Santa Claus, also known as Saint Nicholas or Father Christmas is a historical figure who brings gifts to the homes of good boys and girls during the later evening hours of Christmas Eve.
He is very much a part of Christmas culture but, as the years have gotten so busy, Santa Claus himself has had to enlist the help of great gentleman around the world to dress up in his likeness and visit children and adults alike, delivering the spirit and smiles of Christmas.
Of course, who better for the North Pole residing Santa to choose than a fine gentleman named Nick, living in Unity? Soon to be 81-years-old, Nick Seneshen has proudly taken on the task Santa asked of him.
He was fitted with his first Santa Suit in 1957, when he and his wife, Lil, moved into their new photography studio. He offered photographs with Santa for children. The chamber of commerce eventually created an event called Santa Days to celebrate this grand fellow, although Nick, busy with the photography side of things, enlisted another helper for these chamber events.
But at all other times in December, since 1957, Nick has been happy to help Santa out. He was on call regularly for United Church Sunday School events and at Unimac Christmas parties to help hand out gifts to residents.
Nick recalls one year when a woman kept asking him his name. Because he was instructed by the big guy himself to always answer to Santa Claus when working in his image, Nick replied repeatedly that he was indeed Santa Claus. The woman felt he wasn't being truthful so she asked him to purchase lottery tickets, thinking she would trick this fellow in the red suit into signing his real name on the ticket. However, dutifully following Santa's instructions, Nick clearly wrote down Santa Claus. The woman stopped asking his name after that moment.
Nick was sure to attend many events at St. Peter's School, and the annual Kinsmen seniors' suppers. When the former Unimac moved to the new centre, Parkview Place, Nick was also visiting there over the lunch hour to be sure and have contact with each resident.
However, one year when visiting Parkview, Nick ran out of candy canes to hand out and was short giving them to one table of gents. Instead of apologizing and leaving the recipients empty-handed, he quickly ran downtown and purchased more to make sure these fellows were as included as all the rest. That is the one and only time Nick ever ran out of the delicious treats.
Passing out candy canes is Nick's trademark. He always makes sure, when working undercover for Santa, that his bag is stocked full of this Christmas candy. He doesn't think he could even account for the numbers in the 1000s of candy canes he has handed out in the past 55 years. He used to buy them by the barrel, however, the way they are sold now, he buys them by boxes of 100s. Even though Santa Claus has offered, Nick has refused reimbursement for these sweet treats as they are part of his gift-giving personality.
Nick has visited hospital patients quite often, and also heads to long term care. One time, while working as an ambulance attendant, Nick had to transfer a patient to a Saskatoon hospital, a patient he had visited as Santa Claus the day before. The patient seemed to recognize Nick's voice and asked several times if he was indeed the character visiting patients the day before in the hospital wards. Nick did not blow his cover, or Santa's secret code, and the patient was left guessing.
This job, as you can imagine, is a very active one. Nick went through two Santa Claus suits issued from the North Pole. About 10 years ago, Nick decided to commission a tailor-made suit and he has found that it has served him well.
In his wildest guess and with some mathematic calculations, Nick used the formula of 55 years of serving in this role approximated with at least a dozen visits per December making for nearly 700 job tasks in his time serving in this role. He has never asked Santa for a raise in pay, benefits, time off or seniority benefits because he loved the gift that he could give others.
You see, Nick said, there is great satisfaction in seeing an appreciative smile, the excited eyes of a child, the loving look from a shut-in or senior and the happiness his appearances create.
Nick makes sure every year to visit shut-ins or someone ill in the community. About eight years ago Nick heard of a country girl who was unable to get to town for a photo with Santa. Nick drove out to her place so that she could get a photo with him, a gesture that has never been forgotten.
Knowing his appearance was always welcome and spreading the joy he could was as much a gift to him as it was to honour his employer, Santa Claus himself. He never put that suit on for the recognition or because of the adoration that evolved from his appearance. Nick simply answered the call bestowed upon him from the North Pole office. He said it has been a great pleasure and a privilege serving in this role and he has no plans of retirement.
Taken from the famous letter written in 1897, this story evokes the same answer: "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. No Santa Claus! Thank God! He lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood."
This answer certainly describes Unity's very own Saint Nicholas. Thank you Nick Seneshen, for your service to this community!
