If you're getting jaded with the commercialism of Christmas, Stephen Fox could be the antidote.
The 64-year-old takes the yuletide spirit to an extreme: this season he is donning the Santa suit for more than 30 gigs – many of them unpaid events for special needs kids and children's charities.
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Santa reaches out to special needs children
Stephen Fox has more than 30 gigs as Santa this Christmas, many of them for the benefit of special needs children and children's charities.
For 2½ hours at the Kalparrin Early Intervention Centre's Christmas party in Eltham on Wednesday, the volunteer Santa maintained a super-human bonhomie as kids tugged his beard, pulled at his Santa suit, burst into tears, or lunged for the toy bag.
The children, aged from toddlers to nine years old, live with conditions ranging from autism to intellectual and physical disabilities.
![Stephen Fox charms Paige, 8, Hunter, 4, and Indi, 6, at the Kalparrin centre's Christmas party.](/web/20161204083710im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/0/n/c/v/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gt0ytt.png/1480634401782.jpg)
On a mercifully cool, overcast but fine day, he rode Diamond Valley Railway's miniature trains at Eltham Lower Park, did high fives, posed for photos and handed out toys to 100 Kalparrin kids and their siblings.
Mr Fox, a retired accountant, started as Santa 15 years ago when he filled in for a pre-school group Christmas at Watsonia Library.
He got so into it that his motor scooter now has the number plate 'Santa'. The white hair and beard are his own.
From now until Christmas Eve, he has a hectic schedule including 'Sensitive Santa' gigs (quieter, low impact sessions for special needs kids) at SPAN community house in Thornbury and (sold out) at Mill Park library.
![Stephen Fox, as Santa, and children at Kalparrin centre for special needs children's Christmas party.](/web/20161204083710im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/0/n/c/t/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gt0ytt.png/1480634401782.jpg)
On most nights from December 9, Mr Fox will appear at Christmas lights run by neighbour Shane Larsen in Reichelt Avenue, Montmorency.
In the past six years Mr Larsen, whose son has a heart defect, has raised $30,000 collecting donations at his Christmas lights, for the Royal Children's Hospital Foundation.
![Santa, aka Stephen Fox, volunteers his services at Kalparrin centre for special needs children's Christmas party in Eltham.](/web/20161204083710im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/0/w/t/v/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gt0ytt.png/1480634401782.jpg)
Kalparrin chief executive Mark Baigent said Mr Fox is adept at building children's trust by engaging parents first, and not being fazed if kids turn away or run off.
Mr Fox, a grandfather of three, said the secret is "coming at the children at their level, not imposing myself on them, and responding to their actions rather than trying to initiate things".
Mel Travis, whose three children Paige, 8, Indi, 6, and Hunter, 4, all have autism, said when the miniature train went through a tunnel on Wednesday, Mr Fox had calmed Hunter by making funny noises and chatting away.
Cal Wills, whose son William, 3, has autism, said his whisper to Mr Fox that William likes hippos and bum jokes worked a treat, and Mr Fox had the patience to engage him."He's fantastic. I cannot rave about him enough," Mr Wills said.
Mr Wills said it meant his son "can join in on the whole Christmas experience. It reignites your whole faith in Christmas in general, that he's got to participate".