Do you ever long for your children or organization to have a Christmas gathering that isn’t all about the latest tech craze and consumerism? A time when everyone isn’t so stressed, and relationships divided? Do you long for you and your family or organization to experience Peace, Love, Joy and Laughter and perhaps even a reminder of what Christmas is supposed to be about? Pastor Santa was formed by Santa Pastor Wendell & Mrs. Claus Monica to provide an experience for folks that brings back all that is good and right about Christmas.
About Santa Pastor Wendell
I was born and raised in the central midwest, and now for the last decade, I am proud to call myself a Texan. I began my working career in engineering and having done that for 22 years I felt the call to ministry because it offered me an outlet for what I feel I was created for, a need to relate and connect with people. Santa is, of course, a side gig, and it offers me. as Pastor Santa an opportunity to connect with both the secular and Christian worlds. Most of my gigs are secular, but I also wanted to offer to those who desire an opportunity to bring back the message of the birth of the Savior of the world, Jesus.
Santa Pastor Wendell is a real-bearded, professionally-trained, background-checked, and insured Santa Claus portrayal artist. I began learning the art of Santa portrayal in late 2019, and the 2020 Christmas season was the year I began Santa appearances in public. I have attended a number of schools and conferences to hone my craft, learning from some Santas that have performed in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, well-known Christmas movies, and many more who perform here in the Texas region. The highlight of my training so far was attending the 2022 IBRBS International Santa Celebration in Atlanta with over 600 brother Santas from across the nation and the world. (IBRBS stands for the International Brotherhood of Real Bearded Santas). I am also a graduate of the International University of Santa Claus.
Santa Pastor Wendell is a rostered and ordained LCMS (Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod) pastor emeritus, and former on-call hospital chaplain. He has always admired the way children view life. To them the world is simple, but also a place of wonder. To them, you are either naughty or nice, and their relationships are centered on “The Golden Rule” rather than externals like politics, race, power, and material wealth. Performing as Santa enables him an opportunity to experience their world and its ways once again.
He professionally performs at all types of events, religious and secular, from corporate parties and church programs, to visiting individual families in their homes, to working with professional photographers providing photoshoots for families. He has a vibrant collection of Christmas attire costing north of $1000. Former clients will tell you he is the real deal.
Children look on in wonder and amazement as he reads them “The Night Before Christmas” or other modern age-appropriate stories, or as he reverently reads the birth narrative of Jesus found in scripture, Luke 2:1-19. Mom and dad enjoy the fun poses as they take family photos of an experience their family will remember forever.
About Mrs. Claus Monica:
Mrs. Claus Monica does everything for Pastor Santa to free up Santa from the business side so he can focus on the performances themselves. She runs an efficient business and keeps Santa organized. She will schedule bookings, administer performance contracts, help clients prepare for Santa’s visit, and keep everyone informed.