Chicago Tribune
By Lisa Black, Tribune reporter
December 21, 2010
At age 4, Phil Wenz was no bigger than an elf when he slipped on his dad's red flannel shirt and pajama pants and used safety pins to hold up a white kerchief beard. It was the beginning of what would become a full-time career as Santa Claus.
The payoff came this week when Wenz, 48, learned he has been selected as a charter member of the Santa Claus Hall of Fame (santaclaushall.com). His portrait, along with those of 13 other famous jolly old men, will be displayed in an exhibit at the Santa's Candy Castle tourist attraction in — you guessed it — Santa Claus, Ind. Of the inaugural group, Wenz is the only living member.
The downstate native has marched in parades, toured hospitals and held court for more than 20 years at Santa's Village in Dundee.
"I probably have had a couple million people crawl across me," said Wenz, of Crescent City, about 25 miles south of Kankakee.
With a daughter named Holly — she once joked that she could find him in any mall — Wenz takes this Santa stuff seriously. It takes two hours for him to make up his face and glue on a $1,500 beard and wig.
"To me, it's just normal," he said. "It's the only job I have ever had."
Asked what he would put on his holiday wish list, Wenz grew thoughtful.
He savors the history of St. Nicholas and Christmas past. Today he receives fewer "Dear Santa" letters and more electronic Tweets, which are difficult for his stubby fingers to master.
"There's too much commercialism," he said. "We need to slow down and look in our rearview mirror and see where we are going."
Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune
Monday, January 10, 2011
Beloved Santa headed to the hall of fame
Daily Herald - 12/20/2010
By JAMEEL NAQVI
Phil Wenz first donned the white beard and plush red hat when he was 4 years old.
Forty-four years later, Wenz's affection for the character variously known as Kriss Kringle, Papa Noel and Father Christmas has earned him a trip to the Santa Claus Hall of Fame in Santa Claus, Ind.
Wenz, who played Santa Claus at East Dundee's Santa's Village for more than 20 years, got the call Monday morning informing him he was one of 14 legendary Santas who will make up the hall of fame's charter class.
Of the 14 charter members, including the first department store Santa and several men born in the 19th century, Wenz is the only one still living.
“The 13 other gentlemen have already passed on, so it's an honor,” Wenz said. “It still hasn't sunk in yet.”
He added: “I'm 48 years old, and I've been playing Santa for 44 years. That's kind of bizarre.”
Wenz's portrayal of Santa began in earnest in the late '70s, when he was a teenager in downstate Watseka. The local chamber of commerce asked him to play Santa for its annual Christmas parade and Santa House promotion.
Wenz accepted and played Santa for the next eight years while he earned his high school diploma and college degree.
Shortly after graduating, Wenz was hired by the Instant Photo Corp., which led in 1986 to Wenz becoming full-time Santa at Santa's Village.
The gig at Santa's Village led to numerous appearances in parades, corporate events and television specials. Although Santa's Village closed in 2006, Wenz has continued to play Santa full time, including around 60 appearances each year during the holiday season.
In his 40 years in character, Wenz has watched the growing commercialization of Christmas and Santa Claus.
“I think Santa can get overexposed,” Wenz mused. “Anything in excess is not a good thing. Sometimes the magic is taken away.”
But Wenz has also seen Santa weather the advances of the electronic age, with kids now texting their wish lists and asking for expensive gadgets like iPods.
“He'll adjust to the times,” Wenz said. “Everybody does.”
Copyright © 2010 Paddock Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.
By JAMEEL NAQVI
Phil Wenz first donned the white beard and plush red hat when he was 4 years old.
Forty-four years later, Wenz's affection for the character variously known as Kriss Kringle, Papa Noel and Father Christmas has earned him a trip to the Santa Claus Hall of Fame in Santa Claus, Ind.
Wenz, who played Santa Claus at East Dundee's Santa's Village for more than 20 years, got the call Monday morning informing him he was one of 14 legendary Santas who will make up the hall of fame's charter class.
Of the 14 charter members, including the first department store Santa and several men born in the 19th century, Wenz is the only one still living.
“The 13 other gentlemen have already passed on, so it's an honor,” Wenz said. “It still hasn't sunk in yet.”
He added: “I'm 48 years old, and I've been playing Santa for 44 years. That's kind of bizarre.”
Wenz's portrayal of Santa began in earnest in the late '70s, when he was a teenager in downstate Watseka. The local chamber of commerce asked him to play Santa for its annual Christmas parade and Santa House promotion.
Wenz accepted and played Santa for the next eight years while he earned his high school diploma and college degree.
Shortly after graduating, Wenz was hired by the Instant Photo Corp., which led in 1986 to Wenz becoming full-time Santa at Santa's Village.
The gig at Santa's Village led to numerous appearances in parades, corporate events and television specials. Although Santa's Village closed in 2006, Wenz has continued to play Santa full time, including around 60 appearances each year during the holiday season.
In his 40 years in character, Wenz has watched the growing commercialization of Christmas and Santa Claus.
“I think Santa can get overexposed,” Wenz mused. “Anything in excess is not a good thing. Sometimes the magic is taken away.”
But Wenz has also seen Santa weather the advances of the electronic age, with kids now texting their wish lists and asking for expensive gadgets like iPods.
“He'll adjust to the times,” Wenz said. “Everybody does.”
Copyright © 2010 Paddock Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.
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