New Mexico Santa

14/03/2024

My new Santa suit just arrived! I love it! Thank you, Heidi Tibbles!

21/12/2023

I just got my first Santa gig booking for next year - 29 November.

16/12/2023

So many people don't understand the importance of a good, reputable Santa school. I am a member of the Worldwide Santa Claus Network. This group educates Santa portrayal artists in the proper ways to portray Santa. Things like the importance of Gloves, Education, Contracts, and Insurance.

A hypothetical, and highly unlikely story.
But not absolutely impossible.

“But it was just a picture!

Congratulations! You decided to be Santa! You went out and bought a suit, and now you can’t wait to perform!

What could be better than to show up at a community event and spread holiday joy! And maybe get a referral or two!

Everyone is delighted to see you! Photos all around! Ho Ho HO! This is GREAT! Everyone LOVES you! Children! Families! Couples! What could be better! A young family with a newborn, with Grandma and Grandpa for good measure! What a wonderful holiday picture! You hold the baby and everyone smiles! What a great night!

Fast forward to a month later. There’s a knock at your door. Who could that be?

You open the door to a process server. You are being sued for defamation of character and molestation.

WHAT????

See, that picture you took with the baby. You never had training in how to hold a baby. You didn’t think about your hand placement. You just held one leg in one hand and supported the baby with the other.
You didn’t even give a second thought to your thumb.

Your pink, un-gloved thumb.

Sticking up between the baby’s legs, right at crotch level.

No one noticed it – at first.

See, Grandpa, it turns out, is a very high priced and powerful personal injury lawyer, and he had copies of that photo sent out to his entire firm and all his clients as a Christmas card. Which was fine. Till someone noticed your thumb. Your pink, round thumb – right where the baby’s… um… anatomy… would be.

That picture got blown up and circulated all around the office, captioned “Well Hung Baby!”
Well, Grandpa is NOT amused. Grandpa didn’t get to where he was by having a sense of humor. No, grandpa is ruthless and proud. And having his grandson mocked and laughed at was a personal insult and is VERY bad for business. Someone will pay.

And you gave out a ton of business cards. Grandpa knows EXACTLY where to find you. And he does.
Welcome to court. But it was just a slip of the hand, no big deal, right? The judge will understand!
Well, the Grandpa and the judge went to school together many many years ago. And well, the judge cheated on an exam. And got away with it.
Grandpa knows. And didn’t tell.

The judge knows that grandpa knows. Grandpa holds it over the judge constantly. Grandpa has the judge in his pocket. There’s no way the judge is going to go lightly on someone who Grandpa has in his sights.

You lose. Everything.

It was just a picture.
Oh… wait… it doesn’t end there.

Grandpa sued the event sponsor, too. But they didn’t hire you! It was open to the public!

No, allowing you to solicit business at their event was tacit approval on the sponsor’s part, and they are responsible. The grandpa wins that case too.
Now you get another summons. The event expects you to cover their losses. The judge asks to see the contract.

You don’t have one.

You lose that too.

But now you’re broke from the first suit. You can’t pay. So the event sponsor goes bankrupt and the event can no longer continue.

You wanted to bring joy. Instead, you shut down a beloved family event. And it’s in all the papers.

Who’s going to hire you now?

“But it was just a picture.”

Go ahead. Tell me this could never happen.

I have had my own personal experiences that shook me to the core, but my love of providing a "Santa Experience" to children and families keeps me going.

04/12/2023

Black Mesa, I'll see you soon! Ho, Ho, Ho!

04/12/2023

I spent a great day once again at the Sky Railway Lamy Station portraying Santa yesterday. The sunset provided some beautiful views. All the children were absolutely wonderful! Saturday was spent in Chama portraying Santa for a very cold and windy Rotary Club Christmas event. That was also a wonderful and memorable time. The children were fantastic! More photos to come.

30/11/2023

Art Nichols sent me an ad that he and his wonderful wife,Tilly, made for my upcoming Santa event at Chimayo Rock Shop in Espanola on the 10th of December. This will be a great event, and I'm very much looking forward to it. Come join us!

25/11/2023

It was a wonderful day with the Sky Railway Christmas Train! Five trains running between Lamy and Santa Fe. Three of the trains were sold-out. The kids were great! We had snow for the last two trains. Please come join us for a fun-filled day. The trains will run through December 24th.

22/11/2023

I have been invited to be the Santa for the Walmart self check employee Christmas party!

21/11/2023

Everyone wants a seat on Santa's throne!

20/11/2023

I just received these wonderful photos from the Luv Leigh Photos photoshoot that I did not long ago. I love them! More to come! Ho, Ho, Ho!!!

18/11/2023

Please give a warm welcome to Heidi Stimmel Chase! Heidi is the Account Manager at Vitalant Blood Bank in Santa Fe. She set up the Santa Cares Project Blood Collection Program for me. She is a very kind, caring, and loving person, as are all the staff at Vitalant!

The Santa Cares Blood Collection Program challenges Santa and Mrs. Claus portrayal artists worldwide to provide lifesaving blood donations in the name of Santa Cares Project. You don't need to be a Santa or Mrs. Claus to donate blood. You just need to care!

11/11/2023

Santa and one of his elves are preparing children's toys for Christmas.

02/11/2023

Santa is trying his baking skills!

26/10/2023

The Valley View Pumpkin Patch had a special visitor today when the school kids came for their pumpkins.

26/10/2023

The Legend of the Magic Key

For children that live in a house without a chimney for Santa to come down to leave their Christmas presents, they needn't worry. Santa has a "Magic Key" that lets Santa in to leave Christmas presents for them.

25/10/2023

Ever wonder what Santa's closet looks like?

24/10/2023

It's wonderful to be recognized by the State of New Mexico!

18/10/2023

Lotsa' love here!

17/10/2023

Santa will be 1,752 years old this year. Really, I don't feel a day older than 1,500.

12/10/2023

I got my new Santa spectacles today
Whaddya' think?

07/10/2023

Once a child asked me, "Are you Santa?" My reply is, yes yes I am Santa. "But what about the Santa I saw a few days ago, in the store?, is he Santa?" Yes, yes he is, There are many Santa's if you go to another town, Santa is there too, if you were to go to another country, you may see Santa Claus there too.
Santa is many, and yet in your heart Santa is one, Some day as you grow, you may see that Santa is in your heart and will always be in your heart. When you grow you may realize that the memory of the Santa that you see today as you sit here on my knee, is like a seed that may grow strong inside you, and one day you may find that you also become Santa, because you will want to share that love and that spirit of caring for others. Santa Claus is a magical thing, a love and a spirit that can stay with you all of your life. When you share that love, and that spirit with another child, it is then that you become Santa too. You must only believe, believe with all your heart, that is when Santa's magic happens.

26/09/2023

This was in my weekly message from Santa Ed, the head of the “Worldwide Santa Claus Network”:
“Embrace the spirit of giving by finding a small act of kindness to perform for someone in your community.”

Embracing the spirit of giving and performing small acts of kindness in our community is important for several reasons:

Cultivating a culture of kindness: By engaging in small acts of kindness, we contribute to creating a culture of kindness in our community. Kindness is contagious, and when we show kindness to others, it inspires them to do the same, creating a positive ripple effect.

Making a difference in someone's life: Even a small act of kindness can have a profound impact on someone's day or life. Whether it's offering a helping hand, a genuine smile, or a thoughtful gesture, we have the power to brighten someone's day and make them feel seen, valued, and cared for.

Fostering a sense of connection: Acts of kindness promote a sense of connection and belonging within our community. When we reach out to others with kindness, we bridge gaps, build relationships, and foster a sense of unity and support.

Inspiring others: Our actions speak louder than our words. When we perform acts of kindness, we inspire others to do the same. By leading through example, we encourage and motivate others to embrace the spirit of giving and spread kindness in their own unique ways.

Boosting personal well-being: Kindness not only benefits the recipient but also enhances our own well-being. Research shows that acts of kindness release endorphins, boost mood, reduce stress, and increase overall happiness and life satisfaction. It is a win-win situation for both the giver and the receiver.

Creating a positive community environment: small acts of kindness contribute to creating a positive community environment where people feel supported, cared for, and valued. This positive environment enhances the quality of life for everyone and fosters a sense of pride and unity within the community.

Making the world a better place: Ultimately, embracing the spirit of giving and performing acts of kindness is an opportunity for us to make the world a better place. By collectively engaging in acts of kindness, we contribute to a more compassionate, empathetic, and harmonious society.

So, let's embrace the spirit of giving and find small acts of kindness to perform for someone in our community. Together, we can create a positive impact, spread joy, and make the world a better and more compassionate place to live.

Thank you for being a part of our community. We hope these weekly messages bring warmth, inspiration, and a touch of Christmas magic to all of your days.

Let's join hearts and kindle kindness together!

16/09/2023

Remember, there's only 100 days until Christmas! You'd better remember to be good!

13/09/2023

The Sky Railway is in need of Christmas Elves for their upcoming Christmas Trains. Please let me know if you would be interested, and I will put you in contact with them. The pay is $20 per hour. Elf costumes will be provided. The Christmas Train will run weekends from November 24th through December 17th, then daily from December 18th through the 24th. There will be five trains running per day. They will be scheduled from 10:15 am until 6:00 pm. Elves will be rotated on the schedule dependent upon their availability.

12/09/2023

Yay, I did it! I am now an official "Santa Claus Portrayal Artist"!

24/08/2023

Season's Greetings & Merry Christmas! My name is Brad Lounsbury, and I am a professional Santa Claus Portrayal Artist. I have been a Santa portrayal artist for nine years with a wide breadth of experience portraying Santa for various community organizations, churches, and schools, for both non-profit and for-profit groups.

I have been the Santa for the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad Christmas Train for eight years. I have also portrayed Santa for the Santa Fe Animal Shelter Christmas event for the last three years. You may have seen me at the Madrid Christmas parade or perhaps at the Dixon Christmas event and night parade. I am an authentic fully-bearded Santa Claus and easily recognized.

If the Christmas event is for a non-profit organization for children or animals, there is no fee associated for that event. If the Christmas event for which you need a Santa is for a for-profit corporation or business, my fees are quite low and negotiable dependent upon the services and time period provided to you. I can also provide a Santa for private or corporate events as well as home Christmas Santa visits.

I can offer a fully-sheltered red 10' X 20' Christmas event tent with a beautiful Santa throne, and an 1890 Portland Cutter Santa sleigh. The Christmas event tent also may provide for activity and story book tables and chairs. As I greet children, I provide them with wonderful Christmas treats and trinkets. I have beautiful Christmas inflatable decorations that both adults and children absolutely love. I can also provide up to five Christmas-themed photography backdrops for any of my events.

If requested, I can also provide for an actual Mrs. Claus and perhaps a fun-loving Christmas Grinch!

If your event requires them, I can also provide for event insurance and I have an official background check that I can provide to you.

My Christmas events calendar is filling rapidly, so if you have Christmas event and Santa needs, please contact me as soon as possible. You can contact me via this page, and we'll take it from there!

I look forward to hearing from you! Merry Christmas! Ho, Ho, Ho!!!

24/08/2023

21/08/2023

The season will soon be upon us! All aboard!

08/08/2023

Getting ready! Only 140 more days!

02/08/2023

I received my new Santa outfit today! I'm so happy with it! Thank you Heidi Tibbles and Santa Costumes UK! Your beautiful work is wonderful!!! Now, if I can just get my beard to cooperate.