Meet a Faculty Member: David E. Johnson

by Giordana Segneri, M.A. ’10

Category: WebExtras

We know that Santa is all about giving; true to form, David E. Johnson, a lecturer in the College of Public Affairs’ School of Criminal Justice who moonlights as Santa during the holiday season, gave us too many great quotes to fit in the print version. But we didn’t think you deserved coal in your stocking, so enjoy them here …

On Santa’s relationship with his “staff”:

“Santa loves the [mall] elves. They’re very deferential to Santa, and they want him to be happy.”

On Santa for adults:

“There are body builders who dress in abbreviated Santa suits—maybe a red Speedo. At Arundel Mills, for example, when it opens at midnight on Black Friday, they have that sexy Santa there from midnight to 7 in the morning. Not for the kiddies … Hunky Santa, that what they call it.”

On Santa’s secrets:

“One of the mall Santa secrets is never to promise anything. Always say, ‘We’ll see; we’ll do the best we can.’ You don’t want to put whoever might be in charge of gift giving in a bad position. Another thing is mall Santas wear baby powder around the neck because it’s soothing to the little ones. I’ve tried it, and it works.”

On changing one’s mind:

“One kid said, ‘I wrote you a letter, but I wanted you to know that you shouldn’t bring the jumbo jet. And I said, ‘Why not?’ He said, ‘Our backyard isn’t big enough.’”

On the absolute best, star-on-top-of-the-tree moments:

“When a child’s afraid or upset, and I’m able to work with the child and help him relax and be happy and have a little fun, that’s always the top-of-the-tree moment for me. To help kids have fun with the visit with Santa is always the best feeling.”

On being Santa to students:

“When I was at Arundel Mills, I had a number of students and former students who saw me. Actually, a number of students have pictures of their children with me.”

On what keeps him coming back:

“I really love being able to instill some hope and joy in children and their families. I get enjoyment from just seeing happy children, and when people come to visit Santa, it’s a happy time. If someone says, ‘I haven’t been very good this year,’ you can say, ‘There’s still time; don’t give up hope.’ I enjoy that interaction. … It’s not just about the pictures; it’s about spreading a little happiness and joy around.”

On accessorizing:

“I have a hat with a 20-inch tassel with a nice fur ball on the top. When I’m at the mall, I take photos with and without the hat. Some people prefer to see the hair and the beard.”

On living the part:

“I’ve had a full beard for nine or 10 years—that’s how I got started. I’ve let my hair get longer because the photographers like it swept back from the face.”