( Qlick photography )
FOR GROWN UPS' EYES ONLY:
Rannie Battle, Jr., better known as Santa Claus, a retired FDNY firefighter who portrays Santa at the Bed-Stuy “Winter Wonderland,” shares holiday cheer for your little ones.
The Brian Lehrer: It's The Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC. We welcome a very special guest, Santa Claus. The one, the only Santa Claus of course. Though as it happens, you can see him at the Bed-Stuy Winter Wonderland every weekend, through this weekend, from 11:00 AM to 06:00 PM, at Marcy Plaza, which is located on Fulton Street across from Restoration Plaza, socially distanced, of course. Even with that, and managing all those elves, Santa, we know it's a very busy time of year for you. Thank you for joining us today.
Santa Claus: Ho, ho, ho. Good morning, Brian. How are you? Ho, ho, ho, ho.
Brian: I've had better years, but I'm okay. Kids, we are going to invite you now to give Santa Claus a call. Have your parent or guardian. Call us up at 646-435-7280. Anything you want to ask Santa Claus, but never had them over for a play date to ask, 646-435-7280. As the calls are coming in, I'm sure you've already made your naughty or nice list. Have you checked it twice yet?
Santa: Yes, I have, Brian. Ho, ho, ho. I can guarantee you, 2020 the year is on the naughty list. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
Brian: There you go. Kids have already written you their wish lists and come to visit you on weekends in Brooklyn. What are kids asking for this year?
Santa: Ho, ho, ho. Brian, they're asking for a lot of things. One of them being the PS5. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
Brian: That's not that much different from normal years if they're asking for that platform. Are we ready with one? Okay, here is Cooper in Westchester. Cooper, you're on WNYC. Hello.
Santa: Ho, ho, ho. Good morning, Cooper. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
Brian: Cooper, are you there?
Cooper: Hello.
Brian: Hello.
Cooper: Yes.
Santa: There he is. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
Brian: How old are you, Cooper?
Cooper: Six, I'm almost seven.
Brian: Almost seven.
Santa: Ho, ho. Almost seven. Ho, ho, ho, ho.
Brian: Santa, take it away.
Santa: All right. Cooper, what would you like for Christmas this year? Ho, ho, ho, ho.
Cooper: I would like a Star Wars or a superhero Lego set.
Santa: Ho, ho. Oh, Star Wars. Santa is a big Star Wars fan. He's going to get the elves working right on it. Ho, ho, ho, ho.
Brian: All right, Cooper. Thanks a lot. I hope you get it. That sounds like a promise. This must be tough for Santa because there's-- Maybe a negotiation with the parents comes into play here. How does this work?
Santa: Ho, ho, ho. Santa does talk to the parents and make sure that it's okay that he can get those toys for the children. Ho, ho, ho. There is a little bit of negotiation at work. Ho, ho, ho.
Brian: We have two brothers on the phone, Alejandro and Emilio in West Harlem. Hello, Alejandro and Emilio. Are you both there?
Alejandro: Yes. Hello, Santa.
Santa: Ho, ho, ho. Good morning, Alejandro and Emilio. Ho, ho, ho. How are you doing today?
Alejandro: Good. Good morning to you, too.
Santa: Ho, ho. Awesome, awesome. Ho, ho.
Brian: How old are you guys and how do you figure out who talks first?
Alejandro: I guess my brother can go first. I, Alejandro, am 10, and my brother turned seven in October.
Santa: Ho, ho, ho. All right.
Brian: That's so nice letting the little guy go first.
Santa: You're a good big brother. Ho, ho, ho, ho.
Brian: Take it away, Santa.
Alejandro: Emilio.
Santa: All right, Emilio. Ho, ho, ho. What would you like for Christmas, young man? Ho, ho, ho, ho.
Emilio: The thing on top of my list is rally RC car.
Santa: Oh, an RC car. Ho, ho, ho, ho. Now, what kind of RC car are you looking for? Are you looking for a Lamborghini? Looking for Ferrari? Ho, ho, ho, ho.
Emilio: No. Quadraa-Trac. Quadra-Trac.
Santa: A Quadra-Trac? Ho, ho, ho. Santa is definitely going to have to speak to the elves on this one. We got to make sure we have the right technology. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
Brian: Alejandro, anything else?
Alejandro: I am Alejandro, and I would really love a drone for Christmas. It's on the top of my list.
Santa: Ho, ho, ho. You would like a drone? Excellent. Would you like a quadcopter drone? Ho, ho, ho, ho.
Alejandro: Yes.
Santa: Awesome, awesome. Santa will get right on it. Would you also like it to come with a 1080 p camera or a 4k camera? Ho, ho, ho, ho.
Alejandro: Whichever camera you think is the best, Santa.
Santa: I think we're going to get you the best, we're going to get you a 4k camera. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
Brian: Alejandro lets his little brother go first and leaves a very important detail up to Santas's judgment. We have a very mature 10-year-old on our hands here. Alejandro, thank you, and Emilio, you too.
Santa: Yes. Thank you, gentlemen. Alejandro, you are definitely on the nice list. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
Brian: Thank you both. I think Luca on Staten Island has a question for you. Luca, you are on WNYC with Santa Claus.
Luca: Hi.
Santa: Hi. Good morning, Luca. Ho, ho, ho. Merry Christmas, young man.
Luca: Merry Christmas. I'm a girl, by the way.
Brian: [laughter]
Santa: Ho, ho, ho. O, ho, ho. Santa is sorry. Ho, ho, ho. Good afternoon, young lady. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
Brian: What's your question, though?
Luca: My question is, how does the reindeer pull sleigh? Is it very, very heavy?
Santa: The reindeer, they train every day. They're very, very strong. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho. Santa makes sure that they eat properly.
Luca: What do they eat?
Santa: What do they eat? Oh, they eat nothing but good magical hay from the North Pole. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
Brian: Luca, you are a future journalist.
Luca: Okay. I want to wish you a Merry Christmas.
Santa: Merry Christmas to you, Luca. Ho, ho, ho, ho.
Brian: To Luca's parents here, you may have a future journalist on your hand, because she not only asked a question, she then asked a follow-up question. Luca, congratulations and Merry Christmas. How different has it been there in Brooklyn for you Santa this year, with all the social distancing and everything?
Santa: It has been quite different, Brian, quite different. We had to make changes in the way we interact with the children. We have a safety screen in front of us down here at Restoration Plaza. Children can still take pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus, but we still stay socially distant. Ho, ho, ho. We have to do this in order for us to have a better Christmas next year, we all have to play our part.
More importantly, Santa wants to keep the children safe, as well as himself. He does it for the children because he wants to make sure that they have a great Christmas next year. Ho, ho, ho, ho. We all have to do our part.
Brian: Again, listeners, Santa Claus works weekdays at the North Pole, but on Saturdays and Sundays- this, of course, will be the last weekend of that, from 11:00 AM to 06:00 PM he's at Marcy Plaza, located on Fulton Street, across from Restoration Plaza at the Bed-Stuy Winter Wonderland. Here are siblings Emmett and Finley in Queens, who also have a question, I understand. Hello, Emmett. Hello, Finley.
Male Speaker 6: Say hi.
Female Speaker 2: Hello.
Finley: Hi.
Santa: Hi, good morning, Emmet. Good morning, Finley. How are you, guys? Ho, ho, ho, ho.
Finley: Oh, pretty good, pretty good, pretty good.
Santa: Excellent, excellent. Ho, ho, ho, ho.
Emmett: We eat the vegetables before you eat the cookie, there's some carrots for your reindeer.
Santa: Oh, excellent. Thank you for leaving carrots for my reindeer. Ho, ho, ho. Make sure you leave some broccoli for Santa, okay? Ho, ho, ho, ho.
Emmett: Okay. How do your reindeer fly?
Santa: Ho, ho, ho, ho. That's easy. They fly on the Christmas spirit. Ho, ho, ho, ho. The Christmas spirit lifts them into the air and flies us all over the globe. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
Brian: Thank you.
Finley: Hello, Santa, my name is Finley. I am a big brother, seven.
Santa: Ho, ho.
Finley: I have a question, and also I want to tell you what I want for Christmas.
Santa: Sure, Finley, go ahead, buddy. Ho, ho, ho, ho.
Finley: I know my brother asked how do they fly? How do they fly if the Christmas spirit can lift them up?
Santa: Ho, ho, ho. The Christmas spirit comes to everybody that believes in Christmas. With you believing in Christmas the Christmas spirit increases, and therefore the reindeer fly. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho. They get me all across the world. Ho, ho, ho, ho. As long as you believe in the Christmas spirit, my reindeer will never fail. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
Brian: All right, [unintelligible 00:09:40]-- Oh, go ahead.
Finley: What I also want--
Brian: What do you want?
Finley: What I want for Christmas is-
Brian: Oh. It's already--
Finley: -what I do want, a drum.
Brian: A drum? I like that. A musical-
Finley: A drum.
Brian: -instrument, Santa.
Santa: Ho, ho, ho. You like a drum? No problem, we'll get started on that. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
Brian: Okay, parents, I hope you're listening very carefully to these responses. Emmett and Finley, thank you. Merry Christmas. Oh look, now it looks like we have a set of three siblings calling in from Brighton Beach, Xenia, Sasha, and Nikolai. Hello, Xenia, Sasha, and Nikolai.
Xenia: Hi. Hi, there.
Santa: Hello, good morning children. How are you? Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
Xenia: We're good.
Brian: Take it away.
Xenia: What I want for Christmas is more slime.
Santa: More slime? Ho, ho, ho, ho.
Brian: More slides?
Xenia: My brother wants a clock.
Brian: A what?
Nikolai: Hi, Santa. I'm Nikolai, and for Christmas, I want a Nintendo Switch and-
Santa: Ho, ho, ho, a Nintendo switch.
Nikolai: -my dad want- for Christmas, my dad wants more Brian Lehrer.
Santa: Ho, ho, ho, ho. He can work on a switch, and he'll also work on what your dad wants for Christmas as well. Ho, ho, ho. Just make sure you ask. Dad if he's been on the nice list okay? Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
Nikolai: All right. Now, my little brother wants to talk.
Male Speaker 10: What do you want, Sasha?
Sasha: I just want Thomas train.
Male Speaker 10: Thomas train?
Sasha: Yes, for Christmas.
Brian: Thomas train?
Santa: Ho, ho, ho.
Brian: Thomas the Tank Engine?
Sasha: Thomas, yes.
Brian: Thomas.
Santa: He wants Thomas, ho, ho, ho. No problem. Santa will have the elves work on that as soon as possible. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
Brian: All right.
Santa: I think we can get Thomas the Tank Engine without a problem. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
Brian: Xenia first asked for more slime, I think. Do you have a lot of slime at the North Pole?
Santa: We can manufacture it, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho. Generally, the North Pole is a nice clean place, but we can make nice clean slime for the little lady. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
Brian: Thank you, Xenia, Sasha, and Nikolai. Merry Christmas. Khalid in East Orange, you're on WNYC with Santa Claus. Hello, Khalid.
Khalid: Hello.
Santa: Ho, ho, ho. Morning, Khalid. How are you? Ho, ho, ho, ho.
Khalid: I'm doing good.
Female Speaker 4: [laughs] You have a question for Santa?
Khalid: Yes.
Female Speaker 4: Ask him.
Khalid: How do you get presents to sick kids in the hospital?
Santa: Ho, ho, ho. How does Santa give kids gifts in the hospital? That's easy, Santa just walks through the front door and he makes sure the kids get all the gifts. Ho, ho, ho, but unfortunately, Santa can't do that this year because of what's going on with COVID. Santa is going to have to drop them off in front of the hospital to make sure that they do get their gifts and the nurses will make sure that the children will get them. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho. Next year, hopefully, this will all change, and Santa could give the kids a personal visit. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
Brian: Contact list gift delivery. That's quite an innovation. Khalid, that's so nice of you to ask about the kids in the hospital.
Santa: Very, very nice. Khalid is definitely on the nice list. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
Female Speaker 4: What do you want?
Khalid: I want a baby doll for Christmas.
Brian: A baby?
Female Speaker 4: A baby doll.
Brian: Oh, a baby doll.
Santa: A baby doll. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho. Santa will look into that and will make sure you get one. Okay? Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
Brian: Khalid, thank you very, very much. You talked about walking into the front door of a hospital. Like just walking right in, we know a lot of New York City apartment buildings don't have chimneys, so how do you make sure that you can get to deliver presents to them?
Santa: Ho, ho, ho. Through the spirit of Christmas, Santa doesn't just walk right in, he just appears right in and I just deliver the gifts. Ho, ho, ho. Right under the tree. Ho, ho, ho.
Brian: All right, let's see if we can get at least one more in here. Maury Ray in Astoria, you're on WNYC with Santa. Hello, Maury Ray?
Maury Ray: Hello.
Santa: Good morning, Maury, baby. How are you? Ho, ho, ho.
Maury Ray: I'm good. How are you?
Santa: Santa is well. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
Maury Ray: Okay. I have a question and I also would tell you what I have for my wish list. My question is that, how real-- When you drop it down the chimney, do you also drop it under the tree, or do you just leave it under the chimney?
Santa: Ho, ho, ho. I drop it underneath the tree or around the tree. Ho, ho, ho. There's a lot of gifts. Sometimes Santa has to make his way on the outside of the tree sometimes. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
Maury Ray: Okay. What I want ask for Christmas is that I want a Monopoly Super Electronic Game.
Santa: Ho, ho, ho. You would like electronic game?
Brian: A Monopoly Electronic Game it sounded like.
Santa: Monopoly Electronic Game. Ho, ho, ho. Wow, times have changed. Ho, ho, ho.
Brian: Yes.
Santa: Santa will get right on it with the elves. Ho, ho, ho, ho.
Brian: Santa, we sure have learned today that even really little kids want electronics for Christmas. My guest has been the one, the only Santa Claus. You can see him at the Bed-Stuy Winter Wonderland every weekend. There's only one weekend left, meaning tomorrow and Sunday from 11:00 to 6:00 at Marcy Plaza located off Fulton Street across from Restoration Plaza. Santa, it's your busy time of year. Thank you for making some time for us today.
Santa: Brian, thank you for having me. Ho, ho, ho. Merry Christmas to you and Merry Christmas to all. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
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