Christmas in Dubai: Meet the granddads who bring Santa Claus to life with their real beards

Bill Martin is shaving off his beard on December 26. He will also have to fold his fluffy red suit and put his pointy red hat away. He won't be Santa Claus anymore, not until next Christmas.

Martin, 80, loves being the jolly good fellow who helps keep the Christmas magic alive for the children of Dubai.

"Sometimes, the kids won't let go of my hand — because they don't want to share Santa with anyone," the British Mr Claus told Khaleej Times. "That's the nicest part."

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Come Christmastime, Santa Clauses sleigh down across Dubai. Some have a dedicated grotto where wide-eyed kids line up for a "rare" chance to whisper their wishes right into the ear of Father Christmas. Others personally visit schools and homes with a huge sack of presents. Then, there are the Santas who go from one mall to another, sit on a couch, and take photos with families in front of a giant festive tree.

Santa has indeed come to town — there could be dozens of them but not all the same. While many wear well-made costumes, there is one thing not everybody can replicate: The beard.

"Having a real beard is a must," said 53-year-old Adrian Hurley, the current Santa Claus at Expo City Dubai.

With his medium grayish-white beard, Hurley is able to convince young sceptics that he is 'real'.

"Of course, I’m the real Santa, I have a real beard, I have a real big belly, and I say 'Ho Ho Ho'," he would tell the children who have doubts. "And then I ask if they want their presents to be real. Often, that would be enough," he said.

The beard does matter, said mum-of-two Yuliya Collins, whose six-year-old son has started asking whether Santa is real.

"We have been trying to keep the magic alive and it's getting harder because my son is getting smarter now. Whenever we see a Santa Claus with fake beard and belly, we'd tell him that they were Santa's friends in costumes," she said.

"One day, they will know, and I know that. When that time comes, we'll miss all this fun," said Collins, who recently booked a private visit from Santa (with a real beard). Together with friends, she paid about Dh600 for 30 merry minutes with Mr Claus.

'Super proud' of grandpa

Through his salt-and-pepper hair and beard, Martin is able to see the magic of Christmas himself.

"One of the benefits of real hair and beard is that the children — and their parents — believe you are real. Just to see the children's eyes is magic," said the grandpa Santa, who prefers doing home visits to appearing at large events.

"During private visits, there's more personal interaction as opposed to the larger events where the children take a quick photo with Santa and then move on," he said.

Martin lives in Cape Town, South Africa, but, every year, he flies to Dubai to wear his Santa hat for about 30 days. His daughter, as well as his grandchildren, couldn't be happier.

His seven-year-old grandson is "super proud" to have a Santa granddad, Martin's daughter Lorna Fox said.

"He also thinks it is amazing that he has a special secret with his family," added Fox, a Dubai resident.

To keep or not to keep the beard?

Santa is now part of Martin's life and routines. After shaving his beard the next day after Christmas, he'll keep it off for the first six months of the new year.

"I will start growing it again on July 1," he said, so it can grow in time for his December persona.

Hurley, on the other hand, keeps the beard on for the entire year — but it doesn't mean he will be the man in a red suit all 365 days.

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