UAE: Meet the man who grows beard to be ‘natural’ Santa by Christmas
Every September for the past 10 years, David Learman has grown out his pale white beard to get into character for his Santa Claus costume. With his bright red-and-white suit shaped neatly over his round figure, along with clean-cut spectacles and a festive hat, the charming Santa looks like he came alive straight from a novel or movie. Learman, who is based in Ras Al Khaimah and is a photographer by profession, is usually booked for the festive month. This December, he has had around 35 bookings, which get progressively busier closer to Christmas Day, with 4 or 5 bookings per day. Sometimes, he visits people’s private homes for an event, but for the most part, Learman does hotel bookings.Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.By December 26, the day after Christmas Day, he said he is one of the first to walk into the barber shop in the morning to buzz it all off. “(The barbers) always want me to go down wearing my Santa tunic, because they get photographs of Santa,” he remarked.Learman said that his Santa Claus gigs are by no means financially sustainable, but he still does it for the spark of joy on children’s faces when they get to meet the jolly, big-bellied Christmas figure.“For me, just the expression on a little boy or girl's face when I sit on my knee and I pull out a gift,” he expressed. “They pull on the beard. And many of them say, oh, are you a real Santa? And they know, oh, it's a real Santa. The smile, it's exactly that.”Because of the nature of his work as an independent photographer, Learman can comfortably do his Santa Claus gigs without being under too much pressure. He has his own creative agency with his wife, and his work usually involves oversight, which doesn't take up too much of his time. Christmas celebrations, commercialisationLearman recalled a time when he was booked for the Heritage Village in Ras Al Khaimah’s Al Jazeera Al Hamra. He was glad to find that most people that approached him were Emiratis who wanted a picture with him.However, on the other hand, he recounted one of his bookings which he described as “surreal” and “odd”. He was invited to come with his usual Santa gear for a children’s event that was organised by an events company. Most of the children, Learman said, were unfamiliar with Christmas traditions as they came from a non-Christian background. “The culture and the celebration was being forced upon them. And that was surreal. I find that very odd,” he said.He criticised the organising company for their commercialisation of the holiday, saying that it was just a way for them to make money. “It was very difficult because you have to sit there while they're trying to get the kids to sing along to these carols that is not part of their culture or religion. Basically, it was a very commercial situation,” Learman said.Look: Dubai families celebrate Christmas with makeshift cinemas, new traditionsChristmas in UAE: 5 places to enjoy winter market in Dubai
Every September for the past 10 years, David Learman has grown out his pale white beard to get into character for his Santa Claus costume.
With his bright red-and-white suit shaped neatly over his round figure, along with clean-cut spectacles and a festive hat, the charming Santa looks like he came alive straight from a novel or movie.
Learman, who is based in Ras Al Khaimah and is a photographer by profession, is usually booked for the festive month. This December, he has had around 35 bookings, which get progressively busier closer to Christmas Day, with 4 or 5 bookings per day. Sometimes, he visits people’s private homes for an event, but for the most part, Learman does hotel bookings.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
By December 26, the day after Christmas Day, he said he is one of the first to walk into the barber shop in the morning to buzz it all off. “(The barbers) always want me to go down wearing my Santa tunic, because they get photographs of Santa,” he remarked.
Learman said that his Santa Claus gigs are by no means financially sustainable, but he still does it for the spark of joy on children’s faces when they get to meet the jolly, big-bellied Christmas figure.
“For me, just the expression on a little boy or girl's face when I sit on my knee and I pull out a gift,” he expressed. “They pull on the beard. And many of them say, oh, are you a real Santa? And they know, oh, it's a real Santa. The smile, it's exactly that.”
Because of the nature of his work as an independent photographer, Learman can comfortably do his Santa Claus gigs without being under too much pressure. He has his own creative agency with his wife, and his work usually involves oversight, which doesn't take up too much of his time.
Christmas celebrations, commercialisation
Learman recalled a time when he was booked for the Heritage Village in Ras Al Khaimah’s Al Jazeera Al Hamra. He was glad to find that most people that approached him were Emiratis who wanted a picture with him.
However, on the other hand, he recounted one of his bookings which he described as “surreal” and “odd”. He was invited to come with his usual Santa gear for a children’s event that was organised by an events company.
Most of the children, Learman said, were unfamiliar with Christmas traditions as they came from a non-Christian background. “The culture and the celebration was being forced upon them. And that was surreal. I find that very odd,” he said.
He criticised the organising company for their commercialisation of the holiday, saying that it was just a way for them to make money. “It was very difficult because you have to sit there while they're trying to get the kids to sing along to these carols that is not part of their culture or religion. Basically, it was a very commercial situation,” Learman said.
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