Almost 80 years old and Gerhard Weindl is still touring the country as Santa Claus. With a driver and many moving stories. Why he no longer brings tangerines and nuts and why he is not interested in his parents’ paperwork.
“The whole robe, the beard, the hair is in my face. No, I wouldn’t be able to drive a car in this outfit.” That’s why Santa Claus will tour the city in Herzogsdorf with a driver on December 6.
The schedule is tight, as the 79-year-old has to visit numerous homes. This refers to Gerhard Weindl. The man who has been traveling as Santa Claus for 15 years. Next year the cheerful retiree will celebrate his 80th birthday. “I have two children and six grandchildren and I am a happy person. And next year I will have been with the Red Cross for 40 years.”
“My glasses are running, I can’t read anything anyway.”
And it is precisely for this organization that Weindl sets out as Nikolo. “I’m booked for nine houses this year. I often receive two full pages from the parents about how bad or good the child is. I’m not interested in that. When I go inside in the cold, my glasses still leak. I can’t read anything there anyway. Moreover, I am not booked for a training. I talk to the child and ask how things are going at kindergarten. Or that it helps mother around the house,” Weindl explains.
And adds: “Some children screen you anyway. When they see me in town the next day and recognize my shoes, they know: that was Gerhard.”
“I have a beard and white hair”
Weindl visited the Sint-Niklaasschool three times. “I was just interested. There are already a lot of people who go without beards. But that’s not a problem for me. I have a beard. And have white hair. But Santa Claus no longer comes with tangerines and nuts. There is a bag on the sidewalk with an incredible amount of gifts. The children are completely overwhelmed by so much stuff. I do not mind. But that’s not the main idea.”
Funny and moving story
After Weindl puts on his outfit for the ‘crown’, he tells a funny and moving story. ‘I know a little boy. He has a toy kitchen and when I come over he always makes me pizza. Then I can eat it with him.” And then he almost bursts into tears. ‘There’s a farmer in town with a girl. His sister died shortly after birth. And since then the girl goes to the grave almost every day.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
