Santa Delivers Christmas Magic ... and the Mail

On most days, Santa Claus' sleigh is a pair of motorcycles and his mode of delivery is the United States Postal Service.

Except for that one day a year when Santa–better known as Fred Standaert–is pulled from house to house by a reindeer-led flying sleigh to deliver toys and goodies to all the boys and girls.

So, how does a post office employee with the national distribution center by night and Enterprise Fire Co. volunteer fire cop "become" a Santa Claus by day?

At first, Standaert, of Upper Moreland Township in eastern Montgomery County, was a fill-in for a Santa in King of Prussia, where he lived until a few years ago. Since then, he's become a full-fledged, red-suited Santa, who lit the official Christmas tree in Hatboro and rang in the holiday season by concluding the borough's annual holiday parade last month.

"I love seeing the smile on children's faces," said Standaert, who trots out his $800 tailor made Santa suit for as many paid gigs as he does charitable events, including the recent Lehigh Valley Toy Run, which provided hundreds of gifts to underprivileged youngsters. "Every Santa does their part in their volunteer work. We all do separate things and different things."

When charitable organizations and nonprofit groups, such as the Boy Scouts, ask Standaert how much he will charge, he said he commonly rubs beard as if to think about it. His response: "A cup of coffee with a straw."

The straw, he said, is needed because without it, sipping a cup of coffee with such a full beard is next to impossible. 

His year-round grayish-white beard, long gray hair and his own naturally Santa-like belly cause him to at times be recognized even in non-holiday months, he said. 

"I leave that little drop of thought with them," Standaert said, adding that when kids ask him if he's Santa Claus he typically queries back: "What do you think?"