THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, December 26, 1994 TAG: 9412260063
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Long : 103 lines
Magical reindeer are fine for that all-night stint, bouncing from one chimney to the next. But when Santa has to make good on those few items his Elves left off the list, he takes to the road.
In a postal van.
And that jolly old elf seemed to enjoy making last-minute deliveries Sunday even more than the annual night's work. After all, on the day job the kids are up, wide-eyed and full of hugs.
``You see the excitement on the faces of the kids,'' this Santa said Christmas morning as he prepared to set out.
Dressed in the trademark red suit and armed with a suitably jolly laugh, Johnny ``Big John'' Evans drew plenty of attention from passing motorists - offering each a wave - as he double-checked the load in his van at the Joliff Postal Service station near the Chesapeake Square shopping center.
``The kids are dumbfounded. They just don't have words for it,'' Evans said. ``I had one 8-month-old yesterday who was just jumping up and down in his mother's arms.''
His first stop Sunday was at Ashley Mason's home on Margaret Ann Court.
When she saw Santa at her door, her face lit up. But the 4 1/2-year-old hid shyly behind her dad, Larry Mason. At least until she was handed her late gift.
``Mind your mommy and daddy and your nana,'' Evans told her. She nodded yes and then ran off to tear open the package, revealing a doll inside.
``It's really nice they would offer this service,'' said Ashley's mom, Holly Mason, who arranged for the special delivery. ``She is so excited.''
Then Evans was off again, to 8-year-old Alisha Wilson's home on Grantham Lane.
The little girl seemed taken aback by all the attention when Santa showed up with a gift for her and neighborhood children ran over to see.
``Beautiful,'' said her father, Albert Wilson, as he watched from the front door as Alisha unwrapped her Mixmaster mixer.
Asked what she thought of her gift, Alisha paused for a moment and said, ``Fine.'' But there was no hesitation at all when she was asked who it was from. ``Santa!'' she said immediately.
Evans said that making the special rounds made his Christmas. Almost. There was one unexpected gift for him that really topped everything else.
``I have five grandkids, but three of them live in Atlanta,'' Evans said. ``They showed up yesterday and surprised me. Now I have all five grandkids together. That's what made this a happy time for me.''
Hervey Trimyer, customer relations coordinator for the U.S. Postal Service in Norfolk and Chesapeake, said this was the first time the Santa deliveries have been tried locally.
``It's kind of a cute idea,'' Trimyer said. ``It's not been done in Hampton Roads before.''
Residents of Chesapeake had the opportunity to sign up for the program and about 30 did. Normal Express Mail rates applied and deliveries were made Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Folks could even give special instructions to Santa on what he should say.
Evans had no trouble getting to his deliveries.
``I'm the only special deliveryman in Chesapeake,'' said Evans who seems to know by heart just about every inch of pavement in the city.
This was his ninth - and favorite - Christmas on the job after a decade as a postal worker.
Evans normally handles all the express and special delivery mail himself. On Christmas, with 168 packages needing special attention, several other mail carriers helped out.
But Evans, 54, was the only Santa. And the retired Navy chief seemed to relish his role. As he drove the dozens of miles, he eagerly waved to everyone who passed and waved at him or honked a car horn.
And in any neighborhood where kids were at play - and that was almost everywhere - ``Santa'' was quickly surrounded.
At Kayln Brown's home on Bay Oak Court, he delivered a ``Snow White'' video.
``You gonna give Santa a hug?'' he asked the 3-year-old. There was no answer, just an immediate reach of tiny hands to the big man.
Evans told her that on his earlier visit, while she slept, he had enjoyed the cookies and milk she left for him. And he didn't leave without a treat this time, either.
Kayln's parents, Richard and Kamin Brown, handed him a small holiday cake. ``Something to eat on the way back to the North Pole,'' he was told.
Little Kayln looked outside and saw the postal van, but no sleigh. Evans answered the unspoken question.
``My reindeer are tired,'' Evans said. ``I've got them down on the farm eating some hay. They have to rest up for the trip home to the North Pole.''
Then Evans headed off for his van. The Brown family stood on the doorstep waving goodbye as Richard Brown shouted: ``See you next year, Santa!''
Hugely successful, the Santa deliveries were offered here for the first time this year. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by Gary C. Knapp
Santa Claus, above, makes an unexpected arrival Sunday at the Brown
household with a gift he'd forgotten for Kayln, 3. Mom, Kamin, and
sister Cerys, 10, were also on hand.
At left, Santa waves at well-wishers as he arrives at the home of
Ashley Mason, 4 1/2.
by CNB