Reseda : School’s Santa Brings Tradition, Self-Esteem

Santa is nothing if not consistent.

But after 27 years of visits from the exact same bearded icon, that goes without saying at Reseda Elementary School.

And Thursday, the man who has long played the jolly red-suited one for the first-, second- and third-graders at Reseda will be back again, delivering holiday cheer and then some.

Beyond the traditional “Ho, ho, ho,” this Santa--a longtime San Fernando Valley resident who prefers to go by his Old St. Nickname--also delivers messages about safety and manners.

“He visits each classroom and talks about being kind and the importance of coming to school every day to learn things,” Principal Janie M. Taylor said. “He talks about ‘You are the most important person.’ It builds up the children’s self-esteem.”

As the legend goes, this Santa originally came to Reseda Elementary as a favor to a friend, Taylor recounted. By now he is visiting second- and third-generation Reseda children.

Of course, the visits do have certain traditional elements--particularly the singing of “Here Comes Santa Claus,” “Jingle Bells” and “Frosty the Snowman.”

The continuity of Santa’s visits are an indication of his kinship with the school, Taylor said.

“This is home to him,” she said. “As long as he does Santa, he’ll come to us.”