BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. — A Harley Davidson store isn’t the typical spot to catch a Santa sighting, but then again, this isn’t your typical Santa.
Clad in a red and white velvet suit and black leather boots, Donn Wyckoff is one of Kris Kringle’s helpers.
“I think it was two, three years ago, but I still remember it like it was yesterday,” said Wyckoff. “This little boy came in and I said, ‘Well, what do you want for Christmas.’ And he said, ‘Don’t you remember, I just told you yesterday at the mall.’ I’m thinking — I see a lot of kids, refresh my memory. It’s things like that that make it worth while, that make it fun.”
For the last seven years he’s spent the weekends leading up to December 25 in the Blue Springs Harvey Davidson store making a list of what the kids who see him want for Christmas. Even those who aren’t exactly thrilled to see him.
“I’ve had some boys before that will kind of stand off and say, ‘No, no. I don’t want to see Santa.’ And I’ll say, ‘Well, you have to see Santa to ask him what you want. Because if you don’t tell me what you want, I may bring Barbie Dolls.’ And then they just start flocking right over,” Wyckoff recalled.
While most of the wishes are the standard Barbie dolls, video game consoles and other hot toys, some wishes are are enough to break even the jolliest heart.
“They’ll say, ‘If I tell you my list, will you bring it to my mom’s house or my dad’s house because my folks are divorced and I want to make sure you come to both houses,” said Wyckoff. “That’s always a little sad.”
Still, Wycoff said he does his part by passing those messages along to old Saint Nicholas, as well as to parents, to be sure Father Christmas puts presents under the right tree.
