Bruce Templeton brings the spirit of Santa Claus to life

December 20, 2024

To people of all ages in Newfoundland and Labrador, Bruce Templeton is the embodiment of Santa Claus, spreading hope and happiness in a specially designed suit and boots, and also helping to raise money to pay for polio vaccines for children in other parts of the world.

Templeton, whose sister Marian is the Executive Director of the Automobile Dealers Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, has dressed as Santa since 1978 at various events. He does not charge for them, which are 45 minute events with the potential for several in a day. Any money paid for his appearances by corporations is matched by the Gates Foundation. 

Through Rotary International, which undertook to eradicate world polio, the money has paid for more than 600,000 polio vaccines. He has personally contributed to the cost from the proceeds of sales from four books he has written about his adventures assisting Santa at this time of year. One of the books, The Man In The Red Suit, A Memoir, sold more than 20,000 copies. When it was released in 2012, it was second only to 50 Shades Of Grey on the Globe and Mail bestseller list.

Because of his charitable work, the 79-year-old has been invested in the Order of Newfoundland Labrador. He is also the only living Canadian in The International Santa Claus Hall of Fame, which is an ongoing project that celebrates, studies, and preserves the historical documentation of the many men and women who have greatly contributed to the legend of Santa Claus. There is a voting process judged from nominations throughout the world.

But none of that matters to Templeton, an investment advisor, Rotarian and past chair of the St. John’s Board of Trade. He said what’s important to him is the ability to bring to life the spirit of Santa.

“A phrase that I believe in is ‘it’s your presence, not presents, that counts,’” said Templeton in an interview with Canadian auto dealer. “I become the role when I’m in the role.”

He said he had no idea how important it would become when asked 46 years ago by his late aunt, Anna, to dress up as Santa for a church gathering. Bruce said he couldn’t turn down his aunt, a celebrated individual in Newfoundland through her lifelong involvement with craft development, who designed a suit for him.

“I was like an actor in that suit and that probably happened for about 10 years,” said Templeton. “And then I got to be so good at it and my confidence grew. What made me want to become Santa was my desire to give back to the community and especially to families and children who are very sick.”

He has made more than 1,500 visits to children, community groups, organizations, hospitals, palliative care units, and retirement homes. In many cases, he has visited terminally ill people, some of them young children who wanted to see Santa.

“The words parents have said is that when the door opens and you hear Santa’s bells and Santa comes in, he makes the not so normal seem normal again if only for a few minutes,” said Templeton. “You can take away the pain and you can take away the reality and you can bring them some hope for the future.” 

“The thing I really enjoy is bringing the reality of it all. I do it to keep the dream alive for children. It’s all part of the ministry of providing hope and happiness to families in St. John’s. I also want to make it incredibly believable for children. I don’t want any child to doubt.” 

He said his experiences dressed up as Santa in visits with children from troubled families have been especially profound. “A child does not get to choose the family in which they are born. A child can only deal with the consequences of their home life,” said Templeton. “Santa has a role to play to bring comfort and peace to children that are going through a difficult time.”

He was the Santa at St. John’s Christmas Parade for 40 years before deciding four years ago to give someone else the chance to do it. And he has been instrumental in establishing the parade’s food drive effort, the largest single gathering of food each year. 

He participates with Provincial Airlines and a local radio station each Christmas on a “magical flight” for 18 children to the North Pole. They board an airplane and when it touches down the children are met by Santa, all dressed up and covered in snow. “There’s no question in the minds of the children they are in the North Pole,” said Templeton.

Marian Templeton is amazed by what her brother has done and reached out to Canadian auto dealer to have a story written about him because of his community service. 

“He has changed a lot of lives and comforted a lot of people in the worst days of their lives and the best days of their lives,” said Marian. “He’s very conscious of bringing it to all children, regardless of whether you believe in Santa Claus or you believe in Christmas. He really focuses on making memories for children. He’s expanded what he’s done when requested to visit senior’s homes, places where people need just a little bit of cheer. He filled a local church with new Canadians and brought joy and laughter to some children that were probably in Canada for their first Christmas here.”  

He said there have been many local businesses that have supported him, noting the local auto dealers “are wonderful to work with and very supportive. They are helpful in every way they can be and I can’t speak highly enough of those dealers.”

And he purposely does not use his sister’s position to influence dealers. “I haven’t even spoken about Bruce (to dealers),” said Marian. “There’s probably some people that haven’t made the connection that Bruce is my brother. What I do in my business and work life is totally separate, but he’s well known in the community. All of our dealers throughout the province have strong philanthropic roots, and it just comes naturally that they support him as they do with many other charities and things like that.”

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