My dad played Santa Claus for the Realtor's Care and Share Program. (He also played the Easter Bunny, as he was the perfect size and loved children) If you brought a canned good you could get your picture taken with Santa Claus.
Grandpa loved playing Santa Claus. I remember growing up he would be watching tv and during the commercials he would change the channel to avoid them. Now, all of a sudden he was changing channels but all he was watching was commercials. I asked him what he was doing and he replied "I have six weeks til Christmas. Last year one of the children asked for a toy and I didn't know what they were talking about. That will not happen this year". That brought a tear to my eye, I was so proud of him.
One year a friend had a sick child who was bedriden. The friend asked if Santa could visit her child at home. Of course Grandpa didn't think twice and made plans to visit her. The lady offered him money but he refused to take it. He said "Seeing the joy in that child's face was payment enough" The lady said she would make a donation to the charity she was so happy her little girl got to see Santa.
That started it. People would call for Santa to visit their children at home. So for three weeks before Christmas you could arrange to have Santa visit you at home. He never did take any payments and if payments were offered to the charity he always said they needed to be made anonymously because he didn't want money to be a factor. He also refused to visit anyone's house on Christmas Eve as "That is Santa's busiest day of the year"
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