I first joined the ranks of the Real Bearded Santa network as what is commonly known as a reluctant Santa. I did not grow up wanting to be Santa Claus. I had never even given thought to playing the charactor of Santa. But I grow a beard every winter and two years ago, it came in whiter than the previous years. I was attending a childrens Christmas party with several of my grandchildren when a woman approached me and asked if I would please consider volunteering to play Santa the next evening. I told her I'd have to check with my wife to see if we had anything going on.....the lady ask where my wife was and I pointed her out in the crowd. To my asonishment, she didn't wait for me but instead, walked over to my wife and asked her if I was free the next evening.......