Will the real Santa Claus please stand up?

Jennifer Kho

COSTA MESA -- With rosy cheeks and snowy beards, four men in red and

white costumes sat on a couch Thursday arguing their authenticity.

“We’re Santa Claus and three of his helpers,” one Santa said. “Who the

real one is depends on who you ask. I know I’m the real Santa, but each

of us believes we are Santa and the others are helpers. The real Santa

has got to have helpers because there are a lot of children.”

The Santas -- who denied having “real names” -- each had evidence to

prove they were the real St. Nick.

“One kid yelled ‘Santa!’ from 400 or 500 yards away, came running to

me yelling the whole time and then stood next to me the whole rest of the

day, looking up at me with admiration,” said the first Santa.

“Whenever I’m at a party where I’m circulating instead of sitting

still, one or two kids will just follow me around,” another Santa

recalled.

“I had a kid who wouldn’t leave me,” Santa No. 3 chimed in. “The

parents had to drag him away screaming.”

The last Santa wouldn’t be outdone.

“One kid held my hand and said he wanted to take me home with him,”

the jolly red one said. “It was so cute.”

The Santas spent time at Triangle Square on Thursday, along with the

Dickens Carolers and Jingles the Christmas Jester. The jolly men chatted

about their jobs and reminded children that Christmas is coming.

They also accepted gifts -- donated books, CDs, T-shirts, coupons and

plaques -- from about 15 stores at the square; the items will later be

distributed to children.

“When I’m up on the sales floor, I sometimes hear kids asking for

things that they want that I know they can’t have,” said Mike While,

processor for Virgin Megastore, which donated T-shirts. “We just want to

make sure they get something for Christmas.”

The Santas accepted the gifts, saying the donations will help the

elves finish their work on time.

“Every little bit helps,” one Santa said. “Mrs. Claus supervises, the

elves do the building, and we do the [public relations.] Then we all

collapse on Dec. 26.”

The Santas gather requests on a Web site -- run by Costa Mesa resident

Bob Mindte -- to help them decide where to make their appearances. In an

effort to give Santa a hand during the holidays, Mindte started the Web

site, o7 https://www.santaforhire.comf7 , about a year ago.

People and businesses nationwide began requesting visits -- far too

many for Santa to accommodate -- and, at the same time, other people left

messages at the site claiming they were the real Santa.

Now the corporation coordinates an international visiting schedule for

Santa and 49 of Santa’s helpers, but the identity of the real Santa is

still a mystery.

“Santa’s a spirit, and it’s the spirit of giving, not receiving,”

Santa No. 1 said. “We ask children not just what they want, but also what

their brothers and sisters want, to try to get the message across. It’s

all about a spirit that we all believe in and represent.”