Women Santas spread the cheer

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Keeping up with the yuletide spirit of Christmas, many love to dress up as Santa today. Gone are the days when the image of a Santa only meant a big fat old man with a long white beard. This year, women in the city are all geared up to put on that red suit to revel in the festive cheer.

Sheetal Andrew, a teacher, is playing Santa for the first time for underprivileged kids. “I have grown up watching my father becoming a Santa. This year I will play the role of Santa. I will be around Lajpat Nagar and distribute sweets and balloons to street kids, who are often deprived of such celebrations. I plan to narrate stories of Lord Jesus to them and spread awareness about Christmas,” she adds saying that though she is paid only a nominal amount, her playing Santa is not for any monetary gains but purely for her own pleasure.
Going with the times, Shalini Vij, owner of Hang Out, has conceptualised an animated Santa and takes pleasure in doing its voiceover. “It’s the first animated Santa. This modern high-tech Santa is connected to the web with a mic at the back, which moves the Santas lips using sound wave technology. I sit at the back conversing with children asking them what they want for Christmas. They are quite overwhelmed by this animated doll. I love doing this and would like to spread the message of brotherhood, peace and harmony among young kids,” she says.
Divya Gupta, a housewife, who used to play Santa in school is turning one for her family and friends this year. “The theme of Christmas, getting dressed in red and distributing sweets used to excite me. I was in a Christian school, so the spirit of the festival is deeply instilled in me. But I will be a stylish Santa and dress up in a red woolen frock. This time I’m the Santa of my family and will be distributing books, goodies and plum cakes to them. I think this is the best time of the year to spread the feeling of sharing love and affection among kids.”
Some ladies plan to surprise their neighbours. Shikha Khanna, a boutique owner in Janak Puri, plans to dress up as Santa and decorate her terrace with gifts for kids in her locality. “I plan to pin them up on the big Christmas tree I have in my backyard and will decorate the entire terrace for kids in my locality. As men in my family don’t really volunteer to dress up as Santas, this time all the women here decided to take the plunge,” quips Shikha.