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SLIDESHOW: This Santa Carries On Despite The Pandemic

Work is scarce this year, and the kids can't sit on his lap, but Don Gonzales still loves the job.
By Shafkat Anowar / December 24, 2020
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  • <p>Don Gonzales has dressed up as Santa Claus for the past five years and says it brings him joy to make children happy. “I feel in my heart that this is what I was meant to do,” he says.</p>

    Don Gonzales has dressed up as Santa Claus for the past five years and says it brings him joy to make children happy. “I feel in my heart that this is what I was meant to do,” he says.

    Shafkat Anowar
  • <p>Gonzales has done many different jobs in his 58 years, but now he focuses on playing Santa Claus.</p>

    Gonzales has done many different jobs in his 58 years, but now he focuses on playing Santa Claus.

    Shafkat Anowar
  • <p>After every Santa Claus performance, Gonzales boils water to gargle before going to bed.</p>

    After every Santa Claus performance, Gonzales boils water to gargle before going to bed.

    Shafkat Anowar
  • <p>On busy days, Gonzales, a diabetic, sometimes forgets to take his medicine, including his insulin shots. The next day, to compensate, he takes a double dose.</p>

    On busy days, Gonzales, a diabetic, sometimes forgets to take his medicine, including his insulin shots. The next day, to compensate, he takes a double dose.

    Shafkat Anowar
  • <p>Gonzales, in his Ewa home, prepares to take his grandchildren, Skyzen and Skyrie, to evening Mass.</p>

    Gonzales, in his Ewa home, prepares to take his grandchildren, Skyzen and Skyrie, to evening Mass.

    Shafkat Anowar
  • <p>During the busy holiday routine, Gonzales misses out on the football games he usually enjoys, but records them to watch later.</p>

    During the busy holiday routine, Gonzales misses out on the football games he usually enjoys, but records them to watch later.

    Shafkat Anowar
  • <p>Gonzales says it was his long white beard that convinced a portrait studio owner in the Navy Exchange Mall at Pearl Harbor to showcase him as Santa Claus in 2015. For this holiday season, he has been growing out his beard since May.</p>

    Gonzales says it was his long white beard that convinced a portrait studio owner in the Navy Exchange Mall at Pearl Harbor to showcase him as Santa Claus in 2015. For this holiday season, he has been growing out his beard since May.

    Shafkat Anowar
  • <p>Gonzales took a break from his Santa duties one December day to play drums with his band at a church show in Pearl City .</p>

    Gonzales took a break from his Santa duties one December day to play drums with his band at a church show in Pearl City .

    Shafkat Anowar
  • <p>At 5.30 p.m., Gonzales starts putting on his Santa outfit back stage at the Christmas light show.</p>

    At 5.30 p.m., Gonzales starts putting on his Santa outfit back stage at the Christmas light show.

    Shafkat Anowar
  • <p>“Maybe when that time comes when I am in my 80s and I am not working anymore and people ask me ‘What did you used to do?’ I will tell them, `I used to be Santa’,” Gonzales says.</p>

    “Maybe when that time comes when I am in my 80s and I am not working anymore and people ask me ‘What did you used to do?’ I will tell them, `I used to be Santa’,” Gonzales says.

    Shafkat Anowar
  • <p>Before the pandemic, Santas like Gonzales found plenty of work at private parties, malls and in public photo shoots. The pandemic has brought hard times, and Gonzales was lucky go find a job at Show Aloha Land.</p>

    Before the pandemic, Santas like Gonzales found plenty of work at private parties, malls and in public photo shoots. The pandemic has brought hard times, and Gonzales was lucky go find a job at Show Aloha Land.

    Shafkat Anowar
  • <p>Before the pandemic, to children, “I was real,” Gonzales said. “They could touch me. They could sit on my lap. They could feel me. But now, because of this pandemic, I am like a figment of their imagination, because I am untouchable.”</p>

    Before the pandemic, to children, “I was real,” Gonzales said. “They could touch me. They could sit on my lap. They could feel me. But now, because of this pandemic, I am like a figment of their imagination, because I am untouchable.”

    Shafkat Anowar
  • <p>“Always listen to mommy and daddy. Okay?” Gonzales told children at Show Aloha Land.</p>

    “Always listen to mommy and daddy. Okay?” Gonzales told children at Show Aloha Land.

    Shafkat Anowar
  • <p>Gonzales found refuge from the rain in a tent as he looked out for the last car of the evening.</p>

    Gonzales found refuge from the rain in a tent as he looked out for the last car of the evening.

    Shafkat Anowar
  • <p>Gonzales prayed with his only daughter, Shanenalynn, and his band members before evening Mass at a Waianae church. He struggled with drugs and alcohol but is now sober. “I never wanted my children to see me in that shape because I was a totally different person,” he said.</p>

    Gonzales prayed with his only daughter, Shanenalynn, and his band members before evening Mass at a Waianae church. He struggled with drugs and alcohol but is now sober. “I never wanted my children to see me in that shape because I was a totally different person,” he said.

    Shafkat Anowar
  • <p>Gonzales, who taught himself to drum and has been playing since he was a teen, says his performances at local churches helped him to recover from his addictions.</p>

    Gonzales, who taught himself to drum and has been playing since he was a teen, says his performances at local churches helped him to recover from his addictions.

    Shafkat Anowar
  • <p>Gonzales usually changes his outfit in his car but this time waited to get into a restroom.</p>

    Gonzales usually changes his outfit in his car but this time waited to get into a restroom.

    Shafkat Anowar
  • <p>Despite the tough times this year, Gonzales says he wants to end his working days as Santa.</p>

    Despite the tough times this year, Gonzales says he wants to end his working days as Santa.

    Shafkat Anowar
  • <p>Gonzales looks forward to being able to interact with children again as Santa when the pandemic winds down.</p>

    Gonzales looks forward to being able to interact with children again as Santa when the pandemic winds down.

    Shafkat Anowar

Five years ago, Don Gonzales found his calling as Santa Claus when his long white beard caught the eye of a photo studio owner at an Oahu mall.

“She looked at me and said, ‘Is that real?’, and I looked at her and said ‘Of course it’s real,’” he said. He got the gig playing Santa at the mall’s rotunda for three years, and then branched out to other venues, including last year’s Winter Wonderland at the Hawaii Convention Center.

This year’s been tough, though. The pandemic dried up much of the work for Santas. No shoots on the beach. No private parties.

Gonzales considers himself lucky to have landed a gig as Santa at the Show Aloha Land light show at Aloha Stadium.

But it’s not the same as in years past. The kids are in the cars, not on his lap.

“I want them to pull the car over and come and take pictures with me,” Gonzales said. “Although I am here and they are there, the windows are up, the kids just want to touch me. They put their hands up against the window. The first time they did and I saw that, my heart literally broke into a million pieces.”

Besides being a Santa, he is a drummer at two churches, runs a care home for the elderly at his Ewa house and works as a fumigator. He lives with his wife, daughter and grandchildren. He’s also a recovering addict, clean for 30 years.

Gonzales spent eight years as a tour guide in Waikiki, but he wants to finish his work life pursuing his passion, playing Santa Claus.

About the Author

  • Shafkat Anowar
    Shafkat Anowar
    Shafkat Anowar is a senior majoring in Communications and Business at the University of Hawaii Manoa.
    Use the RSS feed to subscribe to Shafkat Anowar's posts today
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