Empathy

I challenge you to ask yourself, do you really know your neighbors? I am willing to bet that most of you will shake your head and say NO. We have become a recluse society due to busy schedules, time restraints and technology. I remember when I was a young child I knew everyone; our parents knew everyone and if we didn’t we sure made a strong attempt to introduce ourselves. We never worried about children out with friends, I may be dating myself but I can remember a time when we didn’t lock our doors at night, unfortunately now that time has passed.

 If we take a look around the world this year as in every year and learn so many stories of the power of the human spirit and kindness. I am not sure why but in this world of extreme poverty, hatred  and change, people seem to always restore my faith in humanity with their compassion. Sure we hear the stories from around the world but more often than not one spot that seems to get missed is our very own communities.  

I am using this year’s pre Christmas address to make mention of my very own community, sure my friends that follow in England, Germany, Australia and the United States may not have ever heard of Clayton Heights in Surrey BC and if you have its because we seem to be the butt of everyone’s jokes but hopefully after this you will know a little more about the wonderful people that live in my community and realize Surrey is a fantastic place to live.

This year our community has been no different than anywhere around the world and has been rocked with many different challenges from theft, fires, drug related crime, homelessness and poverty . We have also been witness  to  the tragic passing of a young man who’s kindness  touched so many people due to a freak accident during a wind storm, through it all the people each and every time surrounded ,supported and rallied to lift its own back up off the mat and on to their  feet.

I am so proud of my community and some of the people that have gone to great lengths to help others, most they have never met before. One great example I was able to notice was in the last week alone this community has been able to find and fill  no less than 20 Christmas trees for single or struggling parents in an attempt to bring some well needed Christmas cheer to families through just 1 single post on a community Facebook page. A single mom and her child will have a fantastic holiday season, not because of the donations raised but because they feel loved and wanted by their community and so many more stories.  Sure on this Facebook page you have your cynics, your comedians and those who are simply oblivious to the challenges of the world around them but when worse comes to worse and someone is down this community has shown that no matter who you are, what color your skin or what background or religion you come from you are made to feel like family.  The world needs more of this behavior 

As for a Fraser Valley Secret Santa update on the holiday season I am pleased to relay that we have once again started sending out our “Letters from Santa” to those children who want a personalized letter from Santa. Glass block requests have come in again this year with the money once again going to children’s charity. I have also started to collect food to drop off at our local community food bank, if anyone in our community wants to donate food just let me know and we can pick up or feel free to drop off and we can make sure that as many people as possible have a warm meal and full bellies over the holiday season. I encourage my followers where ever you are around the world to take just a few minutes and a couple dollars and use it to drop a food item into a Christmas hamper box in your local grocery store or food bank. We can make a difference.

Getting back to my initial opening statement, I may not know you all  by name , by face or by smile but I think I have gotten to know my neighbors by heart. I appreciate and Thank you for the help you have given myself and others. From my Boys and I ,  we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season    

  

Kindness Starts Here

Hello world:

I am pleased to announce that thanks to Redwood Plastics Corporation in Langley BC, Fraser Valley Secret Santa will  once again be able to engage in Random acts of Kindness in our communities and around the world. We will also be able to start and promote our community food bank fundraiser with the Sale of our new T shirt Line, all proceeds from sales will be directly funneled back into our local food banks. $1.00 donated has the buying power of $3.00 for a food bank.

Most people and even myself at times forget that the food banks in our cities feed just as many people in June as they would in December. With the state of our economy the way it is, the need for helping each other has never been greater.

The Act of kindness to a person you have never met is one of the most awkward things that anyone can do, especially for the first time. Most people’s first reaction when receiving a Random act of kindness is “OK why is this person doing something nice for me, and what do they want”. There does not have to be a reason, simply having the ability to make someone smile is one of the greatest gifts that you could give to anyone, and it’s free. Who knows the smile that you give to someone may be the only one they see all day. 

Over the last couple of years we have been able to create several pay it Forward scenarios, so many in Tim Hortons drive thru’ s , Starbucks gift cards that have been handed out 2 for 1 , I would give one to you and ask you to give the other to a random stranger for no reason. We have been able to give away BC Lions tickets to people just for spreading kindness , though kindness is its own reward , FVSECRETSANTA is all about acknowledgement for those who give selflessly of themselves and back to their community.

Starting in August we as a whole can give back by working together. Our new T shirt campaign will be launched, all proceeds from sales will directly be put right back into the community.  I know not everyone can afford to buy a shirt or donate to FVsecretsanta but you can help with a simple click of a Button, a follow on Twitter, get your friends to follow, a LIKE on Facebook an even as simple as talking to your friends about it, the more people that know the better chance we have of reaching our $200,000 donation goals whether that be in Gift cards for random drops, clothing items for the homeless and especially food to feed the hungry. Your ability to share kindness in this manner is easy and Priceless.

I hope to find more corporate and private sponsors as this year we will continue our “Letters from Santa” campaign, sending hand written letters and gifts all around the world. Last year we sent letters and gifts to Australia, Japan, USA , UK and Canada. 

Working together for one common goal is an amazing feat of strength , lets be strong .

Merry Christmas 

Every year on Christmas Eve I write an address to the 40 thousand people that follow me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or my Blogs and to everyone who may read my words and be reminded or inspired to spread smiles, kindness and compassion for those who are less fortunate than us.

The year has flown by and is quickly coming to a close; this has been a difficult year for many people around the world. Terrorism has been forefront and it has affected us all. Terrorism has changed the way we go about our daily lives, impacted the way we attend social events and made us question our very safety. One thing that we must try to remember is although the majority of media and Donald Trump may feel that just by simply being Muslim, Mexican, Black , White , Yellow  or any other origin  means that you are a threat to our family’s, our way of life and the world as a whole this is amazingly untrue . Muslims are a warm and loving people who want just what everyone else wants and that is peace and unity in the world. We must remind ourselves that it is a select few radicals that are creating the havoc and that not all Muslims are terrorists. We must not paint everyone with the same brush, the world is full of color and that’s what makes it beautiful. By feeding into the rhetoric and hype we condone and breed hate ourselves. Find the kindness in your heart to be open minded to any religion any race.

We can't continue to see a decay in many areas of society due to neglect, denial and a sense of entitlement on behalf of people, the world does not owe us anything we owe it to the world as we belong to it we are the guests and if there is no change to the way we think feel and act, what kind of legacy are we leaving for our children and future generations. If the world worked together regardless of our differences we would see that poverty would be reduced, hunger would be solved and peace and acceptance would be achieved. We need now more than ever to band together and stand up for peace, show compassion and breed kindness. I am not a celebrity, high profile politician or anyone who is special, I am simply a man who has tried to make a difference in the world that we live in and has tried to inspire change in us all. We are all the same regardless of stature. We all came into this world the same way, yes some have been more fortunate than others but in the end we will all leave the same way too.

Practice compassion for your fellow man, give when you can and always remember that your greatest asset is not a House, Car, Money or material items its your character, your word and most of all your family and friends who love you.

I hope you spread this message , share with friends and send this message of peace around the world.

Take Care my friends,  Merry Christmas

Love Santa   

  

Letters From Santa

Santa letters 

As many of you know each year I take the time to personalize letters from Santa to children all over the world.i was going to put this on hiatus this year but I have decided after some coaxing from a friend and my Counselor to continue with this tradition for a seventh year in a row. I find that writing these letters is a great way for me to give back as financially I can't give as I used too plus it's a great way to feel good and know that I can make someone either young or old smile if only for a moment . I know what it was like as a child to see a piece of mail , yes actual mail come and I think I lost my mind every time a letter form the jolly man himself came. I have 2 options of mail for people boring email or exciting snail mail. I do these letters by donation through PayPal fvsecretsanta@hotmail.com 

All the funds raised will go to the local food bank to help feed those who are in need this holiday season. As many of you have in the past I hope once again you will support this effort and help create smiles and full tummy's this Christmas. You can either email me the details and address of your friend or child or private message me on Facebook and Twitter . Every single request will be met. I hope in the new year to be able to get fvsecretsanta.com back up and running because it is such a great tool to advertise explore and create awareness for charities and the disabled not only here in the Fraser valley but all around the world. Not often does a free site come around that will promote non profit charity or just expose the good people that make up this world and don't get the credit they deserve. I hope that you will take this blog post and send it to everyone you know in hopes that we can meet the $5000.00 goal that has been set for the food bank. I realize that times are hard I feel it too but in the grand picture of it all if you or anyone is reading this then you are more fortunate than most. $1 or $100 it doesn't matter what your donation is the letters will be sent. If we start counting the pennies we lose track of the dollars that we can raise to make a difference to some families this Christmas. Thank you again for your support. Also remember the Santa store is open and also ! Clothes shirts accessories all have tax included and proceeds go towards our $5000 goal.

It's been So much fun

This has been an amazing ride , I have been able to live a dream help countless people and raise awareness for so many social causes along the way . 

As of Christmas 2015, though I love it so much I will be shutting down FVsecretsanta . I no longer have the energy , strength or financial means to support this venture any further . 

What started out as a goodwill gesture on behalf of my son soon grew into something much larger than I ever could have imagined and more rewarding than the lottery. I have dedicated myself to helping others through a universal symbol such as Santa , sure there have been times that I caught some backlash , people assumed that I was profiting off the generosity of others, the donations that were made were not real so I in turn started posting pictures of all Santa Random present drops  but plain and simple I never took or used a dime for personal gain it actually cost me money but I am not complaining just stating a fact, I did it because I loves it . Now for my own selfish reasons I will step back and observe the kindness of others in hopes that maybe some of the joy and goodwill that was spread by the Santa Army will have rubbed off on others.There have been gifts sent to places like Germany, Australia ,England , Japan the USA and even a place in Italy and Russia. As some of you may know if you followed my Facebook or Twitter pages or blogs  , this has been a very emotional and tough year in my life . The bout of depression that I have suffered , the disolve of my marriage and the changing of careers along now with some new health concerns , I am adjusting slowly to my new life and I have decided that for my health and peace of mind this is now my time to do what I want to do , we only have one life to live , there are no do overs or practice time this is simply it we are born the same and we will all pass the same life is short and we only get one crack at it . I hope that maybe one day in the future we can revisit , recharge and re ignite FVsecretsanta and show the world just how easy it is to spread kindness and compassion to others . 

I started thinking back to some of the most memorable donations that were made just from me posting a few words in social media here is my top 5 Counting down to my most memorable 

5. The clancy's meats grand opening in Cloverdale BC , during this event I was able to live tweet from the location asking for food donations and also meet Kai and Tara Jean from 96.9 Jack FM , tweeting from the location we were able to bring people in with bags of food for the food bank , it was very cool to hear some come in and ask who FVsecretsanta was and since I remained anonymous no one knew and just used kindness to help. 

4. The SHARE food bank in Coquitlam food drive , once again live tweeting sitting in my car directing people via tweets and watching car after car drive in with bags of food and donations for the hungry and homeless , there is no better feeling 

3. During an outing with one of my clients , my most memorable client ever (just saying) , here was a young man that had Cerebral palsy and was crapped on by the ministry his family and life in general said to me , "I would love to do something nice for some sick kids this Christmas" so after talking more about it hearing his passion , I let him in on  secret Santa he was so excited ! we hatched a plan . He and I went and bought 50 stuffed animals for the kids , coffee mugs and other assorted items for the parents and other family members  and we went off to Canuck Place , the pure joy he got from making that Santa Drop was worth the price of admission , this wasn't just  a drop it was a life changing moment for him to know he brought smiles to children and family members that we're dealing with a very difficult situation and that he has and will never meet,  that he did not stop talking about and still does to this day , I received a letter of thanks from Canuck place that I promptly placed in a frame for him to keep.this frame sits in his room as a reminder that even though people have given up on him for his disability, he never gave up on people

2. The disabled persons BBQ, for years I worked for a non profit that had an annual event for its clients , the first year I was there I saw a total of 5 gifts given out to clients as a door prize , this to me was unfair I would see the look on the clients faces that did not win and they could not understand why they couldn't have something too , they didn't have the concept that there was just no money in the budget for all 100 plus to each receive a small something , I made it a mission that by the next seasons BBQ everyone who came would leave with something so they too could feel special, I just didn't know what it would be , Team Santa pulled it off , through a barrage of tweets and plea's via the phone and email companies like Telus, Sunrise Toyota , BC lions football club , musician Bobby wills , radio host Scott Rintoul from TSN 1040 and the donations from Team Santa followers we were able to meet our goal and raised 134 gifts, enough for each and every disabled and mentally challenged individual that showed up , it was amazing . I am proud to say that we kept this tradition alive for the next 4 years until I left the company. Thank you everyone. 

1.everyday I used to drive by the corner of Fraser Hwy and 264th street and honestly never really paid attention to my surroundings until the day I saw the fire dept who was dousing a fully flame engulfed truck and camper unit , I like many others stopped to watch these brave men and women do their magic to try and salvage anything not burned and to keep the occupant and his dog safe. I turned to the man beside me and stated " wow that's not a good way to start your vacation" the man explained that this was the mans home he had suffered some health problems his wife had passed away and all he had left was his truck trailer and his best friend , the dog. I dove more into the story and found that there was no electricity and he was using a candle for heat and light at night. When he was about to go to sleep the dog accidentally knocked the candle over sparking the blaze , this man who had nothing , lost everything. Making a plea once again with a few words on social media within 2 hours this man had a new camper and truck , food , clothes , gift certificates and the most important electricity was provided by a local company that allowed him to plug in and use their power outlet along with a parking space for safety and piece of mind. This to me was simply amazing and showed me just how generous people can be when others are in distress. 

I do have an honourable mention for top Santa Drop story that really touched me . 

I opened my email one day to see a letter from a young lady in London England . This young lady shared a story of her Brother who was in his early 20's and was a mentally challenged individual. The person explained that her brother loves Christmas and Santa so much that simply for believing in Santa all year long  he was beat up and criticized and was losing his excitement for Christmas and faith in people , it was the one part of the year that his disability was not at the front of his mind , it was replaced by smiles and joy. The girl explained to me how her brother was the most amazing person and just simply was degrading and regressing through sadness . After reading and hearing this I needed to do something , I was able to correspond back and forth with this young lady to discover more about this young man. I learned about his favourite Football team and other small nuances about him and created a personal package along with a hand written letter from Santa himself and sent it off to see if we could help in some small way . Weeks went by and I opened another email , included was a picture of the biggest smile I have ever seen not only on this young mans face but the whole family. I felt amazing and still to this day I receive updates once and awhile from this young lady on the progress of her brother, happy to say he has maintained that smile and his Faith in Santa and the Christmas spirit. 

I have been asked to write a book about my experiences as a secret Santa and doing it all while living with depression that I never knew I had. I will report that I am about 70% done and I am dedicating the book to my wife and children , I love them so much and could not have become half the man I am without their love. Proceeds from the book will have a charity component to it of course, I am not sure if I will sell one or 100 books but i have enjoyed every second of the writing adventure and it was an eye opening experience writing it, I have learned a lot about myself and why I do what I do. My blogs will remain open , Menhurt2 and Santa Space as I will update my life and the recovery process of a person suffering with depression and separation. I hope that you will continue to follow and interact with me from time to time I really love hearing words of encouragement and stories of kindness from all 33k of you who followed this journey with me for the last 9 years. Don't be sad that it's over , be happy that we all got to be a part of something wonderful.     I have made some happy , I have made some sad but in the end I would like to feel that I at one point or another have made all of you smile.  

Whats going on

Everyday more and more I dread following my same routine that I have observed for the last 30+ years. Wake up, grab a coffee and read the sports and world news. The first thing you read is violence, beheadings, race killings, hate crimes! When does this shit end? People being killed for the color of skin , children being executed for eating during Ramadan , a man gets beheaded for simply going to work in France, tourists being gunned down for simply trying to enjoy life and experience as much of this beautiful world as possible  . Maybe I am naive to think that there could be just one day that I could open the paper or MSN / CNN and find the top story to be heartwarming full of compassion or just feel good in nature like the one about that policeman that sung a song to a little girl to distract from the fact her father just died in a car crash (tragic but a great sign of compassion). So far just this week I have seen a person beheaded in France , a  sick young man in the U.S. Walk into a church and kill people for the color of their skin , I have seen a man shoot up a coffee shop in Canada , churches burned down presidents making racial slurs animals on the planet becoming extinct star athletes being charged with drug possession and 2 super power nations bicker back and forth like a couple of school kids on the playground , also a so called world leader claim to have cured cancer , built a nuclear weapon all while starving his own people as he lives a hypocritical lifestyle. Maybe it's because of the Internet and the availability to information on an instantaneous level but we have to wake up and realize that this is not just an isolated problem, this is a global epidemic. Violence destruction and hate is now covering the globe in an alarming rate. I find myself speechless at times because I am too busy thinking to myself, what kind of world is going to be left for our children or our children’s children . When I was young  and I am sure so many of you would agree , we never spent any time in the house except to eat or sleep I was always out doors running the neighborhood with my friends not to find trouble but to simply have fun!  My favorite thing to do was ride my bike and I damn sure knew that when the street lights came on, I better get home or there would be trouble. Then there was the Mom's hotline , Mom would stand on the porch and call my name , someone's mom on the next street would hear it and because we all new each other the message would get passed along until it caught up with me and that was our version of FaceTime. Do we even really know who lives beside or around us anymore?. Being a parent to 3 boys I am terrified to let my kids out to play without supervision , worried someone may take them , someone may abuse them at school or the sports coach might touch the inappropriately . Will they be bullied to the point that they want to hurt themselves for being different? We never used to worry about these things. I simply just don't get it, where did we lose our ability to have respect for each other? Lose all respect for human life.  I know that I have rambled on and shared some points of view that some may think are over reactive in nature and that's ok these are my opinions and you have yours I am not naive enough to think everyone will like my approach. It is time that we take back our world our countries our communities and it all starts on our own street. Get to know who your neighbor is not for the color of their skin or for what god they decide to follow but as a person , report crime when you see it and be a positive teacher and role model for your children because they are not born haters they are taught , learn the warning signs that people may be out to harm others  and stand up for the future of our children whether that be in the schools or in government or your own neighborhood  , voice your opinion or the legacy that we leave behind may be a dark one. It takes one person to start, it will take all of us to finish

So Much Heart

 

There are some people in this world that truly do not get the credit that they deserve, these are people that will never ask for praise or search out the spotlight or feel compelled to let you know just how wonderful they are.

I am one who believes that when you see a kind act, someone who makes a difference or some group that just cares about its community and the people in it you find out what you can do to help them become noticed to the world, I want to introduce you to a group that fits in every category listed above.

Pop up Soup kitchen and its volunteers are a great example of big hearts and community pride for all of its members. I had a chance to speak with Erin and one of her volunteers who goes by the name “SayDee” on Facebook and twitter. I am amazed at the dedication they possess along with they will to make sure no one goes hungry or cold. Erin informs me that they do their best for all who come by for a hot meal. Erin states they  are now WELL OVER 6000 meals served to the hungry in the community. That being said there are some items that they could really use help with as this is all run on a volunteer / donation basis.

Listed below is a few of the items that they could really use a hand with

•              Bottled water

•              Grocery store gift cards (not able to take food donations)

•              Sandals / flip flops / shoes for some of the friends they feed

•              Hats

•              Gloves

•              Money donations

·         Coffee / juice dispensers

Below is the bio for the now started Go Fundme campaign that is now underway

 

“What started out as a simple idea placed on my heart, has turned into something I don't think anyone of us realized would happen. It was cold out and shelters were full. The idea of warm hands and warm hearts was placed on my heart. I didn't know what it looked like at the time but after some thought the Pop Up Soup Kitchen evolved. There were two of us with an idea that shared our vision to others and it just caught on. Consistency was the key. With the homeless population a trust had to be built in order for this idea to work. Every second Sunday we would meet in the back corner of the Whalley Legion. Friends and friends of friends started bringing Crock Pots of hot food. Our first week we fed maybe 50 people and now a few months later we are feeding well over a hundred each time. The Pop Up Soup Kitchen wasn't about feeding the MOST people... it is about feeding as many as we can healthy and great quality food. Food that you would serve your own family and the ones you love. No day olds. Everyone deserves to be served delicious and healthy food that nourishes not only the body but nourishes the mind. We want them to know that someone loves and cares. And in this food that is prepared it is obvious. We have now served well over 1000 people. We have amazing people on board. A team that keeps growing. Pop Up Soup Kitchen is for everyone! If u can't cook then serve. If u can't make it out u can sponsor a pot! You can donate spoons and bowls! You can make a pot and we will pick it up and drop it off! You can make a donation here and it will be used to buy food or other supplies integral to making this such a success. We run on donations alone and our members cover the cost of food out of their own pockets. So! If u own a business and can help us in any way please let us know! Please follow us on Instagram hash tag #popupsoupkitchen or search us on Facebook!”

 

 

http://www.gofundme.com/9qc7ks

 

If you can donate these items just let me know and I will pass on the information to Erin or please look them up on twitter and Facebook. Donating can mean your time or spreading the word about Pop up soup kitchen, it all counts. I have started a Can EAT Attitude Campaign on T-Spring , if we sell out the shirts all proceeds will go to POP UP SOUP KITCHEN

http://teespring.com/caneatattiude

 

Remember  Be kind to each other.

TURN UP THE HEAT

 

With the summer months upon us the thought of Christmas, giving and the joyous season inevitably becomes a distant memory and gets pushed to the back of all of our minds, how can it not when it’s camping, boating and shorts weather .though my mind is always geared towards Christmas I respect the fact that most people could do without it. So here is a few summer things that we can do to make a difference.

#1 On my list is children’s safety.

So often you hear stories about children drowning in a backyard pool, falling from balconies or being left in a hot car while parents shop or run an errand. TBH what the **** are you thinking? keep a close eye on your children . I know kids can be speedy and deceptive when outside , ACCIDENTS HAPPEN , but in a car ? The temperature inside of a car can rise to 170 degrees in a matter of minutes, as the case this past week when a woman , school teacher in Ontario left her child in the car while she went into teach for the day and the child died after 8.5 hours alone in the hot car ?????????? I can see leaving a cup of coffee or your purse on the top roof your car and driving away , lets be honest I think most of us have done that at some point, but really a child ?  This to me is absolutely unforgivable. And this was a person responsible for teaching our children.

#2 Pets and the heat

Once again this has to do with the summer heat and people who think that pets belong in the car when it’s hot out. I actually read an article this week that stated a man got charged with vandalism for smashing a car window to rescue an animal in distress, for me I would have given him an award for having the compassion for a living creature that he saved from certain death and suffering. I would have done the same thing as I know most of you would also. It’s a shame. leave your pets at home , they don't miss going to the grocery store or the mall as much as you may think.

#3    Self care

We all get caught up in having fun at the beach, waterpark or in the yard working. Please take the time to make sure that you are keeping well hydrated, NO! a strict ice cold beer schedule does not count as proper hydration (it should though). Sunscreen on children is a given but don’t forget about you. One thing that I do every summer is buy a case of water and leave it in my car and make sure that when I see anyone  who is out in the sun and looking  parched I will hand them a bottle to cool down  . A $3.00 case of water may just be the difference someone needs to avoid dehydration, sunstroke or the inability to get home to loved ones at the end of the day .

 

PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, YOUR CHILDREN AND YOUR ANIMALS AND THINK OF OTHERS  

Have a great safe summer .

OH YAH!!!!!

WATCH FOR ICE COLD GIVEAWAYS THIS SUMMER FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK FOR DETAILS . YOU CAN FIND A LINK ON

 

WWW.FVSECRETSANTA.COM

SAY IT LOUD MAKE IT CLEAR

 

 

Everyday I do my best to tell Mrs. Santa “I love you” and tell her that I think she is beautiful. I know that she hears me but I am not sure that she really knows just how much we mean it and how much the kids and I really appreciate and love her.

There are so many moments in our lives that could not be possible unless she was somehow hiding a Super Woman cape underneath under her flannel jammies. The last few years have been a real struggle for our family and I am proud to say that she is the glue that has held us together.

If I could be a giver of Super powers I would skip right by the Cape, fancy bracelets and the really cool world saving gadgets and I would grant her the ability to be able to see herself  through our eyes. If she was able to see what we see then and only then would she truly realize just how much she means to all of us and the love that is bursting from our chests each and every time we look at her.

So many people in this world consider themselves lucky to have the partner they do, the one that makes them whole,   I am one of those people. There are not enough words to say thank you, there are not enough flowers, candy or jewelry to allow for expression and quite honestly our love has never been based on material items, it has been built on mutual respect.

I hope that she understands just how fantastic of a mother, wife and friend she is to us. Through the good times and the bad times our love grows stronger each and everyday. I love her more today than I did yesterday and less today than I will tomorrow.

Simply put we just wanted to say THANK YOU for being you.

All our hearts

Dad  , Austin , Treyden , Barrett

   

Enjoy the music

As many of you know I am a huge fan of sports, hockey is the game that is closest to my heart .With the playoffs starting (and about to end in the case of some teams) I am like all others who sit down every second night for 3 hours and watch their favorite teams play. Mrs. Santa calls herself a hockey widow but after so long she knows that this is something that I have a passion for and have done all my life. As the Vancouver Canucks season is coming to a screeching halt you can really see the vultures starting to circle. Example this morning on my way into the workshop I was listening to the local sports radio show and there is this morning radio host, Dave Pratt that is the king of sports drama! Don't get me wrong Pratt at times brings up some very valid points in regards to hockey but usually it's the whole Chicken Little debate and the sky is falling. This morning on " As the Pratt turns " he actually said that “Vancouver fans will lose all the good will they built up if the Canucks lose the series to Calgary" that is a drama statement if I have ever heard one. Look I understand that the Canucks faithful, myself included will be disappointed if the Canucks loose but let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves Mr. Pratt. We have 3 rookies making an impact, 2 in the head office and one behind the bench. This team has done so much better than what was expected of them after that debacle that was last season. For the first time in a long time we have some promise in the form of young talent coming up , we have a president who absolutely bleeds wanting to see winning in this city  and I don’t think for one minute that he will step back and feel that a first round exit is near good enough . In the grand scheme of things I feel that if a loss to Calgary does happen it will be a fantastic opportunity for Trevor Linden to put a huge stamp on this team and a bigger imprint on this community more than he has so far. Basically what I am saying to Mr. Pratt and all the other negative Nancy’s out there, we got to the dance it’s too bad that our feet got sore and we had to sit back and just listen to the music but be sure that come the next time the music starts playing we will have learned to wear better shoes. In the words of Dave Pratt " Trust Me". Support your local team, family member , organization or anyone who is busting their ass and trying as hard as they can with the talent they were given to work with, don't just focus on the negative. NOT OVER TIL ITS OVER  still love you Dave

I love My Canucks in good and bad times. I am Proud of all of them.

#GiftaFriend

Friends are gifts, why not gift a friend

I have created 2 new shirts in the Santa Charity shirt store for two amazing reasons, one is to let your friends know that you care about them and that you are thinking about them, and the second reason is to raise money for the Secret Santa Project for underprivileged children in our communities.

How cool would it be to open up a package you didn’t know was coming and know that one of your friends sent you something for no other reason than to let you know they care? #giftafriend will be a hashtag I will be using to let the world know what we are about to do  , the shirts come in all different colors and sizes so why not surprise a friend today while helping to support the FVsecretsantaProject. Simply put it’s a Win Win.

I would hope that most of you reading this will have had the chance to visit the Santa store and have a look around, see the new shirts that have arrived. Just remember the color of the shirts that I post are not the only option you have, lots of colors and sizes are available.

A reminder there is now a Facebook page set up for both the FVSECRETSANTAPROJECT  (https://www.facebook.com/pages/FVsecretsanta-Project/320773941445663 ) as well as the Santa Shirt Store (https://www.facebook.com/pages/FV-Santa-Charity-Shirt-Store/1402518163383586 )

I am humbled by the response to the Chris Claus facebook and @fvsecretsanta twitter pages , the more the name gets out the more good we can do.

I am happy to announce that the first shirts sold have arrived in East Sussex , England . I am sure that Rachel will send pictures soon, I do not have the words to describe the appreciation I feel for her belief in the pursuit of a world with healthy and happy children. I am excited to see the fvsecretsanta brand start to make an appearance overseas. www.1029038.spreadshirt.ca

I have tried to make it as easy as possible for everyone to be able to access the store either through the site link itself or through www.fvsecretsanta.com , if there is any other way that you can think of just let me know. I am going to try and bring in some shirts so that I have stock in hand and can give some away through draws and appreciation events that I will be having in the coming months.

Just don’t forget for everyone who buys a shirt or donates to Fvsecretsanta.com and the fvsecretsantaProject will have their name or company name and web link posted on my website under the community cares tab. What a great way to show the world that you and your organization care. Check out the people that are on there now and say thank you.

I would encourage you to share this blog as well as the links above, together we can make a difference.

Stay classy #TeamSanta and be kind

Moments in time

So much is said about that one single moment when your life goes either left or right, the  wrong choice made or that one chance you had to do something different with your life. We all have sat around and thought geez things would have been different if I had just done it this way. All of this is true!  unfortunately I am a person that believes that there is no one moment in time that would have changed our lives completely. Sure when I was younger I thought many times that my life was over, whoa is me how can I survive? I screwed up ! But through it all I am still here , imagine that. I honestly believe that if I didn't have not just one defining moment but several of them I would not be who I am today , I would never have met my wife and I would never be a very proud father to 3 incredible boys. I know it's a cliché but it's true " what doesn't kill you makes you stronger " we all have times in our lives that we can consider "defining" but the next time something happens to you, try and think "it's not the moment that defines you , it's you who will define that moment". 

WWSD

FVSECRETSANTA 

Project FVsecretsanta

I had a vision of being able to co-ordinate a funding drive to help supply games toys and books to underprivileged children in our communities. I figure for 100 children to start it will end up costing about $10 per child so my goal was $1000.00 . Here is how it would work. 

Though donations and sales of Fvecretsanta project T-Shirts the money would be funneled back into gift bags full of books and games that will allow children not to be left out for birthdays or holidays. I can get a list of low income families that access our community services and find 100 birthdays throughout the year. When a child who would otherwise not receive anything on their special day a gift will arrive from #TeamSanta. It may not be a large and extravagant gift but the family and the child will know that there are people in the world that care and would love to make their child smile. I have been able to track down some 3D interactive games that children will love to play with, next is books and I have a wholesaler who is willing to sharply discount the prices to make this affordable and accessible for Fvsecretsanta. I am also looking into printed gift bags that would allow community and world sponsors to have their names boldly displayed and shown as a community smiles contributor . I know that money is hard everywhere that's why getting a shirt is a great way to get something in return for the kind donations you have made. I ask that if anyone reading this can help or knows a company that has a donations budget and could spare a few dollars to make this dream a reality it would be much appreciated. I will also be looking into GoFundme , not sure how it works but I am willing to try if it means we can help , I hear it can produce amazing results. Spread this blog follow fvsecretsanta project on face book , the more people that know the better chance we have at success. Santa doesn't have to deliver just at CHRISTMAS.

FvsecretSanta 

THE CURVE BALL

 

I built it, hopefully you will come. The Charity Shirt Store is open .I searched all over the place for a company that would try and work with me and accommodate my request for minimum orders of shirts with the understanding that when I sell them I will be buying more and more, it was the long way around to my $1000.00 goal for Variety Club BC http://www.variety.bc.ca/ and the fvsecretsanta.com Project. Unfortunately this was not possible due to financial restraints and min order quantities. I have no hard feelings I understand business is business. Not to be denied I continued to search. I found a great forum to display my shirt designs and to hopefully raise money for 2 of the things close to my heart, children and the fvsecretsanta Project.

Variety BC is important to me for a number of reasons, when my niece was born she was a very sick little girl and the people from Variety were amazing. Also when I was younger I was a part of the variety club telethon as a volunteer. Seems like many many moons ago now. I want to help them and know that I have been a part of their continued kindness and inspiration for children and the parents of sick children everywhere.  

The “Fvsecretsanta Project” is something new that I am working on. Throughout the year I hope to raise enough money to complete a min 100 packages for underprivileged children in our communities. These packages will consist of Books, games and a toy for each child that has none. The coolest part is that I hope to recruit volunteers to help make deliveries all over the province, country and eventually the world.

THE MORE PEOPLE THAT KNOW ABOUT Fvsecretsanta on Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , through fvsecretsanta.com and read this Santa Space the better, there is more likely the chance to achieve the goals set out. I am not asking for you to spend money that you don’t have, but I would like to ask for your help in getting the word out for Santa. Also with increased awareness for the charity projects we could have a better chance that a company or companies will align with Santa and offer to buy the toys, or the books or donate funding towards the project. For those who may not have seen I have offered to anyone who makes a $100.00 pledge, a charity shirt with a company or personal name on it, space on Fvsecretsanta.com in the community cares page. Its great advertisement to let the world know that you care about your community and helping others.

I appreciate all who read this and who share Santa with the world for taking just a few moments to retweet, share and Like my Facebook and twitter pages. I hope that you will continue to follow and build Fvsecretsanta with me. Thank you

Respect is earned , Not given

I write this At the risk of alienating myself from some members of the celebrity population, if so that’s too bad I guess .

I can only imagine what life must be like when you have throngs of reporters or paparazzi hanging on your every move, following you to snap a picture of some sort of diabolical nose picking incident or plastering your name all over the tabloids for gaining a pound or two. For that I apologize on behalf of the people who could really care less, your private lives are your own and I believe it should stay that way. On the other hand, sometimes athletes, movie stars or musicians are absolutely ridiculous. Take the act of Marshawn Lynch of the Seattle Seahawks, people are paying thousands of dollars to watch him play, hundreds of dollars on a jersey to support the team and he is getting millions to play a game in a fantastic league and all he chooses to do is come out each week and make a mockery out of the team, the fans and the NFL. I am not really sure what he is trying to accomplish with his act but it's really getting old. We don’t want to hear about what you ate last night , we want to hear how you feeling about the game , what’s going to help you be best prepared to play in the championship, instead we get “ I’m just here so I don’t get fined” . Some say he is riddled with anxiety , I am no doctor but if he would just come out say " I love playing football" "the fans are great" " I will do my best to win" there would be a lot less anxiety based situations for him to be in. He is putting himself ahead of the team and the game. Someone said to me this morning “it’s a violation of human rights to ask him questions”! What a load of BS that is, go give that human rights speech to people starving in Africa, genocide in Rwanda, the holocaust survivors and see how much sympathy you receive. Plain and simple just give the fans, your teammates and the game a little respect that's all anyone is looking for. I am a diehard fan of all sports but I will admit when I see players like Marshawn Lynch, Sean Avery, Terrell Owens, Ocho Cinco, Milton Bradley, Allen Iverson, Pacman jones, Rampage Jackson, A-rod and the list can go on and on, I now simply choose to turn off the TV. I don’t want to paint all celebrities and sports stars with the same brush, for one it’s not fair and two because there is more Fantastic people than there is bad. That’s like saying all the Santa’s of the world are alike, NOT SO ;). This is some of the best people that I have experienced in my life. #1 on my list is recording artist Bif Naked, she takes the time to interact with her fans, and she genuinely cares what is happening in her world and the world of all who surround her. I have the utmost respect for her and the battles that she has faced. Some of the other notables just here in Vancouver are Trevor Linden, Travis Lulay, Bro Jake Edwards, Robin Stickley, Sarah Daniels, Chris Galius, Ronnie Negus, Marco Iannuzzi, BClions, and Corin Nemic. These are just some of the people in MY area that GET IT. If you take the time to follow them on twitter or Facebook you will see what I mean. these people understand that its important to give respect to their fans ( The ones that deserve it and show respect back of course). If you have a celeb or sports star that you know of that is great to interact with and takes time to show respect to their fans let me know because I will support them just as they support you.

 

 “We just ask for a little respect”

@Fvsecretsanta / fvsecretsanta.com / Chris Claus on facebook

Over active mind

I never run out of things to write about, maybe it's because my mind doesn't ever stop , I think if I did slow down I would probably pass out from all the extra oxygen that's flooding my brain. Like for instance I am sitting here watching tennis and thinking about a million different ways that I can get people interested in helping to raise awareness about social issues , sick children, hungry and abused animals , then I step  outside For some air and I think " geez it's chilly wonder if people have enough blankets , has Bernard the homeless man who lives under the 264 over pass gotten enough to eat . Not sure if this is a curse or a blessing sometimes. I think this is just a product of my environment. Or is it that now that I am in the back half of my life ( yes I passed the 40 mark ) I reflect more on the experience that I have gained throughout my time on this earth. As most of you know I grew up with not much money but a whole lot of love. I'm sure  there is many of you that are shaking your head and saying "me too". It's that love that has brought me to this point and keeps carrying me through to this day . My wife has got to be the most supportive person I have ever known along with Granny Santa of course. I may not have sold many bracelets I may not sell any shirts hats or gloves but to her it doesn't matter, she loves my heart and willingness to keep trying to make a difference in my little piece of this world . I want to apologize to her for the times I must drive her nuts and in the same breath say thank you for continuing to show me how to love  my family , the world but most of all myself. 

Be kind 

Fvsecretsanta 

Fundraising is hard sometimes

It gets Harder with each passing day. I have been working on 2 fundraising ideas for awhile now and not sure just what I can do with them. With the holiday season ended and having lost money on the last fundraiser I am hesitant about starting something new. 

With the help of a Santa follower Jonathan jones from jmjgraphicdesign.com we were able to come up with a fantastic logo for fvsecretsanta.com in hopes that creating a brand will help the quest for establishing a positive voice for Charity. If you need anything created for your site, team or yourself  please give him a chance he has a big heart and even bigger talent for making your vision into reality. 

I would have loved to keep the shirt costs down to a minimum but unfortunately I can't  get under $20 , as an individual with no corporate backing there is a ton of print shops willing to print for me but most have minimum orders and I just can't afford to do it for cheaper. The shirts I do sell , proceeds will go to Varietybc and Canuck place children's hospice approx $1.25 per shirt . Now you see why I wanted the cost down , it would mean more for the children. The other Fundraiser that I was looking into was the cotton smart gloves that allow you to still type on your phones and tablets while keeping your hands warm and cozy , that one is $250.00 just to get a minimum run done. I will keep my head down and charge the mountain to find funding and to sell a few shirts and gloves to help sick children find a way to be healthy and grow up to live long and healthy lives. 

If you are interested in a shirt let me know , you can use PayPal fvsecretsanta@hotmail.com and add the size you want and I will order it in $20.00 plus $6 to ship . If you would just like to donate to the site to help get either of these fundraisers going I would appreciate all the help I can get. If it's not possible I would ask that you continue to share Santa with the world and the more people that follow , the more chance there is to make each fundraiser as successful as it truly can be. 

REMEMBER YOUR DREAMS 

be kind to everyone you meet 

Fvsecretsanta 

That one good friend

Besides Mrs. Santa or your partner, We all have that one friend in this world that you can always count on to listen when you need it, laugh with until it hurts, cry when you are upset and the odd time find the perfect way to get in trouble WITH , without even trying! My friend “T” is that guy that and realizing that it's been about 20 years now that I have known him I want to share a memorable story with you. I have to admit he has tried his best to pull Santa out of some low points and has been successful every single time. One of the things that I will never forget was the weekend that we went to Williams Lake Stampede. Yes it was a yearly pilgrimage (not only an Elf but a Cowboy too) but this one time was different. I was feeling down from personal issues and was going to skip the year’s Rodeo but through motivation we decided to go after work and make the 6 hour drive to party with 20 of our other friends who were already there. Glad Joe was driving because Santa and “T” had quite a few road pops in the passenger seat (not smart) on the way up. Arrived around 7 am campground was quiet all our other friends sleeping, yah that didn't last long. Allegedly the rumor was Santa pee'd on someone's trailer who was not a part of our group, ALLEGEDLY.in my defense I thought they were with our group , oooops . As you can see the weekend was going to get sideways in a hurry and this was only Friday. Over the course of the weekend he bailed me out of the bull pen , put me to bed when I really needed a rest but most of all let me do what I thought I needed to do to feel better , this was exactly what I needed and what a true friend should do. To cap off the weekend, Sunday night! Sitting around the campfire “T” says the we have to go home in the morning, back to reality so why not drink "All the Beer" so me always the team player had to support my buddy , we stayed up all night laughing and joking and yes there was not a beer to be had in the morning ! On the drive home in his infinite wisdom or post “all the beer” hangover he says let's stop at Tim Horton’s “I need coffee”, me with my large 2 cream , him shoehorned in the back seat with his double double  Joe driving, we hit the road for the long drive home. 20 minutes into the journey he remembers he's lactose intolerant! The poor gas station attendant at 108 mile house I am sure was not expecting to spend the next couple hours with 3 Cowboys! I never laughed so hard in my whole life. We both were saddled with nicknames that weekend that will never be forgotten! I needed a friend and that’s what I got. The power of friendship is in my opinion the best and most wonderful thing that any of us could ever experience. So many people come and go during the span of your life so If you have that one friend that you can always count on no matter what, let them know that they mean the world to you even if it is just a simple phone call to say “Hi” . Thanks T for being a great friend

Hello friends

As I start to sink my teeth into the new year and put the holiday season behind us I must admit I have been working hard to try and secure helpers and backers to get my next Christmas fundraising campaign off the ground, unfortunately I have had zero success so far. The last couple that I have done have sadly failed miserably. I am not sure wether it's the economy or or lack of enthusiasm but the fundraising and helping others business isn't what it used to be. Now a days there is so many that have their hands out that it can be difficult to know who to support, maybe that's part of the issue. I have started to research new ways to be more effective in my quest. If anyone has any ideas , let me know. I as  most people find that after the holidays end there is some melancholy that creeps in but also a sense of wonder what the year ahead will bring. So far the new year has seen a large amount of violence all around the world , France , Nigeria, Ukraine and sadly even here in my home country of Canada. I am not sure about you but I find myself avoiding the evening news more often than not because I am tired of the daily violence. Well for now I will continue to try and see the good in all people, try to remain positive and hopefully with your help one day see team Santa being the lead news story and becoming an inspiration for others to follow! Thank you for reading this and most importantly thank you for your support and friendship. 

Fraser Valley Secret Santa 

2015 resolution

As one year closes we prepare to get a jump start on the next. We conjour  up resolutions that we aspire to achieve , we party like its 1999 and wake up with a sore noodle and tell ourselves " maybe I will start tomorrow instead"unfortunately that tommorow most times keeps getting pushed off .As  for me, I will be finding and setting my resolutions , but I will be staying home to prepare for the new year. Mrs Santa and I are having a wonderful meal with our 3 boys then maybe watch a movie. I asked my 9 year old what his goal for next year was and he responded with " I want to learn how to make my own video game and program computers" Me at 9, I was just wanted to walk and chew gum at the same time , I asked the 2 yr old what he wanted to do and he said "no dad , woody & buzz" ( toy story movie for the non parents ) then there was the 6yr old whose response was " I want to listen to people more " I thought wow , maybe we are on the right track until I started thinking, maybe  he was just buttering me up to get desert. I must admit I was very proud that they all had their own ideas and goals and have taken the time to think of what's important to them. 

I personally have a few goals that I would like to reach this year and I don't mind sharing with all of you. Firstly I am going to try and be more patient starting  at home with my family , this has not been an easy year for us with my health my wife's health and the loss of loved ones along with a career change , whew sometimes it felt overwhelming and amazingly frustrating. Patience with FVSecretSanta.com as I have to realize that it takes time to get it up and going to peak performance. And most of all patience with my fund raising ideas, I sometimes want to do so much but need to understand that at times I have to be happy with the efforts not the results. I can't force people to follow and support MY ideas , they are my own , just like my children's ideas. My wife and children  teach me so much. 

I can honestly say that I think this is going to be a great year for the Santa Family&Friends , I just have that feeling. 

I wish everyone everywhere all the best for the year to come , I promise that I will do my best to find more ways to make and create smiles on more people's faces this year , so share this , tell everyone you know and stick with Santa, let's have a magical 2015 

Letter from Santa

 

 

 To my friends around the world:

Every year on Christmas Eve I take some time to look back on what has happened in my life over the last year and what special events have taken place with my children and my wife. Its been an emotional year on many fronts.  There have been sickness and loss of loved ones. We have seen new additions to our family in the form of a rescued Chihuahua from the streets of Las Vegas named Astro. From career changes, launching of FVsecretsanta.com and many more events  I am happy to say that through inevitable change the constant remains, love, and the Santa family have a lot of it.  I also like to reflect on the world events that have shaped our landscape and the way that we live our daily lives. I as like so many others find myself questioning the human spirit at times , watching each day as violence escalates around the world and even right here at home in our own back yards. I believe that we have come to a tipping point in history that is about to be written.  Working together we all have a chance to tip the scales in a positive direction and bring back a renewed sense of hope and resilience. We need to stop preying on the weak, harming our fellow men and women and senselessly taking human life while believing  that equality matters and standing up for those who are down is something that will make us all successful.   This world needs our help starting one person at a time and I am ok if it was to start with me. I know there are so many good people trying to do the same and I applaud you for your efforts, we will make and be the change we want to see in the world. In the end it will not matter to anyone the color of your skin, where you live, how much you have or don’t have, or what God you have chosen as your guide ,we  all started out on this earth and will end our time with one common theme, we took our first and last breath the exact same way. I try and do my best to help others for the simplest of reasons, I am no more special than anyone else! So why shouldn’t I help those in need to experience the joys of this life that have been brought to me. I may not  have a much, more than some and less than others  but I am very fortunate to be surrounded by so much love, why not share it. I will never be a huge mega star or even be a house hold name and nor do I want to be that's why I remain a SecretSanta , but what I do inspire to be, is an inspiration.

 I have some ideas on fundraising for the coming year and hopefully they will be more successful than this year’s events have been, I know that times are hard all around but I do see things improving. This year we have been able to send packages to places as far away as Australia, Spain, Italy, England, Mexico, USA and Canada. We have given away IPads , Christmas Trees , Wristbands , Light blocks , Food for food banks , Money for animal shelters , clothes for the homeless , tickets for sporting events, gift cards and many more items.  I love when someone gets a package and posts the pictures to the internet and shares Fraser Valley Secret Santa and Team Santa with the world, it allows more people to experience a random act of kindness.

I try my best to do what I can all year long to help people out, unfortunately I can’t help everyone. With FVsecretsanta.com up and running, the creation of a new Facebook page growing and Twitter now closing in on 25,000 followers hopefully there will be someone or some organization that will want to join alongside Santa and continue to perform even more random acts of kindness around the world, raise money for local food banks and animal shelters  to make sure that no one ever goes hungry while trying to make people smile a little bit more because as Mrs. Santa says “you can’t cry if you are smiling”.

I hope that you will continue to follow along with FV Secret Santa all year long because the giving will continue  

From the Santa Family to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas, a safe prosperous New Year filled with love and smiles. 

Santa , Mrs. Santa , B,A,T and Astro, Eva

 

Smiles Kindness & Magic

As most of you know by now, when I see kindness, experience the joy of a smile or attend an event that is magical I am usually the first one to write about it and tell the world exactly what I think. I also point out the negative when I see it too. This time we have no negativity to speak of because we have experienced smiles, kindness and a magical event all in one place.

Tonight Mrs. Santa and I packed up the family and brought along Auntie Trish, Jax and Grammy Santa and headed to North Pole BC and met some amazingly talented people.

Right from the moment we walked through the door we were greeted with smiles and energy that just set the mood for the entire evening. The kids were in amazement from the first stop at the post office where the imagination was on full alert looking for the fairies and dropping a letter off for Santa. As we made our way around the venue the kids just became more and more excited and interactive with the elves truth be told I was a wee bit embarrassed when the oldest said out loud he didn't want to have an elf name but by the end of elf school he was clapping dancing and best of all smiling along with the rest.

I am sure that you have heard the story about mini Santa having a poop attack the first time he met Santa ( obviously the one who subs in for me when I am busy ) but the Santa who was at North Pole BC was amazing! 30 minutes into our adventure we had hugs and high fives for Santa from the little one. From making cookies to stuffed animals and a story from Mrs. Claus to the children, it really was a fantastic outing for the whole family.

Martin and Victoria do an amazing job with the event and the elves look, act and feel like they are having fun while working, but isn’t that what elves do anyways ? So nice to see. Reminds me of the staff at Loco Landing in Penticton and you know how much I love them.  If you have the chance stop in at the Tradex in Abbotsford and experience your own magic. Tell them Santa says hi and maybe a candy cane will come your way.  We will return next year for their Charity night festivities. Thanks Northpolebc.com for a great evening

 

I must make a special mention to the staff and friends of Sunrise Toyota and the Fraser valley auto mall, and every single person that helped to donate in Abbotsford  $50,000 in food and money donations for the local food bank , an amazing fundraising effort for the holiday season ! I am extremely proud to know these fine people and hope to say a personal thank you for their commitment to kindness. Great job everyone

 

Have a great day, Talk to you soon