Ho, ho, ho! It's off to work we go

In Thirroul and Helensburgh, Iris Huizinga found two very popular figures.

The ‘Real Santa’ of Thirroul

Steven Valentine began his Santa journey 25 years ago and is now branching out as the jolly red man for the community of Thirroul. Steven has a deep baritone voice, and for this interview he stayed in character most of the time. He spoke of how hot it is in Australia, about living at the North Pole, and also informed us he wears his Santa suit morning, noon and night. There were a lot of little ones around. This might have influenced his answers.

Do you see yourself as a Santa Claus?

Steven: I’m at Tahnee Social, where the real Santa is. My name is Steven Valentine and I’m 65. I have been performing the Santa role for family and friends for many years. I was a surfing Santa in thongs and once I was the wake-up-Santa-because-he-has-missed-Christmas Santa, where I was pretending to be sound asleep in the bedroom and kids had to wake me up. I was fully dressed in my Santa suit, of course.

Do you ask a child if they’ve been naughty?

Steven: There are no naughty children.

How do children react to you?

Steven: Children have asked me how I keep my beard so white. I tell them I put it in the washing machine. Or they want me to bring a motorbike to them and I say to them, how am I going to fit the motorbike in the sack? And down the chimney?

Tips for other Santas?

Be friendly and nice. For the photos: I can’t smile because you can’t see my face. So I just do the eyes.

Check out @thirroulsantaphotos on Instagram or pop into the #TahneeSocial marketing and event space on Raymond Road, Thirroul for a photo.

‘To be Santa you have to be yourself’

Helensburgh’s Peter Burke volunteers at the surf club in Stanwell Park. This year is his fourth Christmas in the red-and-white “uniform”.

Do you see yourself as a Santa Claus?

Peter: No. I am the smallest skinniest Santa you’ve ever seen, but nothing that a pillow can’t fix. A lot of pillows.

How do children react to you?

Peter: You get some funny reactions. Once a young girl came up to me: “Santa, this is not for me, but this is for my dad. He needs a caravan. Can you get him a caravan?” And I go: “Uh, I’ll see what I can do.”

Do you ask children if they’ve been naughty?

Peter: I never ask them that. I’m assuming they’re all good. The kids usually come with their list of presents. It’s fun. It keeps you on your toes too as I’m not always up to date with what the toy actually is. Except the one time, when a little boy wanted a war tank. War history is a hobby of mine. So we had a whole conversation. He wanted a [old Soviet tank] T-35. I suggested the T-62. We had a little discussion while everybody else was queuing up. In the end someone said: “The kid wants a tank, just get the kid a tank. Let’s move on.”

Do you have any tips for first time Santas?

Peter: Just be yourself. To be Santa you have to be yourself. And stay on your toes because you get some strange questions. I received a letter [about an advent calendar] in which a boy asked: “Dear Santa, did you eat my 25th Chocolate?”