"I'll say, 'When I'm at your house, you're always sleeping. Why is that? I thought you were going to be up!' You put it back on them."
"You remember when you enjoyed the presents over the past years? Once you lose that magic, then it's time for you to start helping others. That's when you get the real feel of what Christmas is all about."
"It's just amazing that over the years, that portion of it never changes. That's what humanity is all about."
Mike Graham has been Santa at Tysons Corner Center for 37 years, watching children grow up and return with their own children and grandchildren. He maintains a real beard and crafts interactions beyond appearance, using playful questions about cookies and milk to engage children and preserve wonder. When older children suspect the truth, he encourages them to embrace helping others and become keepers of the holiday spirit for younger relatives. He observes long lines where strangers assist each other, sharing stroller help, holding places, and sometimes paying for photos. He interprets those acts as expressions of humanity and the true meaning of Christmas.
Read at Washingtonian - The website that Washington lives by.
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