INSIGHTS OF A FIRST-TIME SANTA

Jan White, Santa's helper, photographed children who come to talk Santa.

A preschooler has talked non-stop about Santa for the 15 minutes she's been standing in line at West Park Mall to visit with this holiday icon. Then her moment comes. Santa motions to her to come sit on his lap. She takes a hesitant step forward, then fear takes over and she ducks behind her mother's legs and refuses to budge.

"Did you know that Dasher broke his leg?" Santa asks the child. She shyly shakes her head no. "I've taken him to the vet to get it fixed but he might not be well by Christmas Eve," Santa tells the child who is beginning to show more curiosity than fear. "If Dasher can't do it, would you like to be one of my reindeer?" Santa asks. The girl moves forward a little shaking her head yes. "Now reindeer have to fly. Do you know how to fly?" Santa asks. The girl giggles and replies, "No, I can't fly."

"Then maybe you could help in some other way. Why don't you come here and let's talk about it," Santa says as he coaxes the child into his lap.

With the aid of such stories and a coloring book or two, this Santa is making his way through his first holiday season at West Park Mall. He's not THE Santa, he'll tell children who ask. That guy is too busy at the North Pole getting toys ready to have time to go to the many malls, shopping centers, stores, events and parties where children wait to see him. So every year he asks some special helpers to stand in for him, reporting back lists of toys and who has been naughty or nice.

This is the first year this particular Santa -- whom we'll call MK Santa -- has been on the job. He's learning that many children like the idea of Santa more than the personification of Mr. Claus, with his red suit, fuzzy white beard and hearty "Ho, ho, ho."

"There are those who get out of the stroller and bounce just like Tigger right into my lap," MK Santa said. Then there are those who cry when they come face-to-face with the man in red and can't even be tempted with a candy cane.

Many children get brain lock when they get to Santa's lap.

"They'll stand in line a long time, then when they sit with me, they can't remember what present they wanted to ask for," MK Santa said.

Some children will ask for one item, while others "ask for more things than you could fit in a sleigh," he said.

Most kids ask for the popular toys like Pokemon, Toy Story2 items and Barbie. Other requests are more out of the ordinary, MK Santa said.

One child asked for an anaconda snake. Another wanted a Tennessee walking horse. Several have asked for snowboards, even though it doesn't snow much around here. Perhaps they want Santa to bring a white Christmas, as well.

A young woman in her 20s sat on Santa's lap one afternoon and asked for a diamond engagement ring. "I asked her if the man she wanted to marry knew about her request," MK Santa said. "When she said he did, I told her I was glad because that would make Santa's job easier."

Then there are the more touching times. MK Santa said one of those occurred when a group of mentally challenged young women came to the mall for a picture with Santa.

"I held one woman's hand, and the look she got in her eyes, you could just tell she was in love," MK Santa said.

Helper Santas like MK have to think quickly to answer all the questions children come up with. When asked where the reindeer were, MK Santa replied he leaves them on the roof.

One child noticed that MK Santa didn't wear glasses like some of the other mall Santas. "I told her I had had laser surgery."

After the children finish their queries, it's time for Santa to ask his famous question, "Have you been good this year?"

"You can tell the kids who have been in trouble recently because as soon as I ask that they instantly look at their parents," MK Santa said. "But all children tell Santa they've been good, except for this one kid who answered, 'Sometimes.'"