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Why This Christmas Eve Visit Made Santa Cry
Originally published December 24, 2012 (updated November 2013) It was the morning of Christmas Eve, and once again, it did not feel like Christmas. It had been years since I last celebrated Christmas – but I remember it well. It was in 1983, at my Mom and Dad’s place, in Midland, Ontario. My family always…
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Why Santa Danny Is Coming To Town Earlier This Year
Santa Danny is coming to town earlier this year because our apartment building(s) are having a Christmas Party on Saturday, December 7, 2024. This will be my second time visiting kids aged 1 month to 110 years at the apartment building where I live. I am a bit out of the loop on how many…
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This Is Why Santa Danny Cried Today (2019)
Originally published December 24, 2019. Today is Christmas Eve, and I went to the cancer center in Surrey, BC. I was treated there ten years ago and volunteered for almost five years. I had a suitcase on wheels that held my Santa Claus outfit; Santa shouldn’t ever be driving around in a car, because kids…
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Not a Creature Was Stirring on Christmas Eve
Originally published on December 24, 2012 It was the morning of Christmas Eve, and once again, it didn’t feel like Christmas. It had been years since I last celebrated Christmas – but I remember it well. It was in 1983 at my parents’ place in Midland, Ontario. My family always got together to celebrate Christmas…
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Santa Danny’s Forgotten Kids and An Angel
Santa Danny retired last year because he had lost so much weight, and his voice had become incoherent. He had also been hurt by the same organization (BC Cancer Agency) for which he had raised several thousand dollars over the past decade. Santa Danny wrote about his first visit as Santa Danny. It made him believe…
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Hello, Goodbye, to Santa
Every Christmas since 2011, I have had the honor of representing the spirit of Christmas to thousands of children of all ages. The thrill I get from hearing these little angels’ wants for Christmas – is the warmest feeling you could ever imagine. As parents and grandparents, you only get to witness the reaction of…
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A Message from Santa
Although Santa Danny will not be visiting again this year, because of the Covid restrictions – he still gets the Christmas Spirit. And so does his friends Anita (aka Gorgeous) and Ralph (aka Handsome), who are also his landlords. Anita sent me a beautiful message the other day and I wanted to share it with…
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A Long Sentence
This was the first year that I did not go to the police station to get my fingerprints taken, as I do each year, to confirm that I do not have a criminal record and that allows me, as Santa Claus, to show parents and others responsible for children’s welfare, that their charges are safe…
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Because All Good Things Usually End
All good things usually end ‘because’ nothing seems to last forever, except one thing; LOVE. Today, I received a renewal notice from the website hosting company that provides me with this platform to tell my stories. I’ve been writing here since 2010, but now find it challenging to write about happy things. Although there is…
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All My Love, From Me to You
It’s almost Christmas, and I’ve been rushing around to see as many friends as possible – and sending all my love from me to you! But seeing everyone before Saint Nick arrives on Wednesday will be impossible. So, I decided to post some photos and video clips about some of them. I’ll be adding stuff…
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Santa’s Cancer Message From The Great White North
Yesterday, I got Santa Claus’s cancer message from The Great White North, asking me to cover for him again this year while he helps fund a cure for cancer. But Santa Danny is only allowed to receive Love and Money. Love is the fuel that drives Santa Danny, and money is what he hopes to…
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I Never Gave Up On The Tooth Fairy
There is often a situation when I’ve thought seriously about giving up on a particular dream, but there has always been a reason for continuing the chase – because ever since I was a little boy, I never gave up on the Tooth Fairy. I remember a saying I learned when I was little Danny,…
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Do You Still Believe in Magic?
Dear reader, do you still believe in magic – like when you were a kid? It wouldn’t be an easy day for me to be Santa Claus because I was having difficulty trying to smile. But it wasn’t because I’d be alone on Christmas Day. And it wasn’t because I felt sorry for myself –…
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Celebrate Occasions Doing Something Exciting & Memorable
On Wednesday, I had my last hyperbaric oxygen therapy session, and I wanted to celebrate the occasion by doing something exciting and memorable. For some people, the celebration might be to treat themselves to a few cold ones at the pub. For others, the choice might be shopping for something special to reward themselves. But…
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Notes from the North Pole
In 2009, I was diagnosed with stage 3 throat cancer and given only a 40% chance of surviving. Not knowing how much time I had left and that I hadn’t celebrated Christmas for many years – I wanted to see if I could get that same holiday spirit I used to get when I was a kid. …
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Why Santa Danny Raises Money for Cancer
Yesterday, Santa Danny visited the University of British Columbia’s Oral Cancer Department in Vancouver to present a cheque for oral cancer research at the university and BC Cancer Foundation. He also visited with the Faculty of Dentistry staff, where Danny gave his speech during their Research Day in January 2016. Dr. Laronde invited me, as…
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Nothing Was Stirring Until This Happened
Originally published on December 24, 2012 It was the morning of Christmas Eve, and once again, nothing was stirring until this happened – Santa came to town! It had been years since I last celebrated Christmas – but I remember it well. It was in 1983 at my parents’ place in Midland, Ontario. My family…
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This School Visit Made Santa Cry (2015)
It’s early on Wednesday morning, and I am preparing Santa for his most painful official visit – to talk to the students of Nicomekl Elementary School, in Langley. Visiting patients at the Cancer Center isn’t very difficult for Santa Danny because he, too, has had cancer, and he knows what most of the patients are…