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By Michael Jordon Here’s a little secret, children: Santa Claus is Guyanese.For eleven months of the year, he’s James Persaud,Eugenio Mena Chile Jersey, a hard-working security guard and divorced dad of four.But from the second week in December,Maxi Pereira Uruguay Jersey, Persaud dons a thick red suit, black, high-topped boots and white beard, and becomes the lovable and mysterious character Saint Nicholas, alias Kris Kringle,Adam Lundqvist Sweden Jersey, Father Christmas and Santa Claus, and doles out toys to children while answering questions about his life at the North Pole.‘Santa’ at ‘Toyland’ with two fans.Persaud’s been playing the role of Santa for about two years at parties and from nine to five o’clock in the Toyland Section at Fogarty’s Department Store.Greeting me with a ‘fist-bump,’ Persaud disclosed that it all began one Christmas, when the designated ‘Santa’ was unable to perform his duties at a children’s party. Persaud was asked to fill in and willingly played the role. He’s been doing this ever since.He admits that he was initially apprehensive about playing the mythical figure who delivered toys to children around the world.“Personally, when I first took the job,Jesus Duenas Mexico Jersey, I was timid, but then I saw the joy on the faces of the children… even the timid ones are intrigued.” He takes his role to heart,Luis Suarez Uruguay Jersey, walking around the store and interacting with children and their parents.“Most of them are timid; some of them are excited and look forward to seeing me. These are the ones that I have most affection for. The parents are sometimes despondent when their children are timid, and I would tell the parents to come and take pictures with me and the children. Even big people want to take pictures with Santa.”The divorced father of four reveled that he never got the chance to interact with his own children, so he gets an extra joy from the many children who come to see him.Persaud is unable to estimate how many children visit him every year. He does recall that he saw 16 sets of twins in 2012. He says that children usually ask for the traditional toys of guns and dolls.This little girl is not too happy about meeting Santa.Of course,Paulo Garces Chile Jersey, ‘Santa’ often faces a barrage of questions about his life, and Persaud will have to brush up on his research about the mythical figure he plays.“They ask me about the North Pole, and I tell them that it’s cold and there’s lots of snow, but I don’t make it sound like a desolate place. They also ask me how many reindeer I’ve brought and what their names are. I didn’t even know that the reindeer had names.”And how does ‘Santa’ make out in that thick red suit when he travels to the tropics?“Hot,” he says with a laugh, “and the whiskers get into my mouth.”And perhaps, Persaud and his mother, Mrs. Enid Persaud, may have unwittingly revealed the mystery of how jolly old St. Nick manages to deliver toys all over the world in one night.It turns out that ‘Santa’ has an elder brother who also dons the white beard and red suit every Christmas. Mrs. Persaud revealed that this son,Juan Carlos Medina Mexico Jersey, Rajendra Persaud, called ‘Raj’, has been a ‘Santa’ for three years. “I’m proud to have two sons who play ‘Santa,’” she said.Rajendra Persaud is a busy tradesman who also doles out toys to children during the Christmas season. His sibling, James,Nicolas Castillo Chile Jersey, claims that “Raj’ has the girth for the role, while he, James, has the public relations savvy.He says, though,Sebastian Eriksson Sweden Jersey, that things have been a bit slow this year, and attributes this to the unusually heavy rainfall and the fact that families may be shopping conservatively.He also believes that the enthusiasm for Santa may be waning among this new generation of children.But as long as children believe in Santa Claus, James and Rajendra will spend many more Christmases bringing joy to families.