This
Santa wishes kids
a ho-ho-holy Christmas
By NADIA MARIA SMITH
CS&T Staff Writer
It’s the time of the year, again, for Charles Watson to be dusting
off his Santa suit, making a list and checking it twice. His list of appointments,
that is.
Watson, a parishioner of Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Darby, has been
playing Santa Claus since he was 17 years old. That was 49 years ago.
It began when he decided to dress up as Santa and bring little gifts,
treats and a “Happy Birthday Jesus” cake to the children of
St. Vincent Orphanage in Philadelphia.
The next year, Watson did the same thing in memory of his mother, who
had recently passed away. In the ensuing years, the role became for him
a beloved tradition.
Over the years, Watson has been asked by local Boy Scout and Girl Scout
groups, church groups, and generations of neighbors to share his Christmas
cheer.
In 1962, he married his wife, Dolores, and she began dressing up as Rudolf
and accompanying him to all his engagements. They went on to have four
children, and one always dressed up as Santa’s elf.
And so Watson’s personal Christmas tradition became a family affair.
Wherever he went, he brought a gift-wrapped box to collect donations from
his fans for a needy family or child over the Christmas season —
always reminding his little and “big” friends that Christ
is the “reason for the season.”
“What keeps me going is brightening up someone’s life, especially
a little kid who has had a rough time,” Watson said. “Seeing
their smile and seeing them believe. … I really enjoy doing it and
will do it until I die.”
When he’s not playing Santa, Watson, a former grand knight of the
Knights of Columbus, is just as busy in his parish, serving as extraordinary
minister of holy Communion, volunteering for the St. Vincent de Paul Society
and serving on the parish council.
He also visits patients at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital, bringing Catholic
patients holy Communion and non-Catholic patients a warm smile and an
offer to pray with them.
“I go into the chapel before I get started, and say a little prayer
that God will give me the grace to say the right thing and console them,”
he said.
He and his wife have also adopted a platoon in Iraq, and are committed
to supplying the soldiers with items that the servicemen and woman can’t
get.
The Watsons have enlisted the help of friends and organizations they are
associated with in order to do that.
They also have enlisted the first, second and sixth grades of Blessed
Virgin Mary School in writing Christmas cards for the troops, thanking
them for their service.
His list of service works goes on. And one thing is always certain — he
does everything for the love for God.
He credits his parents — especially his mother — and
the Christian Brothers of West Catholic High School for his strong Catholic
faith.
His mother “wasn’t even Catholic,” he said. “She
was Presbyterian. But we were raised Catholic. We were very close to the
Lord, since we were kids.
“We always went to Mass and served in the church. ”
CS&T staff writer Nadia Maria Smith can be reached at npozo@adphila.org
or (215) 965-4614.