Christmas is a very special time of year.

Full of wonder, joy, and happiness. I wanted to share with you the story of one special little girl and
how she touched the heart of my studio Santa this year. Here is the story told so well by him.

It wasn’t until I was actually in character and playing the role of Santa during the Santa sessions at the Royce Images Photography studio that I realized what a huge deal it was, I was bringing more than just the Christmas spirit to the children and their families. I was helping them capture a moment of joy that the rest of the world could treasure and cherish forever. All of the laughs, smiles and poses from that day on camera are special, but one will always remain precious to me.

I knew right away that McKenna was a different child than the others who had already sat on my lap and whispered what they wanted to open on Christmas morning. She was a fighter; her battle was Leukemia. She had written me a letter and asked for a doll from the movie Frozen. Something stirred in me when I read her letter, this little girl was fighting for her life while the rest of us just lived ours. The next day, I woke up thinking about McKenna’s photo session and couldn’t get McKenna’s letter out of my head. Something was telling me that I wasn’t finished playing my role as Santa when I took off the robe at the end of the photo sessions that night. Something was telling me that I could do more than just pretend being Santa. The letter asking for a doll would become more than a present under her tree for Christmas, it became a window of opportunity.

So a plan was hatched- I would find an Elsa doll from Frozen, just like the one McKenna asked for in her letter, and deliver it in costume to her on Christmas Eve! It would be a real Santa experience for McKenna and her family. I called Marcy Royce from Royce Images Photography and made the arrangements. Now to find the doll! Frozen was such a popular movie that there was a ton of dolls available for Christmas. The more I thought about it (and the more I looked at the toy isles) the more I wanted to get more than just one doll for McKenna. When I mentioned the plan to a few friends, they offered a donation to help pay for the doll. I told a few more people about McKenna and they also offered a donation, so I thought about a second doll… My gears started turning and another plan was hatched.

Within 24 hours of me reading McKenna’s letter, the plan to bring her a Frozen doll on Christmas Eve was online and taking donations. After two weeks, the donations had totaled almost $400! This little girl was going to get Frozened out and now her parents and little brother were also going to have presents to open, too! On Christmas Eve, I delivered the presents to McKenna and her family.

Three Elsa dolls, a tiara, a light up dress, stickers, t-shirts, games, coloring books, and a mountain of crumpled wrapping paper later, McKenna, her brother and parents finished opening their presents. McKenna smiled brightly and game me a hug before running to try on her new dress in the next room. I knew she would have a great Christmas now that Santa had delivered the gifts. I’m sure she enjoyed the rest of the holidays with her family. She is a strong little girl and can get through anything; I pray that I will have an opportunity to visit her again next year.

– by Jonathan, ummm I mean Santa