A friend knows Santa Claus.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
He knows him very well in fact.
This Santa Claus visits one of the large Sydney shopping centres each day so that people can have their photo taken with him.
Amazing how he manages to do that in between getting ready for Christmas isn't it?
He's been regaling us with tales passed onto him by Santa over the Christmas period.
One of those stories was about a family who rolled up for their photo with Santa in full costume, dressed as Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus.
We are not joking.
As the story goes, Mary, Joseph and Jesus (which was the baby's real name by the way) had their Santa photo in full costume, before changing back into "normal" clothes and having your more traditional photograph.
A true story.
In another of Santa's stories a little boy hopped up into Santa's lap.
Now this little boy, who appeared to be about five years of age, didn't ask for the latest gaming console or any other toy or product that most little boys of that age would.
No.
When Santa asked "now, what would you like for Christmas young man?", Santa was floored by the response he got.
"I would like you to put out the bushfires, Santa," the little boy replied.
What an incredible response from a child.
You hear lots of stories this time of year, but stories like that reinforce that things are still okay in the world.
There is hope.
We are in the process of organising Santa to send a special message out to the boys and girls of the Illawarra on Christmas Eve.
His message, which comes with the gentle warning to get to sleep nice and early, will be on our website or Facebook page early on Christmas Eve night.
Until then kids, be good because Santa knows.
This is the final Ed Space column for 2019 so I'd like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Stay safe over the holiday period and look after yourself and each other.