas – wearing every type of Santa attire from country to European to Hawaiian-style – milled about and visited at the Smiths’ barn.
Seymore, Tenn.-residents Joe and Mary Moore, a Santa and Mrs. Claus couple, were on hand as well to encourage the Texas Santas to participate in the upcoming national Celebrate Santa Festival in Gatlinburg, Tenn.
“We try to get to all of the (local) Santa gatherings that we can,” Mary said.
“The Lone Star Santas group is one of the largest,” Joe said, noting a number of the Texas Santas decided during the weekend they would take a contingent to the national gathering.
“They’re going to have a very big presence in Gatlinburg,” Mary said. “They’re going to bring that Lone Star pride to Tennessee.”
Celebrate Santa Festival includes a parade and fashion show and also seminars on such topics as how to respond to the different questions children can pose to the holiday icon. The conference also covers working with children with disabilities and offers tips to those portraying Mrs. Claus, as well.
“We talk about how to handle a difficult situation, like when a child whose parent is overseas with the military is asking if you can bring their mom or dad home for Christmas,” Joe said. “We help Santas with the tools they need and what they can say that will give comfort to the child without promising the impossible.
“We want our Santas to be the best they can be,” he said, noting that being a Santa is more than a profession, one “must have Santa in their heart.”
Santas come from all walks of life and denominations – and provide a common message to people of all ages to be good to each other and take care of one another, he said.
As does Celebrate Santa, Lone Star Santas includes not only those who portray Santa Claus and Mrs. Santa, the chapter also includes elves and reindeer owners.
Rick and Roberta Smith have combined the latter two occupations at the urging of a Santa friend and it’s been a unique and worthwhile experience. The couple dress as elves when they’re handling Comet and Cupid at an appearance, which can be scheduled via the Smiths’ Web site at www.doublerreindeer.com.
The two reindeer, now 10 months old, have grown fast and currently weigh in at about 150 pounds. Fully grown, they’ll top out at about 325 pounds, with Smith saying, “They’ll be a little taller, a little thicker than they are now.”
Comet’s already shed her juvenile set of antlers, with Cupid’s expected to drop soon. They’ll then start growing their 2010 set of antlers, which should be a full mature set by this next holiday season.
The reindeer were easily domesticated and have adapted well to their routine at Double R. “They’re real easy to handle,” Smith said, commenting on their inherent desire to be around humans.
He also noted interesting facts about reindeer, such as they each have three different types of hair on their body, which has no exposed skin – even their nose is covered in hair. Reindeer can smell grass 3 to 4 feet down in the snow and have the ability to regulate their blood flow in managing their body heat.
“They’re pretty unique. They’re fun,” Smith said of the sociable animals. “They’re nosy, curious and wanting to get into everything. You have to childproof stuff just like you do for children.”
For more information, send an e-mail to reindeer@aircanopy.net.
Contact JoAnn at joann@wninews.com or 469-517-1452.
Copyright © 2010 - Waxahachie Daily Light
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