Close X
Sunday, November 24, 2024
ADVT 
National

'Had Such A Kind Heart:' Year-Round Spirit Of Santa Stand-In Inspires Toy Drive

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 18 Dec, 2018 07:45 PM

    WINNIPEG — Brian Sanderson's white beard and jolly demeanor landed him in Santa's bright-red suit in Winnipeg malls, seniors centres, toy catalogues and as the mythical Christmas figure in more than half a dozen movies.


    So when Sanderson, Winnipeg's most well-known Santa's helper, died in October at the age of 77, a group of people — his own special elves — stepped up to make sure the Christmas magic he displayed all year would continue.


    "He just had such a kind heart and literally a twinkle in his eye that is pushing us forward," said Shelly Anthis.


    Anthis, a casting director who met Sanderson through his movie roles, started a toy drive in memory of Santa Brian. Along with help from others and the support of Sanderson's family, she has been collecting gifts to hand out to children and teenagers at shelters and family centres over the holiday season.


    "There (are) a lot of teens and youth there that could use some of that magic and we just want to make sure that they have gifts, too," she said.


    Christmas was always extremely busy for Sanderson and his partner of 11 years, Lillian Harrison, also known as Mrs. Claus. But Sanderson played the role of Santa all year long for 26 years.


    It started when he agreed to be in Christmas photos taken at a Winnipeg mall. The first year he wore a fake beard, Harrison said, and a child pulled it down. Sanderson didn't want to break that special illusion again, so he grew his own beard out.


    "In his younger years, Santa was magic ... and he just wanted to bring that magic to other people," Harrison said.


    Sanderson carried candy canes with him all year long in case he ran into children who recognized him as Santa. One year, two young girls came to the door and asked him why he forgot them at Christmas, so he went inside and found a couple of dolls from his personal toy stash to hand over.


    "His Santa persona was not just at Christmas. It was something he loved and lived 24-7, 365 days," said Sanderson's daughter Kathy Bailey in an email.


    "But as my daughter said to us when he passed and (Facebook) tributes and comments started rolling in: 'I never thought of Gramps as a celebrity. To me he was just Gramps.'"


    Bailey said her father was a well-prepared Santa. He would study catalogues and flyers to make sure he knew what the latest toys were and would never commit to high-priced gifts.


    "He would say he wasn't sure if the elves had enough parts for those toys, and if it was a cellphone, he asked the child how they would pay the bill," she said.


    "He felt that Santa shouldn't promise something parents may not be able to afford or didn't want their child to have. This way they could make that decision themselves."


    Once word of the toy drive spread, people from across Manitoba and around the world reached out to help. It shows the impact that sharing the Christmas spirit all year can have on the larger community, Anthis said.


    She expects her group will be handing out hundreds of gifts in the week before Christmas to children who may otherwise not get any.


    This year Sanderson's Santa isn't around to pass out wrapped presents, but Harrison's Mrs. Claus will be there.


    "I am so glad they are doing that in his memory because I can see him looking down and I know he's smiling," she said.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Mounties Arrest Two Vancouver Men After Supermarket Reports $1,400 Butter Caper

     Two Vancouver men are facing charges of theft after RCMP in Coquitlam, B.C., say they arrested the pair for allegedly stealing a shopping cart loaded with $1,400 worth of butter.

    Mounties Arrest Two Vancouver Men After Supermarket Reports $1,400 Butter Caper

    Federal MPs Denounce B.C. Group’s Hateful Facebook Post Targeting Harjit Singh Sajjan

    Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan says he was heartened to see Conservative MPs denouncing a hateful Facebook post that targeted him.

    Federal MPs Denounce B.C. Group’s Hateful Facebook Post Targeting Harjit Singh Sajjan

    Two Men And A Woman Arrested In Fraudulent Credit Card Operation In Surrey

    Two Men And A Woman Arrested In Fraudulent Credit Card Operation In Surrey
    In October 2018 the Surrey RCMP’s Property Crime Target Team (PCTT) and Economic Crime Unit (ECU) began an investigation into mail theft and fraud associated to a residence in the 6100 block of 175A Street in Surrey.

    Two Men And A Woman Arrested In Fraudulent Credit Card Operation In Surrey

    Eight Students Expelled, One Suspended Over Toronto's St. Michael's College Alleged Serious Assaults

    Eight Students Expelled, One Suspended Over Toronto's St. Michael's College Alleged Serious Assaults
    Upon completion of its internal investigation, school administration provides information related to the second incident to police, and gives the second video (locker room) to police

    Eight Students Expelled, One Suspended Over Toronto's St. Michael's College Alleged Serious Assaults

    Surrey Mounties Nab Alleged Prolific Break And Enter Offender

    Surrey Mounties Nab Alleged Prolific Break And Enter Offender
    A prolific property crime offender with multiple outstanding warrants and conditions was arrested early yesterday morning after a break and enter at a local business.

    Surrey Mounties Nab Alleged Prolific Break And Enter Offender

    NASA Wants Canadian Boots On The Moon As First Step In Deep Space Exploration

    NASA Wants Canadian Boots On The Moon As First Step In Deep Space Exploration
    OTTAWA — The head of the U.S. space agency says he wants to see Canadian astronauts walking on the moon before long, as part of a first step toward the farther reaches of space.

    NASA Wants Canadian Boots On The Moon As First Step In Deep Space Exploration