Courtesy of Ed Taylor
Santa Ed Taylor on a television set.
- Ed Taylor is widely known as Santa Ed and That Santa Guy. He has been a Santa Claus portrayal artist since 2003 and is the founder of The-Santa-Claus-Conservatory.com and the Worldwide Santa Claus Network. He's 'been' Santa for 17 years.
- As a Santa actor and lookalike, he gets a lot of questions from curious Christmas lovers.
- He's never been peed on by a child, although he knows some Santas who have. He's also taught at two different Santa schools.
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I look an awful lot like Santa Claus. I have the big, naturally white beard and a big belly, and most days I'm wearing a red shirt. I'm quick to smile and have an overall jolly demeanor.
So yes, adults do frequently ask: "Do you play Santa Claus?"
I've been playing Santa for the past 17 years. In 2003, my friend Gordon got a cold and couldn't fulfill his duties as Santa at a local fundraiser. I stepped in, and I've been playing Santa ever since.
Looking like Santa Claus adds a tremendous amount of fun to even the most mundane of activities. I've struck up more conversations and taken more selfies in gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants than you can imagine.
As a "Santa," I'm often inundated with all sorts of questions about my work - like, "Is your beard real?" I typically respond with, "Of course, you know it's very cold up at the Pole … and it keeps my face warm."
Here are my answers to some of the most burning questions people have when they find out I play Santa.