By FRED KRONER
For one person, in particular, the busy season is approaching.
In fact, the demands on the North Pole’s most famous resident haven’t subsided, even during a pandemic year.
Requests for personal appearances have been arriving at a staggering rate. Santa Claus tries hard to be accommodating, while still devoting enough time to the preparations that need to be completed before he joins his famous reindeer in making the delivery rounds on Christmas Eve.
He has acknowledged, however, that he could use some help, and a Mahomet resident is ready to answer the call.
Chris Roberts recently purchased an authentic Santa suit and is going to be a fill-in throughout Mahomet at various locations on Saturday, Dec. 19, starting at 10:30 a.m.
“There’s a lot of stuff going on,” said Roberts, a Sadorus native who has called Mahomet home for 12 years, “and I thought I would spread the Christmas spirit for kids and families.”
He won’t be available to accept any late gift requests or for photos. And, he won’t have any candy to distribute.
“It’ll be safe and social-distanced,” Roberts said. “I’ll bring something different to the table. I’m looking forward to making some kids happy and waving when their families drive by.”
He will spend time at different sites, starting at 10:30 a.m. near the stop light outside the Mahomet Public Library, on East Oak Street. His next stop (at 11:15 a.m.) will be near the stop light at Rt. 150 and Lombard.
From there, at noon, he will move to the stop light at the intersection of Rt. 150 and Division. He will wind up, at 12:45 p.m., near the stop sign at the intersection of Prairieview Road and Tin Cup Road (across from Casey’s).
One person who is not surprised that Roberts will make his Santa debut soon is his sister, Mahomet’s Heather Wanninger.
“That’s just what he does,” Wanninger said. “He’s the town uncle. He loves to get involved.
“He has a heart for the kids and the town. He wants to put a smile on people’s faces, which is what he does in our lives every day.”
If there was ever a year for this undertaking, this is the one.
“Any other year, Santa on a street corner is no big deal,” Wanninger said, “but this year, it can be an outing for people. It’s definitely a whole new way of celebrating this year.
“One thing 2020 has done is to force us to slow down and appreciate the little things.”
Roberts, a graduate of Unity High School in Tolono, remembers how special it was as a child to see the Jolly Elf in person.
“It brought a lot of joy to Christmastime,” said Roberts, whose desire to spread good cheer isn’t limited to the end-of-the-year holiday season.
For more than a year, he has posted an assortment of jokes in Mahomet Talk on a regular basis.
“I have fun with that,” Roberts said. “Things have been hard, and it helps to have a little laugh.
“I like telling jokes. Every weekend, I’ll have one.”
The light-hearted moments have been well-received.
“People tell me there are times they open up Facebook and go to his page to read his jokes,” Wanninger said.
Wanninger’s son, Jake, related a similar experience.
“One of my friend’s mom screenshots jokes that made her laugh so she can show them to her husband later in the day,” he said.
For those who can’t wait for the next entry on the joke front, Roberts shared one that is particularly appropriate at this time.
“How much did Santa’s sleigh cost,” Roberts said, before supplying the answer. “Nothing. It was on the house.”
Roberts gathers his material from different sources.
“They might be silly and light-hearted, but it’s nice to have that fresh feel,” Wanninger said. “He is such a bright spot and a good role model in how he lives life generously.”
She has seen first-hand proof of how Roberts contributes on a regular basis at Lincoln Trail. At different times, students show their appreciation for the workers with hand-written notes.
“I’ve seen notes that say, ‘Thank you for saying hi to me,’ or ‘Thank you for asking how my day is,’” Wanninger said. “It’s a reminder of how impactful small gestures can be on a day-to-day basis.
“He looks for ways to give back and bring some sunshine.”
Roberts, who has helped coach youth football in Mahomet, said he would consider helping Santa out next year if he enjoys his first appearance as much as he anticipates.
“Maybe I’ll do it again,” he said. “Maybe I could be a Santa telling jokes.”
Wanninger said it’s not out of character for her brother to come up with these ideas.
“In the summer, he ordered an inflatable hippo suit from Amazon, turned on some music and went out and danced in the yard,” Wanninger said. “In a year where there has been so much uncertainty, it’s nice to have those kinds of pop-up surprises.
“It’s cool and crazy that something so simple can affect people.”
There are no nerves as Roberts looks ahead to Dec. 19, which will be the first day of Winter Break for students in the Mahomet-Seymour school district.
“If I could do it tomorrow, I’d do it tomorrow,” Roberts said.
His Santa appearances this year will all be of the drive-by variety, with Roberts sharing a smile and waving to those who pass by.
“I know there will be a lot of appreciation,” Wanninger said.
Wanninger said what people see from Roberts’ impromptu performances truly represents his attitude.
“People ask if I ever see him angry, and no, you don’t,” she said. “He is boisterous, positive, outgoing and going out of his way to say hi to people.
“That is him: Be fun and show love. He is always that way. He’s one of a kind.”
Roberts won’t need to add a pillow to replicate Santa’s pleasantly plump appearance and, in fact, needs to make an alteration.
After trying on the outfit, he realized he will need to complete the ensemble.
“I’ll have to come up with another black belt, or I’m in trouble,” he said.
Now we know what’s on top of his Christmas list.
