Palmyra’s Les Jamerson has many experiences as the man inside the suit
Stephen Finn
The Sun
If you live in the Palmyra area, you may have seen someone around town who looks strikingly familiar. With hair as white as snow and long beard to match, Palmyra resident Les Jamerson is something of a celebrity around this time of year. As a professional Santa, he is in high demand come December.
Christmas has always been special for Jamerson. It’s a time he has always looked forward to.
“As far back as I can remember, I always loved Christmas. As a child, it was always a special time. My mom’s birthday was in December, and my dad’s birthday was in January, so we kept the tree up between the two birthdays. It seemed like we celebrated earlier and later than everyone else,” said Jamerson.
Despite this fond memory, Jamerson has some trouble remembering exact details from the Christmases of his childhood. In 2006, he was in a near fatal car accident and spent six weeks in a coma. He is still dealing with the physical and mental ramifications of the crash to this day.
“Twelve years ago when I had this accident, it totally changed my life altogether, flipped the script,” said Jamerson.
The first time Jamerson took on the role of Santa he wasn’t nearly as convincing as he is today. Before the accident, he was visiting a children’s hospital with a group from a youth organization he was involved with. When they got to the hospital, they wanted someone to dress up as Santa, and the job fell on Jamerson.
“You remember Dan Aykroyd in ‘Trading Places’? I looked like that, kinda cheesy,” said Jamerson.
According to Jamerson, the accident was a big turning point after which he gained some perspective on things. The role of Santa gave his life new meaning.
“It took me a while to figure it out after my accident, what the true reason was I was back here, a second life,” said Jamerson.
Today Jamerson makes for a much more convincing Saint Nick. Even while dressed in his street clothes, which admittedly are often red and white as well, people identify Jamerson as Santa and either approach him or snap a quick picture. He prefers that people approach and engage him rather than just taking pictures of him in public on their phones.
To complete his transformation, Jamerson attended The International University of Santa Claus, a training program where people can learn the ins and outs of the role of Santa. Along with how to style your beard and how to dress, lessons include never making promises to a child, always staying positive and keeping with the spirit of Christmas.
Although he’s only human, Jamerson acknowledges what he represents to children given the way he looks and tries his best to keep up appearances even in his everyday life.
“You’re a celebrity, so to speak,” said Jamerson. “You gotta keep the image for everybody, you can’t ruin it for them.”
Jamerson takes his role seriously and has even adopted Santa’s charitable spirit. He prefers personal visits and local events to mall appearances that can be stressful for everyone involved. When he does receive money for an appearance, he often donates the majority of his earnings to charity. He doesn’t advertise his services either, for him it’s either word of mouth or through one of his business cards he personally hands out.
When it comes to young skeptics, Jamerson takes on all challengers. His approach to a child who isn’t sure if they buy the whole Santa thing is to engage with them and talk.
“By the time they leave my lap, they believe,” said Jamerson.
