Santa and Mrs. Claus
Doug and Carla Hallmark never intended to assume the roles of Santa and Mrs. Claus. It was quite accidental and unanticipated. In Christmas of 2013, the Town of Olla needed someone to step into the character of the jolly old Saint Nick himself for the annual Christmas parade, and Doug happened to be at the right place at the right time.
He did his best to avoid the task, he really did, and when approached, he casually replied, “I have no Santa suit.” After all, those were some mighty big black boots to try to fill.
“No problem,” his petitioner, the former Town Clerk replied, “I have two Santa suits.”
Doug already had the beard. He had the laugh. So, he reluctantly donned the bright red hat and suit, stepped into the familiar black boots and the rest of the story reads like a well written “Hallmark” Christmas movie. It wasn’t but a year later, his wife, who is somewhat shy, reluctantly joined him as Mrs. Claus, creating her first costume from the leftover Santa suit that was originally given to her husband. The cast was complete!
For two months out of each year around the Yuletide season, the Hallmarks lose their identities and normal routines, put on their Christmas finery and bring cheer and delight to hundreds of Cenla children. Of course, it involves endless deep belly laughs, holding smile after smile – until their facial muscles ache – and more than a few greetings of “Merry Christmas!”
Carla, who works full-time in the school system, and Doug, who is retired, take great joy in their seasonal roles. They have participated in endless photo shoots with various photographers posing with boys and girls in Christmas scenes, cycled up to do toy runs with motorcycle clubs, and participated (in one of their favorites) the Down Syndrome Christmas Celebration in Lafayette, among a host of other worthwhile events.
“I was raised with my Aunt Peggy who had Down Syndrome,” Carla (Mrs. Claus) explained. “She was special to all of us and when we were contacted (to go), we said ‘Yes!’ and have loved it every year. Infants to those in their thirties react like we’re the real Santa and Mrs. Claus.”
Doug agreed adding, “They are in awe. We’re the real Santa and Mrs. Claus to them. That’s all there is to it!”
While the Hallmarks choose not to schedule bookings for private parties, they are gladly available for churches, charitable and public events and all things that involve children, especially those with special needs. They annually participate in events held at various autism clinics including those in Monroe, Olla and Ruston. One of their favorite memories involved a motorcycle ride with fellow bikers to deliver a homecooked Christmas meal and a bundle of gifts to an autistic child and his family. The highlight of the event was when Carla got the opportunity to pray with this special young boy.
“I remember at the Health Fair at Hardtner praying with a couple,” she said. “When we got through praying, I turned around and saw these huge biker guys who were also there with tears in their eyes and their hands raised.”
The Hallmarks are much more than costumed Christmas characters. They see their efforts as a ministry and often find themselves comforting and reaching out to the parents and children who visit them. Surprisingly, children ask for ‘gifts’ the Hallmarks nor anyone else can give such as healing for one of their sick family members and other things that Santa can’t provide. Doug recalled one child asking for a new wife for her single dad who was raising his kids alone.
When he asked her what she wanted for Christmas she replied, “I don’t want anything but Daddy sure could use a wife.” He found it sobering that her request came from her heart and was not for herself, but for her family.
“We tell them we can’t do anything about that, but we know someone who can,” Doug said. “We stop and pray with them.” He then noted with a telling smile that “some kids make a list two miles long!”
The Hallmarks take a few minutes to talk to the children before photo sessions and such, allowing them a chance to warm up to their Christmas characters, with some even pulling Santa’s beard to see if it’s real. If children ask for extravagant gifts, Santa never promises them anything unless their parents give him the nod first; otherwise, he tells them it sounds like a good gift but to talk to mom and dad first.
Doug is a rather slim Santa which has provoked a few of his patrons to ask why he isn’t “fat” like other Santas. The answer is simple: Mrs. Claus tells them how she puts Santa on a diet every year because he eats so many cookies during Christmas he can’t fit into his suit. That satisfies their curiosity until they notice the reindeer are missing and want to know where they are hiding. The Hallmarks reply? “Rudolph and the other reindeer dropped us off and flew back to the North Pole. They’ll come back to get us when Christmas is over.” Then they show the children their red “Christmas car” they use to get from place to place.
“I remind them it’s deer season in Louisiana and the reindeer go back to the North Pole for safety,” Doug says with a laugh, quite fitting for Santa.
After ten years of playing Santa and Mrs. Claus, the Hallmarks have no plans to retire. Doug recently made a post on Facebook encouraging parents to tell children the big gifts come from them – their parents – not Santa, so that when children return to school with those who receive less or little, no child feels left out or that Santa plays favorites.
That’s the mark of a true Santa – always concerned about the little ones who still have a childlike belief in Christmas and its possibilities. The Hallmarks exemplify the true spirit of Christmas and the gifts they give to others, especially children, are always from their hearts.
