JUDA - There's more to Santa Claus than a red suit and a white beard.
Just ask Dennis Pfingston, who has portrayed the jolly old elf for the past seven years at the Juda school.
"You really have to love kids," he said during a break Saturday at the school.
Pfingston dons the apparel twice during the Christmas season, once at the Juda school for the annual pancake breakfast and again when the elementary students have their Christmas program. Each time he does it, he enjoys it, he laughed.
The children who come to see him are convinced he really is Santa Claus.
Some of them are quick to sit on his lap to tell him what they want for Christmas.
"They ask for horses, computer games, Barbie dolls and jeeps," Pfingston said.
A few of the children still are too young to be brave enough to sit on Santa's lap. One little girl told her mother what she wanted for Christmas and then her mother told Santa.
Pfingston gave her a candy cane and that brightened the little girl's mood, but she was still a little afraid to sit on Santa's lap.
One little boy stood by the wall and waved to Santa, Pfingston said. That was as close as the boy would get, he added.
"When they brought him closer, he would start to cry," he said.
Like other Santas, Pfingston had his share of questions from the children. They wanted to know how Santa was able to get to Juda when there wasn't any snow on the ground. Pfingston told them he came by helicopter. A few asked him about Rudolph.
Pfingston answered all of the questions, whether it was the first or fifth time a child asked. Then he gave them each a piece of candy and they were able to bounce off his lap and show their parents the candy cane before they wished Santa a "Merry Christmas."
It's all about liking kids, Pfingston said as another child walked away happy and confident the toy he asked for would be under the tree.
Just ask Dennis Pfingston, who has portrayed the jolly old elf for the past seven years at the Juda school.
"You really have to love kids," he said during a break Saturday at the school.
Pfingston dons the apparel twice during the Christmas season, once at the Juda school for the annual pancake breakfast and again when the elementary students have their Christmas program. Each time he does it, he enjoys it, he laughed.
The children who come to see him are convinced he really is Santa Claus.
Some of them are quick to sit on his lap to tell him what they want for Christmas.
"They ask for horses, computer games, Barbie dolls and jeeps," Pfingston said.
A few of the children still are too young to be brave enough to sit on Santa's lap. One little girl told her mother what she wanted for Christmas and then her mother told Santa.
Pfingston gave her a candy cane and that brightened the little girl's mood, but she was still a little afraid to sit on Santa's lap.
One little boy stood by the wall and waved to Santa, Pfingston said. That was as close as the boy would get, he added.
"When they brought him closer, he would start to cry," he said.
Like other Santas, Pfingston had his share of questions from the children. They wanted to know how Santa was able to get to Juda when there wasn't any snow on the ground. Pfingston told them he came by helicopter. A few asked him about Rudolph.
Pfingston answered all of the questions, whether it was the first or fifth time a child asked. Then he gave them each a piece of candy and they were able to bounce off his lap and show their parents the candy cane before they wished Santa a "Merry Christmas."
It's all about liking kids, Pfingston said as another child walked away happy and confident the toy he asked for would be under the tree.