{"id":87,"date":"2024-12-08T08:09:47","date_gmt":"2024-12-08T12:09:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/atlanticsanta.com\/?page_id=87"},"modified":"2024-12-09T22:02:55","modified_gmt":"2024-12-10T02:02:55","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/atlanticsanta.com\/?page_id=87","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":"

My Name is Don Rankin and I live just outside Saint John NB Canada. I am a fourth generation real bearded (RBS) Santa inheriting this fine tradition from my Dad who himself is the embodiment of this wonderful character.<\/span><\/p>\n

My Dad started in 1983 as the first Santa hired for a new shopping and tourist center called Market Square in Saint John New Brunswick Canada. He and my mom walked into audition for wondering Christmas minstrels and upon seeing my Dad gave them the Mr. and Mrs. Santa job on the spot. Thousands came out that year to see Santa who was escorted by a dozen security guards and toy soldiers.<\/span><\/p>\n

My involvement started that same year. I was visiting and watching my Dad work his magic when he suddenly took a coughing fit. He excused himself and made it to the dressing room where we talked briefly deciding that he needed to take a break, but Santa had children to see which was more important. We quickly changed places and I donned the red suit\u2026.no pun intended. This was the start of my Christmas career.<\/span><\/p>\n

The second year I filled in as needed and couldn\u2019t wait until I could do this on a full time, seasonal bases. That wish was fulfilled the third year but not in a good way, my Dad suffered a serious injury in an industrial accident which ended his Santa career, but jump started mine. I did two seasons at market Square and another four at the nearby mall Brunswick Square. In total I did 8 years in those two malls with year 9 and 10 filling in for other Santa\u2019s at two other malls. I was working and could not commit to a regular Schedule.<\/span><\/p>\n

From there I have free-lanced at different Christmas parties and events. It was while doing one of these events that I learned of my true history and lineage. I was asked to play a Victorian style Santa at the Old Saint John City Market. The outfit was owned by own of the shop owners and was made of a beautiful red velvet which I was told used to an old set of window drapes. It was well made and really added something to the St Nick character. Also attending this event was a remote team from our national radio station, the CBC. We started chatting and they asked if I would do an interview. I agreed however they asked me to interview as a Santa\u2019s helper. I was reluctant and preferred to stay in character but agreed. I remember the interviewer asking me how I got my start, and I told him my story. He replied \u201cso you are a second-generation Santa and inherited this role from your dad\u201d which I agreed. The interview ended and I went on my way to finish the event.<\/span><\/p>\n

I stopped on my way home to visit my parents and that is when my dad corrected me. He explained to me that I was not 2nd generation but 4th generation. He went on to tell me that his grandfather, my great grandfather had been asked to play Santa every year in his hometown because he was the only one that had the right color horse. You see back then Santa did not use reindeer as he does today, back then he rode a grey flannel horse. This was a tradition brought over from the old world. My grandfather took over this tradition and continued to \u201cplay\u201d Santa at all the gatherings in the town that he lived in. My Dad had always wanted to continue but never had the opportunity until that fateful day when he and my Mom walked into that audition for the wondering minstrels.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was a dream to have my own suite tailor made to my specs with the best quality put into it. I hired a seamstress and bought the material. We purchased enough to do both the Cola suit and a Victorian style and was also able surprise Mrs. Clause with her own outfit. I have always been a \u201ctraditional\u201d Santa (theatrical beard and wig) I would look at other Santa\u2019s with great white beards and thought \u201csomeday that will be me\u201d. Well, that time has come, and I get to strike one more thing off my bucket list. Today I am finally a \u201creal bearded Santa\u201d (RBS). Another dream comes true. My Dad believed in quality as I do, he told me if I was going to play the part then I should do it to the best of my ability. I see Santa as a father figure, and I have a great role model as an example. As I said earlier my Dad embodies Santa\u2019s characteristics all year round and I strive to live up to the same.<\/span><\/p>\n

Today I have over 40 years experience as a professional Santa. Someday I hope to use this gift to set up a Santa School for this region and train others in what this role entails.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

My Name is Don Rankin and I live just outside Saint John NB Canada. I am a fourth generation real bearded (RBS) Santa inheriting this fine tradition from my Dad who himself is the embodiment of this wonderful character. My Dad started in 1983 as the first Santa hired for a new shopping and tourist center called Market Square in … Continue readingAbout<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":169,"parent":49,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-87","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/atlanticsanta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/87","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/atlanticsanta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/atlanticsanta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atlanticsanta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atlanticsanta.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=87"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/atlanticsanta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/87\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":176,"href":"https:\/\/atlanticsanta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/87\/revisions\/176"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atlanticsanta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/49"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atlanticsanta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/169"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/atlanticsanta.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=87"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}