Santa Joe retires beard and boots after 25 years

The former actor – who decided to start a career as a mall Santa when he retired – has had roles in films like Aquaman, Pirates of the Caribbean, Thor, and Peter Pan to name a few

SANTA Joe has been donning the red suit and beard as one of “Santa’s helpers” in shopping malls for more than 25 years.

Joe Feeney, originally from Scotland and born in Glasgow, has had to retire the beard and boots this year due to health issues but said he has loved making children’s Christmas dreams come true over the past few decades as the man in red.

The former actor – who decided to start a career as a mall Santa when he retired – has had roles in films like Aquaman, Pirates of the Caribbean, Thor, and Peter Pan to name a few.

The former air force pilot has jumped out of planes, captained sailing boats and driven around formula one race car drivers, so he definitely has the qualifications to steer a reindeer led sleigh across the globe.

In his work as an actor, Joe has been a simulated patient for training doctors and had many community theatre roles with Gold Coast Little Theatre, Spotlight Theatre and the Tweed Theatre Company.

But it was his role as Santa for more than two decades which has given him the most joy and fulfilment.

His affinity with Christmas began when he was growing up in an orphanage in Scotland.

One Christmas, when he was about 9 years old, he was invited to have a Christmas dinner with a family and six other orphans.

He said he was given a Christmas gift which was taken off his upon his return to the orphanage by the Sisters who said it was “unfair to the other kids”.

“We got a nice meal and a gift and I will never forget it, I wish I could have kept it,” he said.

“I wanted to do the same for other kids.”

Over his time as Santa, Joe has donated more than $8000 of his own money to buy gifts for disadvantaged children so they could enjoy Christmas just as he did once during his time at the orphanage.

Santa "Joe", who has been a shopping centre Santa for 20 years, has had to retire the beard and boots this year due to health issues but said he has loved making children’s Christmas dreams come true as the man in red.

In fact, it was events like these that prompted the actor to take on the role of Santa at shopping centres.

“I have had quite a long following of people coming in each year,” he said.

“Whether I am the real Santa or not, well I can’t confirm or deny that.

“You are making memories for the family and your picture is going to be a part of their albums for years to come.

“Sometimes you are helping them to overcome a fear and it can take a few visits before a child warms to you.”

But Joe has a sure-fire tactic of getting children to open up – he bonds with little girls over their love of Frozen and calm the nerves of little boys by discussing the Cars movies.

“You have to be familiar with all the kids movies and toys and things so you can relate to them and strike up a conversation,” he said.

“Then the tears stop and can you just chat to them about things they like.”

The youngest patron Santa Joe has posed with was only four days old and he said he had seen customers come in yearly from a young age and has seen them literally grow up.

He has even had customers from his early days as Santa bring there own children in to have photos with him.

Joe has also posed with cats, dogs, reptiles, a frog on his head and even a crocodile.

His red padded suit can get hot in the warmer Gold Coast summer as the suit was custom made in New York for an American winter.

“It’s an authentic suit but it does get a bit hot,” he said.

“But my life has been good and I’ve enjoyed being here.

“Sometimes kids ask for horses or Ferraris and you can’t promise those things to the kids so you just say they are too big for the sleigh.”

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