PREVIEW

(LONGER EDIT) WORDS BYLINE: Joann Randles

It's always magical watching children meet Father Christmas for the first time.

But in one grotto that magic seems very real. So real, that when this Santa steps out of his red suit and into his civvies, little kids still come up to him in the street asking him for presents.

And a tug on that very white beard proves that it is also very real.

For 30 years, Terry Rees really has been Swansea's Santa... a journey that began by chance or perhaps even magic.

“A friend asked me to do Father Christmas for charity. And I said, Yes, I would. So I went, bought the suit,” Terry, from Penllergaer, recalls with a twinkle in his eye.

“I didn't get paid, because I love children and I love this time of year. It is absolutely magical the way it happens. Even though sometimes I’m not in my suit, because of my beard, and my hair, I get children coming up to me in the street asking, ‘Can you make it snow?’ or, ‘Can I have this?’ That’s why I carry candy canes in my pocket wherever I go, even when I go shopping, just for the children.”

Terry’s story could be straight out of a classic Christmas film. His deep love for the festive season came from his late wife Janice, whose Christmas spirit was unmatched.

“She would start shopping on January 1st. I would end up in my bedroom with about 10 boxes of presents, because she loved Christmas. We would go shopping just for Christmas things. One year we went to Asda and saw these two gnomes, about four foot tall—one of Father Christmas and one of Mrs. Claus. She said, ‘We've got to have these, and we’ll keep them in the house by the Christmas tree.’ So we bought them. As we were leaving Asda, the manager came up to me and said, ‘Can I take a photograph of you and your wife with the two gnomes?’ I said, ‘Why?’ He said, ‘I want to put it on the Asda website.’ I said, ‘Yes, carry on.’ So we had our photograph taken. I’ve still got the gnomes today. They’re in my garden. Father Christmas and Mrs. Christmas. I love it, and I'll never, ever get rid of them. It reminds me too much.”

The couple’s love for Christmas extended beyond their home, even to holidays in Ibiza, where Terry brought festive cheer to resort guests. “About two months before we would fly, my wife would buy about 200 presents—small little things, not big things—and pack them along with my Father Christmas suit. I had to pay for an extra suitcase just to go on holiday. When we got there, we sorted it out with the entertainers. Then one day in the week, I would pop my suit on, walk all the way through the complex dressed as Father Christmas, get to the stage, and then all the children on holiday would get a present to take home and say they met Father Christmas.”

Terry’s journey as Santa, however, has been marked by profound loss. He lost his beloved wife—his inspiration and real-life Mrs. Claus—in the run up to Christmas 2020, burying her on Christmas Eve.

“I was doing Father Christmas for special nursery children and had a phone call to say my wife was dying. So I left there, got home, and of course, my wife had signed an agreement she wouldn’t be brought back or resuscitated. So I sat on the settee in my Father Christmas outfit and held her when she passed away in my arms. I’ll never forget, because I buried her on Christmas Eve—the worst time of all. But I know for a fact she’s sitting by me now, watching me… She’s here with me all the time. She loved Christmas, adored it, and I would do anything for her. I’ll never stop doing it (being Father Christmas). I’m 72 now. I’ll never stop.”

Even now, Terry’s family joins in the tradition, with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren calling him “Santa.” In the community, children and adults alike know him as “Santa” or “Santa Taff.”

His work with children with special needs is particularly touching. “They’re amazing. I walk around and they pull my beard to see if it’s real… They love it. Absolutely love it. I love some of the things they say. They ask questions, and I try to explain to them. I tell them Rudolph is on the roof.”

Though some children may doubt Santa’s existence, Terry’s charm wins them over as he occupies a cosy corner of a grotto at Gower Fresh Christmas Trees in Swansea.

“Oh yes, I am Father Christmas. How can I be different? They may call me by a different name, but I’m still Father Christmas, 100%. Of course, you do get some who don’t believe, and then little ones tell them, ‘Oh, you’re not having a present.’ But if you don’t believe in Father Christmas, the magic is gone. You can tell some children a lot, and they still won’t believe. But then you say—‘If you’re not sleeping, I can’t use my magic key. I can’t get in. So if I can’t get in your house, and next door is open, I will have to leave the presents next door.’ ‘Oh no, Santa, you can use your magic, I will be sleeping!’ And I say, ‘Righto, I’ll sprinkle dust, and you’ll be sleeping, and Teddy will be watching you and tell me.’”

As Christmas approaches, Terry shares a heartfelt wish. “I wish that everybody has a fantastic time. No matter what present you get, big or small, just be happy. Good friends, have the best time of your life. That would make me very happy. Don’t need lots of money—all you need is your health, and be good. Me and Teddy will fetch presents. Be good for Santa. Please.”

Terry embodies the spirit of Christmas, a beacon of joy and nostalgia, reminding everyone of the magic in giving and the bonds that make the season special.