Aussie Santa clears up a Christmas mistaken identity mystery
When children arrive ready for their festive photo at Aussie Santa’s shed in Koo Wee Rup, they are sometimes a little confused.
Some realise Santa Claus, in his long beard and red suit, looks awfully similar to local identity Kevin Harris, a quiz night host, balloon twister and school disco DJ.
Aussie Santa prepares to for a photo shoot in his Santa Shed in Koo Wee Rup.Credit:Eddie Jim
Both men, who have never actually met each other, have asked The Sunday Age to help clear up any confusion over the case of mistaken identity.
“We have a lot of people come in and say ‘you are Kevin from the disco’ and I say ‘No that’s my cousin’,” Aussie Santa explains in an exclusive interview with The Age.
For his part, Harris, is also keen to clear up any confusion in impressionable young minds.
The confusion is understandable. The rotund 62-year-old, who has white hair and his own long white beard (this is Kevin Harris we are referring to), freely admits that he also loves Christmas. “My father was Mr Christmas, he loved it,” Harris said.
Harris snr was a sign erector at Peter’s Ice Cream and his mother worked at Bonlac and sometimes held down three jobs to make Christmas special for their six childrenin their Melbourne family home.
“They used to go into debt for a year just to ensure we could have a good Christmas,” said Harris, who has also worked as a quality assurance manager and a golf course groundsman.
Kevin Harris says he is distantly related to Santa Claus. Credit:Lyn Harris
With his long white beard it is easy to see how identities are mistaken. “I just can’t be anything other than Australian,” Harris says.
His doppelgänger, Aussie Santa, is also heavily involved in charity work. He is an ambassador for the Christmas Wish project, which uses digitally photoshopped pictures to magically transports sick children away from their hospital beds.
A family is ready for its closeup with Aussie Santa. Credit:Eddie Jim
“We all need to put joy back on the table,” he says.
Aussie Santa’s residency at Monash Children’s Hospital is an annual tradition, despite the emotions it brings.
“My first Christmas Day I arrived home and my wife asked ‘how did you go?’ and I burst into tears. I must have bottled it all up,” Santa said.
“I know why I am there. I am there to bring joy. If a kid is going through a miserable time I hope can make five minutes of that better.
Aussie Santa at a recent photo shoot for the Christmas Wish project at Monash Children’s Hospital.Credit:Eddie Jim
“It breaks your heart but all you can do is try and bring the joy. That’s the focus; you are there to make them happy.
“I still get upset but they can’t see that.
“It gets tougher when the parents say ‘Can I give you a hug?’ and they break down. That’s when it really upsets you because you can see what they are going through.”
Ten days ago, the Santa accompanied Christmas Wish to the Brisbane children’s hospice Hummingbird House. Children are not admitted unless they have two years to live.
“You think it shouldn’t happen, but it does, every day.”
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