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Show Brings happiness to kids of all ages 'Real' Santa Glaus living a family tradition and as one man told me I have 'thrilled the hearts of millions,' and it has been worth it. I always go away feeling a bit better about myself my-self and others." In deeper reflection, Rigby said he doesn't reqret a minute of his many hours of portraying Santa Claus. "I have been able to make a lot of people happy over the years By PAUL CH ALUS CENTER VILLE Seymour Rigby is keeping a 87-year-old family tradition alive by playing Santa Claus-for-hire and bringing happiness to kids of all ages. Rigby's father. Judge William L. Rigby, a life-time farmer and justice of the peace in Davis County for nearly 30 years started showing up at parties as Santa Claus in 1903, "because he liked to make kids happy," That was 50 years before the Santa San-ta suit, bells and yak-haired, snow white, beards were handed down to L is very fussy when it comes to the pure white beards he wears. He will only use imported yak-hair for his Santa beards saying, I prefer the 'Night Before Christmas ' Santa look. My beard has to be white and look authentic." Rigby purchased a new beard this year for $325 to add to his set. Some of the beards have turned a bit yellow and he won't use them anymore. He even attaches the beard to his skin, so kids can't pull on it and not tell it's fake. "I have really given many kids a lot to think about. When they pull The fur on his suit also has to be imported as Rigby won't settle for ( anything less. "The people want ' the entire package and I want to give them what they want. I like to make the kids happy," he added. When asked of his most memorable experiences, he said he has rarely had unpleasant ones while making his rounds and most have been very joyful and worth the effort. "Some kids ask for things that they can't ever have or really need, like a RoUs Royce and others say V 1' ' ! 1 Seymour Rigby plays his bells at one of his stops as Santa Claus. r Rigby has fond memories of visiting fraternities and sororities at the University of Utah, also at Lady of the Lord's Church in Layton and the Cathredal of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City. "I am known as the 'Mormon Santa by many Catholics in northern Utah." As a devout reigious man, Rigby said he attempts to reinforce the Christian message of the holiday season whereever he goes. "I don't leave God out of it. I want them to know that I (Santa) am not the big shot. I go to the churches and parties par-ties to make them happy but I tell them it is really all about Jesus Christ and what he has done for us." Seymour Rigby in shown in this 1987 photo with Marilyn and Olen Sheriff sitting on his lap. He has played Santa Claus for 37 years and took on the tradition after his father had done it for 50 years. l ,, f r I I w If "A ' r r- I r S$ I ' , ' Si' f . ' & ' - -- Iff - i ... ' I I-f I-f : ' ; s I rf w iTfl i r" Wi 1 1 liflnpni t Trim iti n r Judge William L Rigby played Santa Claus throughout northern Utah for 50 years bringing delight to the Christmas holidays for many children of all ages. Rigby played Santa at ZCMI and other places during his years of service. his son. The judge also played St. Nick at the old Hayward Store for several years and at ZCMI in Salt Lake City. "My dad passed away on Nov. 10, 1953 a few weeks before Santa Claus was to make his appearance for another year, so my brother (Bill Rigby) and I decided we needed to keep the tradition going he said. We both played Santa that year and made dad's rounds for him." on my beard it doesn't come off," he said "They think to themselves, 'Hey he might be the real guy,' I really think it helps create the total effect." He is just as picky when it comes to the rest of the outfit and he still uses the bells handed down from his father and at each visit does a "Jingle Bells" dance for his holiday holi-day audience. His suits are also imported im-ported and custom made just for him. "One time a few years ago I had a Santa suit made for me while I was in South America. My boots are specially made back in New York." just surprise me and seem very unselfish," he said. One of his favorite stories happened to his father years ago when he worked at ZCMI as Santa and a young child asked him for a baby sister. "He looked at the mother and could see that she was pregnant and he told the child he would get a little sister on Christmas Day. One year later at ZCMI a lady approached him and asked him if he remembered her. He said no, and she went on to say that last year he had promised her child a baby sister on Christmas and he turned out to be right, that's just how it happened." i Seymour, a farmer and produce man for several decades, followed the custom the following year but Bill decided he didn't want to do ' . any more. Some 36 years later Seymour is still brightening Christmas for many people including in-cluding third and fourth generations of the families his dad used to delight with his visit from the North Pole. ' For the last four years a third generation ge-neration of Santa's has been in training to carry on when his father is gone and to help ease the load. Seymour's son. Drew Rigby has been helping out now that his dad doesn't get around as well and as often as he used to. Some of the regulars that Seymour visits each Christmas time won't let him stop. He still visits people who no longer have children left at home but who just can't celebrate the season without Rigby's visit as Santa. He used to do up to 40 Santa stops a year and ! bas cut back to about 15. L Rigby says he doesn't do Santa Claus for the money and doesn't ! have a set charge when he goes to i parties and houses. 'I let them pay me what they can afford and for what they think it is worth to them. I think I would probably charge less than they give me. They know it takes a lot of money to keep the suits in good condition so they pay me more than it is really worth.' He says he has worn out five San-la San-la suits throughout the years and he |
