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Home My WebLink AboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1984-12-19, Page 11• Town's official Santa � Dick Eisler tales his job as Sant BY JOANNE BUCHLANAN Enforcing the by-laws of a small town wpn't win you any popularity contests, but erich's by-law officer Dick Eisler has Other job on the side at this time of year w ' ch makes him very popular—especially th children. Every Christmas season, Dick transforms himself into Goderich's official Santa Claus. He rides in the town's Santa Claus parade, vieiting Maitland Manor nursing home and the hospital beforehand, and holding Santa's court in the Park Theatre afterwards. He also makes many appearances as the jolly uld elf at other Christmas functions as re- quested. . Dick takes his job as Santa Claus very seriously. In fact, this year he even gave up a Christmas vacation to the East Coast so he would be available for the town's parade and other festive activities. He also believes in being as authentic as possible. "When I put on the Santa suit, I change my whole image. I really believe I am Santa Claus," he says. "It's just like ac- ting. You have to feel the part and put your whole self into it. Besides feeling the part, Dick really looks it. He has the right size to play Santa, although he has lost some weight recently which requires him to wear a heavy jacket for extra bulk under the red suit. He doesn't wear his glasses when he plays the role and he has an authentic looking beard and wig. He even tries to change his voice. "I've had my own relatives sit on my knee and not know who I was," he says proudly. His belief that Santa Claus should be as real as possible was the reason he got in- volved in playing the role about six or seven years ago in the first place. "I had noticed that the different Santa Clauses they had in the town's parades weren't always that good. Sometimes they would just have a young kid playing the part. One year, they had lane Santa Claus riding around the Square on a float and a dif- ferent one inside at the Park Theatre for Santa's Court. That must have been confus- ing for the little ones. I felt like they were be- ing deceived and that they needed someone to look up to," he explains. He approached the Recreation Board and offered to lend himself to the role. "I told them I would do the whole thing, ride on the float and hold Santa's Court. Even though I knew it would be time consuming, I felt it. would be more realistic for the kids." He said the Recreation Board was pleased with his suggestion and very co-operative, even buying him a new red suit several years ago after he complained that the original one was too shabby to wear anymore. Then, a few years later they add- ed Grace Patterson to the float as Mrs. Claus. Dick says he doesn't like a lot of the other floats in the parade to have Santa Clauses on them because again it is confusing for the children. He says he has to be pretty quick with the right answers bwause children can ask very smart questITls these days. He doesn't believe in rushing the children at Santa's Court. He lets each one sit on his knee and has a few words with them. The two to eight year olds are the best age group he feels. "Some of the really little ones are afraid and I try to convince them not to be. But I don't come on too strong. I know if they don't want to sit on my knee this year, they'll come to me the next year," he says. There are some hazards involved on the job. Dick says he ho -ho -hos so much sometimes that he gets hoarse. He gets hot in his suit and he also has to be careful that some kids don't pull his beard off. "I make sure the beard elastic is good and tight and if I see a kid's hand start to grab for it, I just tip my head back so they can't get a hold of it," he laughs. The rewards of playing Santa Claus far outweigh the hazards though. "I just can't describe the feeling of having a little kid look right into to your eyes and talk to you and really believe. There's no feeling in the world like it. It's very rewar- g" Dick particularly found visiting the ,children at the Queen Elizabeth School very rewarding one year and he also enjoys visiting the elderly in nursing homes and the hospital. ' "A visit from Santa Claus really makes some of the older people happy because they know they're not forgotten. Some of them actually get tears in their eyes and so do I," he admits. Dick has come a long way .from dressing up as Santa for his own sdn and daughter when they were small. The list of Christmas functions he attends, grows longer every year. He visits the Auburn Lions Club Christmas party, the Nile United Church Sunday School party, the Municipal Day Nursery, the Goderich Lions Club Christmas party. Jim Hayter's staff and children's Christmas party and the Legion Christmas party to name a few. On Christmas eve, he visits the homes of several of his town hall co-workers and Claus serious, y GODERICH SIGNAL: -STAR, WiDNESPAY, DEC D DISCOVER TOMORROW'S WORLD OF TELEVISION...TODAY! Before you buy ... visit our SATELLITE SHOWROOM where you can see exactly what you get for your money! In Home `bemonstrations Available. Our satellite systems ARE Affordable. SALES AND SERVICE - 7WE 670PERfO6 58 THE SQUARE, GODERICH 524.2321 OPEN MON. THRU THURS. 9-6/FRI.9.9ISAT.9.8 ER19, 1984—PAGE 9 ' HAVE YOU SEEN O U R TOYS YET? RYE KiDliarmacy 524-741 '14 SHOPPERS SQUARE, GODERICH YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD DRUG STORE L}U THE NEW YEAR'S LE Murray Cardiff, M.P. would like the pleasure of your company at the first annual New Years Levee. It is a tradition for people to get together to celebrate the season with good talk, good music and good cheer at a New Years Levee. Please join us for our first annual New Years Levee. DATE: Tues. January 1, 1985 TIME : 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. PLACE: Brussels, Morris & Grey Community Centre Happy New Year SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS WITH GIFTS FROM 14 SHOPPERS SQUARE, GODERICH YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD DRUG STOE Dick Eisler, alias Santa Claus, is very busy this time of year plays Santa for their children. "There are eight families and I spend about 15 minutes with eacn one so it neatly keeps me on the move that night," he ex- plains. Dick says at each Christmas function he attends, he tries very carefully not to overlook even one child. "Each of them needs attention from Santa or they will feel left out." He says if someone wants him to attend a Christmas function, they just have to give him a call at home or at the police station. "I don't care how bad the weather is, I'll try to get there," he says. Dick feels that by playing Santa Claus and making him as believable as possible, he is doing something not only for the community but for himself as well. "That special feeling I get ' from the children is what Christmas is all about and if I can keep on playing Santa the rest of my life, I'll do it!" �) PCI.SOfii -/l^PE'f IitZCp May the real spirit of Christmas, bring renewed meaning to all of us. God bless each and everyone �5esf Urlislrei Warden Paul Steck le Kathy and family MURRAY CARDIFF Neitiatey ektifilota4 axd a '�fu/r�uy Iteat 'Glean d'uott at THE DUTCH STORE 55 ALBERT STREET, CLINTON 7'ed4 Sweden Peas De2a4t9 7,1ev tta, DeVaet qeretierzia SotiedAvt HELP! ti I have been lost. My name Is 'Cuddles'. 1 would like very much to go home, because 1 am missed very much. 1 am eleven years old, have black and grey fur. My left paw is deformed, but you would not notice it unless you look closely. My peo- ple love nie and are willing to give anyone, who can help me to come hone, a... $200. reward NO QUESTIONS ASKED Please I me be home for Christmas IF ANYONE HAS ANY INFORMATION ON ME PL ASE CALL der-5240861oor :;arde. 3968571 colied