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Saturday, December 23, 2006
Looking for the baddest Santa on the block?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A bad Santa Claus is bad news.
He’s an insult to children, a disgrace to the spirit of St. Nick when he’s skinny, wears a bad fake beard, scuffed boots and a dingy suit.
Come across a good one, though, one that has the look and the role down pat and it’s a thing of beauty. Art.
I didn’t see all the Santas in the metro area. I only saw one, and I’ll bet my last dime that the Discover Mills Santa is the baddest on the block, and when I say bad, that means good.
The Badie Tour hung out at Santa’s shop on Wednesday. Santa Claus handled kids and babies with grace, patience and charisma, especially the tepid ones.
Richard Warren Hyman of Snellville was a show-stopper, rather a shopper stopper. People would stop and look. Teenage boys tried to walk by as if they weren’t, but they were. It was easy to see. This Santa had “it.”
Mr. Hyman has portrayed Santa Claus all over the world. A 15-year career with the Federal Aviation Administration as an aviation security adviser was his ticket to travel the globe.
Wherever he stopped, he’d play the American Santa. He dressed up for private and public functions. “Wherever I would find kids,” he told me Wednesday during one of two 45-minute breaks.
“Christmas has always been a big part of my family,” said Hyman, 60. “Santa Claus represents the spirit of love and giving.”
He started out portraying Santa 36 years ago for his kids. Now, he dresses up for local events like the Snellville Christmas parade. This is his first spin as a mall Santa.
“You can’t talk about the experience unless you’ve done it,” he said. He’s studied at the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School, considered the oldest and best program in the world. It was founded in Albion, N.Y., in 1937. Now it’s in Midland, Mich.
At Discover Mills, calls to the management office have been nonstop. Shoppers, mall merchants and employees say he’s the best Santa ever.
“The office manager told me we have never received phone calls in regards to Santa like we have for him,” said Yvonne Jacobs , the marketing director.
“He was great for the parade, and we’ve even done story time with Santa.”
Gail Emlet and her family first saw him two weeks ago. They live in Athens but drove back to Discover Mills on Wednesday to have the grandkids photographed with Santa.
“He looks so real,” Emlet said.
On Dec. 10, Santa was knighted in a ceremony at Medieval Times, an entertainment venue that opened this summer at Discover Mills. King Alfonso and Princess Esperanza did the honors.
“I think he’s the first Santa ever to be knighted,” Jacobs said.
So if you must mall shop today, make it Discover Mills. While you’re there, drop by to see Santa Claus.
You’ll see what I mean.
Merry Christmas.
Rick Badie’s column appears on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Contact him at 770-263-3875 or e-mail: rbadie@ajc.com.
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