Daily Egyptian Reporter 18

By Gus Bode

Sitting in a green velvet chair at the University Mall, a man in a red suit, big black boots, snowy white beard and jolly laugh is surrounded by children declaring what they want for Christmas.

Santa Claus takes time out from making and wrapping gifts to open his lap to the children. In preparation for the upcoming Christmas season, Santa takes to harnessing up his reindeer and packing up his sleigh.

Claus said he relies on the assistance of the elves to fill his sleigh with presents.

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It takes a lot of time to get everything ready, Claus said. I have to make sure that the packaging is right and the present gets to the right person.

Claus tackles the job of delivering presents to everyone in the world though the assistance of the reindeer.

The reindeer know where to go, he said. All I have to do is flick the reins and they are off.

In the off season, Claus takes his elves and wife to a sunny destination.

I pay for all of us to go to a nice hot spot and relax, he said. We take time out to relax and recuperate from the end of the holiday season.

Claus enjoys getting all the food that is left for him when he arrives at his many stops.

I usually eat one cookie at each stop, he said. But I take the rest home and eat them throughout the year or share them with my elves.

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When Claus is not vacationing or delivering presents, he creates new presents.

We get ideas from watching the children, he said. We are able to look into their hearts and see what they really want.

Claus said that for this Christmas, he and the elves created a new department in the gift factory.

We have a new interpersonal department, Claus said. It still is being worked out. It is an experiment dealing with people’s feelings.

Claus becomes very busy during the holiday season, but he said his wife is very understanding.

Mrs. Claus does a lot of baking this time of year, he said. There is a lot of stress, but we have always had years of happiness.

Like many other famous stars, there is always a controversy surrounding Claus.

James Bracey, a senior in psychology from East St. Louis, said that there is no such thing as Claus, and that he was made up years ago.

I stayed up one Christmas Eve to see him, he said. He never showed up, so he is just a myth. The gifts were put there by my family members.

But unlike Bracey, not all are disbelievers in Claus. Brian Snelten, a sophomore in geology from Cary, said Claus is very much real from his perspectives.

I believe that there is a kind and giving person for the season, he said. He takes care of the needy and rewards the good.

Claus said he is surrounded by the controversy that questions his reality because of his magic ways.

I use Santa magic for a lot of things that I do, he said. I use it to get all the presents to everybody and to not be seen by people.

However, Snelten had an encounter with Claus, as he had his first Santa sighting when he was 6.

I saw him running across my grandma’s back yard, he said. And then I went back to the living room, and the floor was covered with presents.

Although Bracey said he did not believe in Claus, he once felt as if he heard Claus with his reindeer.

It was Christmas Eve, he said. I thought that I could hear sleigh bells and reindeer on my roof.

Claus said he cannot change the way people feel about his existence, but he wants to give them advice.

If you don’t believe and you think that I’m fake that is OK, but isn’t it fun to believe? he asked.

Although many question the motives of Claus over the holiday season, he said that he loves giving.

Christmas is for the children, he said. Giving gifts makes everybody happy.

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