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Photo illustration by Susi Lawson

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Santa suits him

By NATE HUBBARD/Staff

Santa Claus made his regular routes in Bland and Wythe counties on Christmas Eve, but it wasn’t his first visit to the area this year.
In fact, Santa comes to town for a family reunion each summer.
“It’s pretty cool to have Santa as my brother-in-law,” said Denise Romano of Bland.
Her brother-in-law is Richard Falkevitz, a.k.a. “Santa Richard,” a full-time professional Santa Claus since 2005.
“Everybody tells me I’m the real guy,” he said. “My wife tells me that when I put that red suit on I’m a different person.”
Falkevitz, who lives in Royersford, Pa., with his wife, Annette, had been dabbling in the Santa Claus business for a few years before his May 2005 retirement from a career in the computer industry.
He now has 46 weeks off each year, but his calendar is packed during the six weeks between Thanksgiving and the end of the year.
“I get about three to four functions a weekend,” Falkevitz said in a phone interview Thursday afternoon. “I may have as many as four short stops on Saturday.”
Falkevitz said he first took on the role as a way to amuse his grandchildren. He and Annette, who often joins him during events as Mrs. Claus, have 11 grandchildren, with a 12th on the way.
Although the job still is about having fun, Falkevitz works hard at his post-retirement career.
In 2005, he graduated from the International University of Santa Claus, a class he attended in Phoenix. The courses held at various locations around the county are serious one- or two-day workshops where subjects such as the proper way to hold children, how to handle large crowds and what to say to children’s tough questions are addressed.
“It’s not just like going to learn how to say ‘ho ho ho,’” Romano said.
Falkevitz also is a member of the Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas, an organization that officially began with a luncheon in January 1995. As the name suggests, the group is for professional Santas who sport natural beards.
According to the organization’s Web site, the group began with 10 Santas, but now boasts a dues-paying membership of more than 800 real bearded Santas. At a convention in Branson, Mo., in July 2006, nearly 300 Santas attended, setting a record for the most St. Nicks in one location.
Falkevitz didn’t have any difficulty meeting the Order’s beard requirement. He said he used to grow a beard only during the winter, but now keeps the facial hair year-round.
His size also helps him convincingly play the role of a man who lugs a bag full of toys around the world. He is 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighs about 350 pounds.
“I’m Santa’s biggest helper,” Falkevitz said.
Although Falkevitz visits Southwest Virginia at least once a year, this September turned into a special trip. On Sept. 9, he a had a photo shoot session in his Santa garb at the Romano farm in Bland County with Susi Lawson, a photographer and digital artist who operates Fine Art Photography out of Wytheville.
“We got to have Christmas in September,” Romano said.
Lawson, who is friends with Romano, first met Falkevitz at Romano’s daughter’s wedding in September 2006. Falkevitz said he was impressed with Lawson’s work from the wedding and decided to have her do some photos for his Santa business cards and formal portraits.
Using a variety of poses and props during the photo shoot, and later adding in Photoshop effects, Lawson created artwork such as “Downtime for Santa,” which shows Falkevitz kicking back on the beach in a Hawaiian shirt, and “Checking it Twice,” with Falkevitz sitting at a table with cookies and a hot drink as he checks his “Naughty or Nice” list.
Lawson said Falkevitz was a great subject to photograph.
“He had poses laughing and different things he learned at Santa Claus school,” she said. “It’s something I think every photographer would want to do.”
Falkevitz wore two different Santa outfits during the September photo shoot. He said buying high-quality red suits isn’t cheap.
“The money it brings in helps me buy new items and suits,” he said. “It doesn’t pay the mortgage.”
Although Falkevitz isn’t getting rich by being Santa Richard, the Santa Claus profession also has its hierarchies.
“I don’t do any malls,” he pointedly said, although his comment was still softened by his remarkably jolly tone. “I’m not a mall Santa.”
Instead, Falkevitz plays Santa Claus at parties and family gatherings and even is scheduled to appear at a wedding later this month.
Romano said that Falkevitz is a pretty convincing St. Nick when he gets into character.
“When he puts on his Santa persona, it’s always scary how like Santa Claus he is,” she said.
In addition to the delight he has brought to his grandchildren, Falkevitz said his favorite memory as Santa occurred at a party a few years ago when he connected with an autistic child, who Falkevitz remembered being 12 or 13 years old.
He said the boy’s father told him that the child had always been too uncomfortable sitting on Santa’s lap to have his picture taken. But Santa Richard was able to talk to him throughout the event and by the end of the day the youngster happily posed for a picture.
Falkevitz also said he enjoys helping to convince the “doubters” that the magic of Santa Claus is real. Parents regularly will provide him some tidbits about their children so he can surprise the kids with his knowledge of their good deeds.
During Falkevitz’s experiences as Santa, he said he’s yet to come across a single kid who deserved a lump of coal in his stocking.
“There are no naughty kids,” he said. “Some are just better than others.”
Nate Hubbard can be reached at 228-6611 or .