For the past seven years, Chris Spears has sported an authentic long, white beard and has listened to children's Christmas wishes as they pose for photos on his lap while playing Santa Claus at 900 N. Michigan Ave.
"I'm a tradition for a lot of families, which I think is kind of cool," he said.
Spears, as a young wounded soldier in Vietnam, was told he had six months to live and would be dependent on a leg brace. Determined to defy this sentence, the non-religious Spears said he spoke to God and promised he would do something nice for the kids.
In his 20s, and standing at 6'3" and weighing 146 lbs., Spears began playing the role of Santa. He recalled seeing a Santa suit for $10 and thought it would be nice to dress up for his two-month-old daughter. His neighbors then began asking him to visit in the suit for their children and eventually he became Santa for a larger audience at different venues.
"I enjoy working in this place," he said of 900 N. Michigan Ave. "I've been offered other jobs for more money, but this place is like home."
As a retired police officer and member of the singing group Mike Valentine and the Valentine Singers, he has been Santa for a total of 39 years. He describes the role as a holiday tradition, along with celebrating with his family and eating pizza with them on Christmas Eve. To prepare, on April 15 every year, he explains, he begins growing the beard and shaves it off Christmas day. Also much like the jolly character, Spears gives to the children as he donates his earnings as Santa to charity.
Along with local families visiting him at the mall, families visiting from out of state and overseas make their way to his chair. As families of all shapes and sizes stop by throughout the holiday season, he feels like he has become part of most families saying he remembers most faces from year to year and select kids refer to him as "my Santa."
Spears emphasizes an importance on the family unit and having met families led by both straight parents and gay parents, he says regardless of a parent's sexual orientation, everyone should be proud of the family they have and both parents should be in the photograph. It's all about the love, kids, and keeping the family together according to Spears.
"I don't care if you're gay straight or whatever, it's got nothing to do with that child," he said. "If a child has two parents no matter man/woman, woman/woman, man/man, that's a traditional family. That's love. That's what everything is supposed to be about. There are too many kids out there who don't have the love. If they have a child come and see me. Let me be part of your family!"
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