Look at those faces in the picture. The proud smiles of new parents, and the bewilderment and wonder of their babies checking each other out. Beautiful.
It’s a snapshot of the diversity and best of who we are, taken at a Mommy & Me class in Burbank by the first lady of Christmas here in the San Fernando Valley — Esther Porter.
That’s her husband, Elliott, in the middle dressed in red. Santa Claus. You can’t miss him.
For 360 days a year, the Porters live a quiet, fulfilling life in retirement making hand puppets for shows they’ve put on for kids for more than 40 years.
Those other five days of the year, they’re the Clauses.
“Those are the happiest days of the year for us,” 82-year-old Elliott Porter said, getting ready for another visit as Santa Claus last week. “I’m never treated this special any other day of my life, except when I’m Santa.”
Elliott was personnel director for the Los Angeles City Department of Parks and Recreation when he got the job as Santa by accident 40 years ago.
He and Esther, and their daughter, Jennifer, were putting on a Christmas puppet show for the children of employees — the opening act before Santa Claus made his big entrance.
The only problem was Santa called in sick at the last minute. Panic set in. The kids loved the hand puppets, but make no mistake about it, Santa was the main act.
“He’ll be here in half an hour, kids,” Elliott announced, leaving Esther to stall while he sneaked into the back room and put on the Santa outfit.
“Ho, Ho, Ho,” he said, walking into the conference room 20 minutes later. What he saw looking back at him in those children’s eyes was powerful, he said. Awe and love.
He wasn’t Elliott Porter, hand puppeteer and boss, anymore. He was Santa Claus, bigger than life to those kids.
“It was thrilling,” he said. “Absolutely thrilling.”
Last week, the Clauses paid a visit to the annual City of Los Angeles Retired Employees holiday luncheon. There were no…
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