The real Santa Claus lives in Valley Stream, New York… not the North Pole.
I’ve been telling my kids for years there’s no real Santa Claus, and that holidays are just a time when we’re supposed to reflect on life and appreciate family, while also connecting to something more deeply spiritual. Turns out I was at least partially wrong.
If you’re wondering why I’m referring to this bearded man in his sixties from Valley Stream, New York—not the North Pole—as Santa Claus, well, it’s because Santa Claus is his legal name. (And no, he won’t give up his given name.) He officially changed it two years ago. “I was having a difficult time convincing kids that I was the real deal,” Santa tells me. “Kids would be confused and upset, asking me where my sleigh and reindeer were when they saw me leaving the party in my pickup truck. I needed to convince them that I was really Santa Claus, so now I can pull out my driver’s license or my insurance card and it says right there: Santa Claus.” [ via FastCompany ]
Looks like the real Santa Claus might spur a little tourism in otherwise quiet parts of New York state.
