Santa shops local and so should you | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Any doubt you may have had regarding whether or not Santa Claus is real can now officially be put to rest. This past Friday and Saturday afternoons, sitting in an armchair in the back room of downtown Washington's I Can't Believe It's a Book Store, Santa could be witnessed giving autographs and photo ops to local children, young and old.

    Furthermore, it seems that Santa will be making repeat appearances at the book store several more times before Christmas: on Dec. 9 from 4 to 7 p.m., Dec. 10 from 3 to 7 p.m., and Dec. 18 from 1 to 7 p.m. He may also make an appearance in the book store on Dec. 20 or 21.

    The ever-elusive toymaker has chosen to materialize for the people of Washington, in hopes that his presence, and the spirit of generosity, would encourage more people to visit and shop at the small, local businesses this holiday season.

    "My elves, they make stuff, and everything, but Santa tries to get as many presents for the children as locally as possible," said Santa. "For kids here, I try to get things here, and for kids in France, where they call me Père Noël, I get stuff there."

Christine and Rebecca Balance of Chocowinity, from left, ask Santa to sign their favorite books.

    I Can't Believe It's a Book Store invited Santa to set up at the book store location, so that he can help promote a message they hold dear: the importance of literacy. Along with listening to his guests' Christmas wish-lists, Santa will be available to autograph their favorite books. Children can also bring Letters to Santa to the book store anytime during business hours, to drop in Santa's designated local mailbox.

    Understandably, some children feel a little overwhelmed by the prospect of a direct encounter with this iconic figure; but not to worry--Santa is fairly accustomed to such reactions. If need be, he will even walk out to the street to allow his most hesitant visitors a chance to talk to him from the comfort of their own cars. Often, however, Santa said that it only takes a short while for the reluctant to be brought around.

    "Especially, I like it, when you get a kid who's a little scared, a little tentative and a little standoffish...and here I am, I'm a huge presence, and I like it when I win them over and within a minute or two they're over there talking and jabbering, sitting on my lap telling me what they want," said Santa. "The other day a little girl came in and she was just as shy and bashful, and she left, and about five minutes later she was back in here jumping up on my lap and just telling me: 'I want this, I want that,' and everything. Once they get past that initial feeling of, 'What's going on,' then they revert to true kids and just are themselves."

Santa waves at passersby on Main Street in downtown Washington.

    Longtime Washington Daily News reporter, Mike Voss, has been good friends with Santa, on and off, since 1977. Some say Voss and Santa share so many similarities that it has become difficult to separate the two.

    The Santa Signings and Letters to Santa are part of I Can't Believe It's a Book Store's 'Christmas on Main' events schedule, which also includes: Dickens' Style Christmas Walking Tours, meet the author events, Christmas story telling, Christmas Marketplace, candle-light caroling, a visiting harpist, horse-drawn carriage rides, The Salvation Army bell ringer, Toys for Tots, Christmas movies at the Turnage Theater and a Nativity scene. Dates and times for many of these events can be found on the Beaufort County Now Events Calendar. Many of these events are being organized and promoted by I Can't Believe It's a Book Store owners Richard Snow and Gary Ceres, who are currently the most tireless and passionate supporters of economic development in downtown Washington.