What would you ask Santa for for Christmas? We bet it's not anywhere near what these kids asked for.
Chucky’s Biggest Fan
“I wasn’t a mall Santa but I volunteered for a project where ‘Santa’ would call kids on the phone. An adult figure would submit a request with a phone number, a short bio of the kid(s), interests they have, and potential presents they might want we could discuss.
We were prepped for the occasional Mom submitted the form but didn’t tell Dad and we might get an angry parent wondering what pervert is talking to their kids.
The most messed up kid I got? There were two kids on the form. The first was normal enough. Then the older kid got on. They asked for the doll from the Chucky movie. Like a sane person, I was thinking a stuffed doll.
No, the kid went on this psychotic tirade. The kid started yelling at me saying they wanted the real Chucky doll that goes around and kills people. They then went into some plans about what they wanted to do with the doll and who they wanted to get. I think I gave an answer about being afraid of the real Chucky and said I wasn’t sure I could fulfill the request. I guess I should’ve talked to the parents afterward, but I got off the phone as quick as I could and thankfully I didn’t get a from call this kid on my home number.”
Dear Santa
“I was Santa for a foster/adoption ministry. You have to get special background checks/training to watch foster kids in Texas, so it’s really hard for foster parents to find time to Christmas shop sans kids. This ministry does the training and checks on people like me and several of us get together once a quarter or so for a date night/need to get things done night for these parents.
Anyway, I dressed as Santa while mommy and daddy had a date night and got Christmas shopping done. There were probably 300 kids there and they all got to come take pictures with me/tell me what they wanted. Great fun, until… one of them asked me for a mommy and daddy. He couldn’t have been 3 and he said it with a straight face. I won’t lie…Santa cried a little that day.
For those who need resolution, he was adopted by the parents who were caring for him at the time.”
A Touching Tale
“I was a manager of one of theses place for 5 years or so, and occasionally filled in as Santa when someone was late or sick. The 3 most messed up things I was asked for were:
Mommy to live until Christmas (she had cancer). I was shocked and don’t even remember my response. It’s all I thought about until that Christmas.
Mommy and Daddy to stop yelling at each other. I asked the kid to go see one of my helpers, then I talked to the parents. The dad got all quiet and the mom teared up, it was like they never noticed the kid noticing them. They kinda nodded and walked away with their heads down.
I have lots more. Sadly only the really messed up stuff sticks because some of the really silly stuff is so out there it gets old hearing about a kid who wants a 5th pony.”
“I Still Think About Her Every Holiday Season”
“I had helped Santa for almost twenty years, but mostly for private parties and events. I did cover for him many years ago in a little mall in Belding, Michigan.
A little girl came up with a group of kids and didn’t even look up at me and didn’t want to talk or get a candy cane. I asked her what was wrong. She said I didn’t give her what she asked for last year and started crying. I told her I was sorry and would try again this year. She said I couldn’t because she asked Santa to stop daddy from hurting mommy and he didn’t. Her mother was killed by her father. All I could do was apologize. The chaperone took the girl away, not saying anything.
I went home sick, removed my suit and never wore it again. I don’t know if the other person helping Santa that day thought they could do something for that little angel, but she was betrayed. I still think about her every holiday season. I haven’t helped Santa since and don’t think I ever will again.”
Straight Out Of The Boondocks
“My story is straight out of The Boondocks.
I am blessed to live in the lower-upper-class bracket and in an area similar to that income level. Being portly and having a naturally white Santa-ish beard, I figured I might as well have some fun volunteering as Santa. It was fine for a few hours until a young man hopped on my lap. He punched me in the face and then ran off yelling, ‘THAT FO’ NOT VISITIN ME WHEN I LIVED IN THE HOOD.’
The parents were really taken aback by this and had a horrified look on their faces. I laughed it off (internally) and gave the parents a smile and a thumbs up. I still don’t know as they went of running after their kid after the thumbs up, but I am assuming the kid had a hard early childhood and they never had any money for presents but somehow made it and moved up in life.”
Stranger Danger
“I didn’t have much of a concept of Santa as a child. My parents hadn’t really bothered with the story, by age 6 I knew of him but my parents were like ‘he’s just a made-up, like a cartoon character, to help tell stories.’ But before that, I hadn’t really been prepped with any Santa mythology.
When I was four or so, we went to a Christmas party at my Dad’s work and Santa tried to pick me up and sit me on his knee. I started screaming and crying and kicked him repeatedly and then hid under the Christmas tree trembling until my big brother got me out. Later ‘Santa’ came to apologize and I told him it was not okay for strangers to touch children. My mother tells this story with some pride.”
Putting The Team First
“I was coaching a team of 6-7 year old kids. One day during our warm-up, I asked them what they had asked Santa for Christmas. Most asked for toys, but one of the kids said he would only whisper it to me. When I said ‘okay’ he came over and whispered, ‘I asked Santa for something to make our team win this year.’
At the end of practice, I asked his mom if she knew what he’d asked Santa for, and she named a lego set and a couple of video games. I told her what he’d told me he asked Santa for, and then made a gift certificate for a free hour-long private lesson for him and his best friend on the team. We also bought live-strong bracelets in team colors with an inspirational message and made sure that one was in each kid’s stocking on Christmas morning. I still have mine and wear it when I go back to visit.”
A Brutal Battle
“I dressed as Santa for my son’s 1st grade class this year. The kids figured out who I was fairly quickly, but that didn’t stop them from taking turns telling me what they wanted. One little kid asked me if he could have his sister back. Teacher later explained that there was a very bitter custody battle and one parent took their favorite child of the two and had moved to another state.”
He’s Real
“Not really messed up, but a memorable moment from the time I got to be the fat man in red.
I don’t exactly have the build to be Santa, but I was the only one who didn’t outright object to putting on the suit at the ice rink where I worked. I had to wear it during the public skate times and basically interact with the kids for a Skate with Santa! promotion.
A lot of the middle school boys chased me around and asked me questions like, ‘Where’s your sleigh?’ and ‘I saw you at the mall earlier today, how did you get here so fast?’ and ‘Can I pull on your beard?’ This went on for an hour, it was pretty annoying that it seemed like nobody was actually happy to see me, but I didn’t blame them; I hardly looked like the Santa Claus anyone would typically imagine. I started watching the clock, anticipating when I could finally rip off the suit. I saw why no one wanted to volunteer.
About 15 minutes left, a dad comes up to me and asks if his little girl could talk to me. She’s about 5, dressed in pink from head to toe (including skates), long blonde wavy hair, big blue eyes. I say sure, get down on a knee, and wave her over. She leans in and whispers in the daintiest little voice I’ve ever heard, ‘Hi Santa. Um, I want a Barbie, and a DS, and, um, I want my dad to give me a big hug on Christmas.’
It was amazing – this little girl brought me to a place I hadn’t been to in almost 20 years. For that fleeting moment, this little girl made Santa real again, and I can’t even describe the warmth and joy I felt because of that moment we shared.”
Ouch
“When I was in grade school, I had a friend named Stacy who came over to play frequently since we lived in the same neighborhood. Stacy had a sister maybe 8 or 10 years older who’d come over to play a lot too because she had Down’s Syndrome and was still into Barbies and Mall Madness and stuff. But because we were kids and she was different and we were cruel, we didn’t always want Stacy’s sister to play with us, so when she’d come over she’d actually end up spending a lot of time with my dad, who let her help make dinner.
Unsurprisingly Stacy’s sister developed a huge crush on my dad and hated my mom. When Christmas came around Stacy’s sister told Santa she wanted my mom to die.”
A Cookie A Day
“When I was in high school I remember going to the mall around Christmas time. The fake Santa was really close to the Mrs. Fields. A kid asked for a giant Mrs. Field’s cookie, his mother shook her head no at the Santa, so the Santa suggested he ask for something else. The kid started screaming for the cookie at the top of his lungs.
After about 2 minutes of this, the kid threw up all over the Santa and fell asleep. Turns out he had just eaten 3 smaller cookies from Mrs. Fields.”
Santa Saves The Day
“I have been Santa for several seasons. I had a special needs young woman (approximate age of 40, mentally age 12 perhaps) ask me to make her boyfriend quit hitting her. I told a lady who was helping me to get the deputy sheriff at the event to come see me. I whispered to him what she had said. He came back 10 minutes later and asked if I would speak to her in a private area. There the deputy and Santa got a clearer, but very disturbing picture of how she had been repeatedly abused.
In May, the deputy let me know the offender had been sentenced to 8 years and the girl had been relocated to a new care facility.”
A Tear Jerker
“I have done Santa for Big Brother Big Sister’s for 7 years. Almost every year one of the kids gets me in the cries. The first one was a little boy. When I asked him what he wanted he said, ‘I don’t want anything for me. I just want a family for my sister.’ WOW, that got me What the heck do I say to that?
Next one, a little girl asked me to make sure her daddy got back from Afghanistan alive. I was speechless and didn’t know what to say. It is the best day and the worst day of the year when I am Santa.”
Watch Out For Cougars
“Former mall Santa, even bought a professional suit because I hated the one they provided. I got a few creepy stories that involve college students and adults.
Kids: A little girl no more than 5 was screaming bloody murder when it was her turn. Kids get scared of Santa all the time, that uncommon. Her dolled up mom was having none of her child’s tantrum and the Elves were pleading with her to not put the girl on my lap. She did and at her kid instantly stopped screaming. She just had this look of pure hatred at her mom for the remainder of the photo session. I swear, I thought I was on Candid Camera it looked so acted out. Attempting to talk to the little terror, I asked her what she wanted for Christmas. She looked at me and softly said just above a whisper, ‘for my Mommy to die.’ I NOPED myself to a break after that one. It was the inside joke for the rest of the mall Santa season to whisper between kids ‘I want you to die!!!!’
College Students: One rather lonely overweight gal kept getting in line several times a week to get pictures with Santa. I was in college myself back then and I’m pretty sure she was working herself up to asking me out. She was extremely shy, awkward and had some hygiene issues. She only paid for one of the photos, but the elves remember seeing her throughout the week when I wasn’t on shift. Apparently, she only got pictures with me.
Adults: I was in my 20’s and the perverted things the cougars whispered into my ear while sitting on Santa’s lap were definitely something for the naughty list to be sure. It became so frequent for the younger Santas to get groped, teased and grabbed that the elves were told to stay close when adults got their pictures taken. Elf security to be sure.”
Surprise!
“I’m not a fake Santa, but when I was five I went to a Christmas party with my mom but she told me my dad couldn’t make it. I sat on the fake Santa’s lap and wished that my dad could be at the party. Half an hour later my dad appeared.
I found out a few years later that he was the fake Santa.”
A Painful Look
“I was a Santa at a school on the near an Native American Reservation and the top 3 most messed up and sad things I heard was. 3. A new puppy because ours froze and he is not coming back 2. I wish my parents would stop fighting 1. I wish to see my Mommy/Daddy or to come home.
Hard times to look into a childs’ face and in your heart know there is not much you can do but they have a look of hope that you might be able to help them. I only did it for 2 years and I stopped volunteering.”