Santa in need of Christmas helpers

IF YOU ask Patrick Sheean what he enjoys most about donning a Santa Claus suit every year for Christmas, he will tell you it’s the joy it brings the children.

But now heading into his 44th year of being Santa, he is calling in reinforcements.

“Life’s been good, but I need another couple of Santas,” the 83-year-old said.

“There’s never, ever enough Santas.”

Mr Sheean is on the hunt for spirited individuals eager to help spread cheer throughout the Christmas season at the Westfield and Waurn Ponds shopping centres.

There are also a number of positions open for other Christmas characters, including elves.

Santa suits, costumes and guidance will be provided, however, those interested will need a working with children check.

Event service providers, Scene to Believe, will also educate and train Westfield Santas to better interact with deaf and hard of hearing children.

This year, after the success of a pilot program run by Deaf Australia, designated Auslan Santa sessions will be on offer at Westfield Geelong.

These sessions will include an interpreter and give children who use Auslan at their primary form of communication the opportunity to meet and sign with Santa.

Mr Sheean said Santas also need to be happy interacting with “little ones and old ones”.

“I think I’ve had some that are 95 sit on my knee,” Mr Sheean said.

After a lifetime as Santa, the father of five, grandfather of five and great grandfather of three, has no shortage of stories.

Although some – the tearjerkers – are harder for him to tell than others.

A regular visitor each Christmas to cancer wards, on one occasion Mr Sheean sat with a young girl and her grandmother.

The young girl had been in a coma for three weeks.

“I just held her hand and kept talking to her, saying it’s not long now and Santa’s got something very, very special just for you…and you’re going to wake up soon.”

He spent 10 minutes with her before continuing through the ward to visit with some of the other children.

“I was walking back, and I looked in the door and the grandma was crying.”

Fearing the worst, he asked if the young girl was alright.

“Would you believe it, not long after [I] left, she woke up and she turned around and the first word she said was Santa.”

To find out more or to apply for one of the available positions, visit www.scenetobelieve.com.au.

Bookings for Auslan Santa sessions are also open for November 26 and can be made at westfield.com.au.