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Locals Deborah K. Frontiera
locals You better watch out...
by Deborah K. Frontiera
Even before December 1, even before Thanksgiving, children and parents begin to have Santa on their minds.
While there are many “Santas” out there every year, perhaps no one fits the part quite like Bradley J. Curtis of Lake Linden (aka Santa BJ). His philosophy of being Santa and the extra things he does in that role are an inspiration to those people who might tend to dread the month of December and the arrival of Christmas, or others who might consider becoming a Santa Claus.
Brad grew up in a small town between Grand Rapids and Lansing, a place called Lake Odessa. He arrived in the Copper Country on assignment with the U.S. Air Force—to the old radar base on Mt. Horace Greeley—and met Sally, who hails from the Hubbell area and whom he later married.
Once out of the Air Force, Brad enrolled at Michigan Tech and earned a BS in computer science in 1982. Over his career with four different companies, he started as a software engineer and ended as a senior systems engineer.
Brad and Sally lived in several different states during those years, but they always came back to the Copper Country on vacations. When offered an early retirement, they came back to stay.
His first experience as “Santa” happened in Severna Park, Maryland, more than 27 years ago. Sally was a member of the mom’s group at their church. The ladies hosted a “Breakfast with Santa,” and Sally talked Brad into being their Santa.
Brad had a broad build, but no full beard at the time (during college his full beard was red, not white) so he had to wear a fake beard. There he sat on the stage with a couple of teenaged girls in elf costumes as the children lined up.
One little girl, about four years old, as Brad remembered, was so excited she seemed to fly—her feet barely touching the floor—onto his lap and gave him a huge hug. Brad was hooked.
A job change brought Brad and Sally to Iowa where he continued to be Santa—more and more often—and he let his beard grow back. He still had to lighten his beard then, but now, he’s solid white naturally. It’s the smiles, the hugs and the neighbor children in Lake Linden who say, “Hi, Santa,” as they walk or ride bikes past his house that keep him going.
Also, when they take vacations to other areas, such as the cog rail train ride to the top of Pike’s Peak at 14,010 feet elevation, or Arches National Park, children and parents just start lining up asking for pictures with Santa. And he doesn’t hesitate to jump into the role, telling them he’s “on vacation.”
Brad mounts an old one-horse open sleigh over his riding lawnmower, dons his red Hawaiian shirt with Santas on surfboards and in swimming pools printed on it, and rides in the Lake Linden Fourth-of-July parade.
Afterward in the park, children will gather around him and he’ll tell them he’s double checking his “naughty/ nice” list, and that this is his “summer home,” while passing out stickers. He’ll pull out his “sleigh-driving” license—which looks just like a driver’s license, but isn’t, of course. He always keeps a few of his “million-dollar” bills, complete with appropriate images, in his wallet. These are sometimes left (along with a real tip) for waitpersons in restaurants.
And he always goes the extra mile to be authentic. If invited to a home or children’s party, he’ll check with the parents for some “dirt” on the children, and then bring those bits of information up when a child is on his lap.
The “Huh-he-knew-that!” look on the child’s face is such fun. He also sings traditional songs with his audience, mentions a fun fact or two about reindeer and always ends with a recitation of the whole Clement C. Moore 1823 poem, “A Visit from St. Nick,” complete with the “Happy [not Merry] Christmas to all, and to all a good night.”
When doing a “commercial Santa gig” (which he’s done many of), he’ll usually take a minute or two to tell a child a season-appropriate riddle, such as, “What do you get when you cross a snowman with a shark? Frostbite” or “What did the gingerbread man put on his bed? A cookie sheet.”
And, of course, every Santa must develop that deep-down belly “ho-hoho” and sound sincere with it.
Although Brad does some of his Santa appearances pro-bono, or only for enough to cover driving expenses, candy canes and dry cleaning for his suit, he said that in an urban area, some men can make a nice chunk of extra income in season.
He has advice for people interested in being a “professional” Santa:
1. Make sure your desire to be a Santa comes from the heart. Nothing else is more important.
2. You don’t need a real beard, but it helps if you have one.
3. Go to a “Santa School.” You’ll learn the proper way to lift a child onto your lap without hurting your back and with no accusation of “improper touching.” You’ll also learn how to do those deep belly laughs and the “business” of being a Santa.
4. Get a good quality suit—not the least expensive one at the local big box store.
5. Do a really good job of being Santa! See No. 1.
December 2021 Marquette Monthly 49
Brad emphasized that being Santa is not as easy as it looks. In a “mall gig,” there is a lot of pressure to hurry up and move on to the next child in line. Even with just two minutes per child, that’s only 30 per hour, and it creates long lines in a mall.
Children and parents get tired and frustrated waiting in line. There are the two- and three-year-old screamers whose parents insist on taking that picture anyway.
In six weeks, a Santa can expect to hold more than 3,000 children. Brad suggests using breath mints instead of water to keep your mouth moist for all that talking. Another reason to restrict the water is the need to use a restroom when there is no break coming up. He’s heard of Santas who wear “Depends.”
Also, it can be exhausting to hold that jolly demeanor and smile for a full six-hour shift every day for six weeks straight.
There are also awkward situations that come up. At one point, Brad was Santa at a homeless shelter for several years, and when he asked what one child wanted for Christmas, the answer was, “a home.” Even sadder, might be the fact that you recognize the same child at that shelter the following year.
Sally said while they lived in Iowa, she was asked to be “Mrs. Santa” and did try it out—but it was hard to find a really good “Mrs. Santa” outfit. She did alter one dress pattern, but velvet is hard to work with.
In addition, when you do it once, everybody wants to have both Mr. and Mrs. It’s hard to keep up that kind of a schedule without both of them wearing down and coming home to no hot dinner while trying to fit in their own preparations for Christmas. Sally said she’d rather support Brad from home by making five-chip cookies and blueberry muffins.
But Brad keeps doing his Santa thing for the joy it brings children, and that in return brings him joy. He’s also a lector and Eucharistic Minister at St. Joseph Church in Lake Linden, treasurer for the Knights of Columbus there, member of the American Legion, and a driver for Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly and the Disabled American Veterans when someone needs a ride to a medical appointment. In other words, a real Santa.
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About the Author: Deborah K. Frontiera lives in the Calumet area. Three of her books have been award winners. She has published fiction, nonfiction, poetry and children’s books. Frontiera is on the board of the U.P. Publishers and Authors Association. For more information, visit her website: authorsden.com/deborahkfrontiera.
