This is Devon -- He's known by many names – Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas or Kris Kringle – and is reluctant to reveal his age, but the man himself is happy to talk by phone from his home in Lapland, where he is putting the final touches to preparations for the big day next Wednesday. What's the weather like in Lapland? At the moment it's around -10C which is why I like to wrap up warm in my red outfit with some good boots... and always with a decent set of thermals underneath. You can't be too careful and I don't want to catch a cold, otherwise where would we be on Christmas Day? A lot of children would be disappointed. Like the Wizzard song, do you wish it could be Christmas every day? No I don't! It's exhausting. But the run-up to Christmas in Lapland is lovely with lots of boys and girls flying out to visit with their mums and dads to tell me what they'd really like for Christmas. The decorations are up, the lights are twinkling and there's lots of snow for extra magic. Is it true – as another song suggests – that you have a list and you're checking it twice to find out who's naughty or nice? A lot of mums and dads tell their children that to elicit good behaviour from them throughout the year. There is a list but, as you can imagine, it's getting longer and longer every year. In an ideal world I would get around to checking it twice, but I'm very busy. So I do try to check it at least once. My advice is... you'll never know if your name has been checked once, twice or not at all. So just be good, for goodness sake. There are lots of Christmas songs out there... do you have a particular favourite? I dread hearing that Slade song Merry Xmas Everybody. As soon as I hear Noddy Holder, I turn the radio off. I'm not really fond of all those loud pop Christmas songs – Rocking Around the Christmas Tree, Jingle Bell Rock and Winter Wonderland. I'm much more of a traditionalist, to be honest. I love all the old carols – they remind me of being a little boy – and some of the gentler Christmas songs like The Little Drummer Boy and, of course, White Christmas. If I had to pick one song, that would be it. Irving Berlin's White Christmas was a hit thanks to the Bing Crosby film Holiday Inn. Do you like the way you've been portrayed in the movies? I wouldn't mind some royalties. I must have been in more movies than James Bond – and he's a fictional character! I don't have much time to go to the cinema – there are no multiplexes in Lapland – but I do sometimes catch the films on TV. I loved Richard Attenborough in Miracle on 34th Street. He's a fine actor and it does really capture the magic of Christmas. I think it really appeals to young audiences. Most of the time though, I seem to pop up in comedy films. I don't know what's so hilarious about an overweight man with a long grey beard in a big red suit flying through the snowy skies on a sleigh. I didn't much like Tim Allen's portrayal in the Santa Clause series or Paul Giamatti in Fred Claus which is about a fractured relationship between me and my brother, Fred. In truth we get on very well indeed. I did like Elf, though. Will Ferrell is very funny and I like Ed Asner. I used to enjoy watching him in that series about a newspaper editor – Lou Grant. Who would you like to see portray you in a movie? Actually, I think I look more like George Clooney or a young Cary Grant. Someone with classic good looks. A man of sophistication. I was quite a looker in my day. Aha! That explains the song, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus I think you'll find that wasn't me. It was a dad impersonating me. It happens a lot this time of year. Men just shove a cushion up their jumper and think they can be Father Christmas. I don't mind really – it's all harmless fun. Any last-minute advice for boys and girls on the big day? I suppose the message I would really like to get across is that having presents on Christmas Day doesn't happen to everyone. There are lots of people in the world who are suffering. So be grateful for what you've got and be appreciative. Be sure to thank people who give you a gift. Any advice for mums and dads? Don't forget the carrots for the reindeer on Christmas Eve – and the mince pie and sherry for me!
Reported by This is 2 days ago.
This is Devon -- He's known by many names – Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas or Kris Kringle – and is reluctant to reveal his age, but the man himself is happy to talk by phone from his home in Lapland, where he is putting the final touches to preparations for the big day next Wednesday. What's the weather like in Lapland? At the moment it's around -10C which is why I like to wrap up warm in my red outfit with some good boots... and always with a decent set of thermals underneath. You can't be too careful and I don't want to catch a cold, otherwise where would we be on Christmas Day? A lot of children would be disappointed. Like the Wizzard song, do you wish it could be Christmas every day? No I don't! It's exhausting. But the run-up to Christmas in Lapland is lovely with lots of boys and girls flying out to visit with their mums and dads to tell me what they'd really like for Christmas. The decorations are up, the lights are twinkling and there's lots of snow for extra magic. Is it true – as another song suggests – that you have a list and you're checking it twice to find out who's naughty or nice? A lot of mums and dads tell their children that to elicit good behaviour from them throughout the year. There is a list but, as you can imagine, it's getting longer and longer every year. In an ideal world I would get around to checking it twice, but I'm very busy. So I do try to check it at least once. My advice is... you'll never know if your name has been checked once, twice or not at all. So just be good, for goodness sake. There are lots of Christmas songs out there... do you have a particular favourite? I dread hearing that Slade song Merry Xmas Everybody. As soon as I hear Noddy Holder, I turn the radio off. I'm not really fond of all those loud pop Christmas songs – Rocking Around the Christmas Tree, Jingle Bell Rock and Winter Wonderland. I'm much more of a traditionalist, to be honest. I love all the old carols – they remind me of being a little boy – and some of the gentler Christmas songs like The Little Drummer Boy and, of course, White Christmas. If I had to pick one song, that would be it. Irving Berlin's White Christmas was a hit thanks to the Bing Crosby film Holiday Inn. Do you like the way you've been portrayed in the movies? I wouldn't mind some royalties. I must have been in more movies than James Bond – and he's a fictional character! I don't have much time to go to the cinema – there are no multiplexes in Lapland – but I do sometimes catch the films on TV. I loved Richard Attenborough in Miracle on 34th Street. He's a fine actor and it does really capture the magic of Christmas. I think it really appeals to young audiences. Most of the time though, I seem to pop up in comedy films. I don't know what's so hilarious about an overweight man with a long grey beard in a big red suit flying through the snowy skies on a sleigh. I didn't much like Tim Allen's portrayal in the Santa Clause series or Paul Giamatti in Fred Claus which is about a fractured relationship between me and my brother, Fred. In truth we get on very well indeed. I did like Elf, though. Will Ferrell is very funny and I like Ed Asner. I used to enjoy watching him in that series about a newspaper editor – Lou Grant. Who would you like to see portray you in a movie? Actually, I think I look more like George Clooney or a young Cary Grant. Someone with classic good looks. A man of sophistication. I was quite a looker in my day. Aha! That explains the song, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus I think you'll find that wasn't me. It was a dad impersonating me. It happens a lot this time of year. Men just shove a cushion up their jumper and think they can be Father Christmas. I don't mind really – it's all harmless fun. Any last-minute advice for boys and girls on the big day? I suppose the message I would really like to get across is that having presents on Christmas Day doesn't happen to everyone. There are lots of people in the world who are suffering. So be grateful for what you've got and be appreciative. Be sure to thank people who give you a gift. Any advice for mums and dads? Don't forget the carrots for the reindeer on Christmas Eve – and the mince pie and sherry for me!
Reported by This is 2 days ago.