This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

The Man Behind the Bushy White Beard

Take a look into the life of the world's preeminent gift-giver and sleigh pilot, one of our local Santas.

One of the Christmas season's most-sung carols is actually lying. He does, indeed, know when you're sleeping, when you're awake, when you're bad and good, etc. But Santa's not coming to town...he's already here.

With his naturally bushy white beard, Wiltonian Skip Heydt thought he'd be a good fit to play Santa. The owner of HEH Associates, Inc., a marketing firm in town, Heydt first entertained the notion of donning the famous red suit and taking sleigh-flying lessons after talking to another Claus last winter. 

"I met a Santa earlier this year and he talked to me about it and I have this wonderful big white beard,"' said the successful rookie Kringle. "I thought, 'Well, I'm going to be one too.' I started to grow my beard and learn about Santa. I took a class on how to be Santa and how to work at a hospice, I read up on my history and bought a costume online."

In his first season, he's had volunteer gigs at the Ridgefield Senior Center, the Chamber of Commerce's Holiday Walk, the library's Trustees party, the YMCA's Breakfast with Santa, Wilton Bank, New Canaan Inn, Wilton Writing Club, a Norwalk Shelter fundraiser at the Maritime Center and even appeared at private parties.

So, how does he feel about his new calling?

"It's absolutely phenomenal. It's hard to run my business and do this but, boy, it's worth it- the joy and the attitude from people. The best thing about it is probably the children: their big eyes and their expectation and their wonder," Heydt enthused.

His training to become Saint Nick included learning how to deal with tricky questions. Though much of the knowledge imparted was common sense, in Heydt's opinion, some of the hospice training was more intense.

"It's really special information about dealing with the dying and not saying certain things to them or not promising things and just being a good listener," he explained of visiting people who have less than six months to live. "You have to have the attitude that this might be the last Christmas they have and many of them have more vivid memories of their childhoods that of yesterday," he noted of why they particularly enjoy a visit from Santa. 

The specific questions the children have for him are one of the most unexpected aspects of the job for Heydt.

"It's amazing how many of them ask questions about the reindeer," he said. "More than anything else they want to know where they are kept and and how they live, what they eat and which one I like the best; they also want to know how Rudolph fits in with the others. I tell them it's all about magic and what you have in your heart. I often read to them from The Polar Express - it's a good story about believing."

Download the movie

Find out what's happening in Wiltonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?