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Dedicated Santa David Bell gets to wear his favorite suit to work this time of year.
brings a little
holiday magic
to isle children
All he wants for Christmas
is a lightweight suit -- and
for children to feel lovedBy Rod Ohira
Star-BulletinWith his real off-white beard and long gray hair, the 48-year-old Palolo Valley resident with the "bowl of Jell-O" body becomes the most recognizable celebrity in town when he puts on the red suit.
Being Santa Claus rather than just looking like him is important to Bell.
"There's a special magic about Santa Claus and you never want to do anything to disillusion the kids," said Bell, a retired Army man who became a professional Santa in 1997.
Bell, who is Hawaiian-Chinese, stands 6 feet tall and weighs between 300 and 350 pounds. But his soft-speaking voice and gentleness easily put young children at ease.
As Santa, he has received some unusual gift requests.
Nobody ever asks for wooden trains anymore."There was this girl, about 8 years old, who told Santa she wanted a Christmas tree but her family couldn't have one," he said. "Santa asked her why and she said because they had to fix the roof.
"Santa asked what's wrong with the roof and she said we don't have one because we don't have a house anymore."
During a break, Bell talked to the girl's aunt and learned that the child had been living with her family on the beach.
"It broke my heart," Bell said. "All I could do was give her extra candy canes."
It was a tough request since Bell never lies to kids about gifts.
"I just told her to have fun during the holiday season and everything will work out," he said.
"When they ask Santa for a PlayStation, he tells them the elves are going to school to learn how to build them unless the parents have clued him in that the present is coming.
"This year, the little girls want Power Puff dolls and the boys are asking for Razors (scooters)."
Bell says he does homework on projected hot items before the Christmas season so he knows something about the popular toys.
"When they ask for the Power Puff dolls, Santa will say which one: Buttercup, Bubbles or Blossom. They'll usually name one before he finishes so Santa knows which one they want."
The most-asked question is "Where's Rudolph?"
"I just tell them he isn't here because it's too warm," Bell said.
The hardest part about being Santa is wearing the suit, he said.
"All the suits that come from the mainland are made for cold weather so it's very uncomfortable in this climate," Bell noted. "I want to invent a lighter suit, maybe a palaka design with fur trimming."
Bell, a Kaimuki High graduate, was in the Army when he first put on a Santa suit in 1986 to represent Fort Shafter at community functions.
"I did it again the next year and decided to stand at the Shafter main gate to wave at people," he said. "It got good reaction.
"That year, I also did something for free with the Special Olympic kids at the Shafter bowling alley. That's what hooked me."
As a professional Santa, Bell had five jobs in his first year but did three of them for free. "I did six or seven the next year but only four for pay," he said.
Starting from Nov. 19, he has been working four to five hours a day, seven days a week this year.
"There are Santas working 12-hour shifts every single day," Bell said. "I like being on my own because of the freedom to market myself better.
"A good, committed and dedicated Santa, if he markets himself well, will make over $5,000 during the season."
Bell and his wife, Shirley, have three adult children and three grandchildren.
"My grandkids don't know me as grandpa but as Santa," said Bell, who keeps his beard and hair in Santa Claus fashion year around.
In the off-season, Bell is involved with Students In Free Enterprise, a national collegiate organization that goes into the community to teach and tutor people about business.
So what does Santa want for Christmas?
"I'd like for every kid in Hawaii to get at least one gift, a hug and to feel safe," Bell said.