Peggy Dover

Spoiler alert: The following story addresses the fact that Father Christmas has a life outside of elves and reindeer. Anyone who may be sensitive to his mortality might consider passing me by this week, but I wouldn’t recommend it. He has a magic snow globe that reveals our deeds.

He passed by the window and even without his customary finery, I knew it was he. The first year I saw Father Christmas sitting inside Beekman Bank with a string of excited children waiting to share their requests, a thought flickered that he might be the real deal.

When I phoned Don Hall, Jacksonville’s own Father Christmas, with hopes for an interview, I was delighted that he agreed to stop by the information center where I work. There was a heightened feeling of anticipation at the thought of having the celebrity to myself without waiting in line.

This is Don’s 14th year as the Victorian Father Christmas, serving adults and children from his throne inside the historic Beekman Bank. He takes the responsibility seriously and has a lot of fun in the process. I asked him how he got started with this experience. I mean, one doesn’t just decide one day to become Santa Claus.

“I worked for Fred Meyer cashiering in the grocery area. I came in one day right after elk season (elk, not reindeer), and I was telling a friend of mine about how much fun we had. We have a lot of family and friends that go. Well, so I’m telling him this and I had about a quarter of an inch of scruff on my face and at that time it was silver also.

“And Linda, from here in Jacksonville, who was five registers over and checking out, ran over to the end of my register and said, ‘Don, Don, I need help.’ She told me that the Santa that they had was sick and asked me if I could help stand in for him. I’m thinking, oh, man. I don’t know.”

He had three weeks to decide.

Don doubted that he was up to the challenge. “I’m portraying a heck of a character and how do you go about it? How are people in general going to take this? I went home and told my wife about it and oh, she was tickled pink.” Though his wife Cheryl agreed to help, she flat refused to be an elf, at the beginning. She did sew elf costumes for his helpers.

Don accepted his calling. One year prior, he and his entire family had posed for pictures on Father Christmas’ lap. This might have suggested a clue — sort of a pre-coronation.

The former Father Christmas had to retire, so they asked Don to assume the role permanently. When Tim Balfour asked, Don said, “Well, I don’t really know how to do this. I fumbled my way through it this year.”

At that point Don’s wife Cheryl walked up, put her hand on Tim’s shoulder and said, “He will be there next year.” And that, as they say, was that. By the third year of duty, she appeared dressed in an elf costume of her own making.

Cheryl has since passed on. I sensed the painful loss of a special relationship. He still wears his wedding ring. And I suspect that Don’s role of Father Christmas is not only a labor of love for all he’s accomplishing among families, but also because of his and Cheryl’s love and to honor her enthusiasm.

Don takes time with each child and his sincerity is felt. “I enjoy this very much.” He’s now seeing the offspring of kids who visited him years ago. His sons and grandchildren are a big help.

My time with Father Christmas flew. Even in his civvies, he held me captive with stories and a contagious laugh that called back the child from not so long ago. After he left, I wondered if my aging face shone with that same innocent delight.

Father Christmas is welcoming visitors from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 24 inside Beekman Bank at 3rd and California Streets in Jacksonville.

Editor’s note: This column has been updated to reflect that the Father Christmas interactions run through Dec. 24.