As the Summer of 2007 drew to a close I found myself back in school, The International University of Santa Claus, where men learn the magic of portraying Santa. While I met some truly fantastic men and women I could not bring myself to put on the Red Suit. Then while working at a client's location I heard a voice that changed my life. Looking up I saw a man who could have been Santa with the white beard and round physique but there was something different. I talked with this man, who introduced himself as Kristopher, and learned that years before he had suffered with my dilemma, how to be Santa without the Red Suit. He invited me to meet a friend of his at Caribou Coffee.
Sitting down in the coffee shop I was introduced to a man named Nicholas. After a brief conversation he asked if I would be willing to be the next Woodsman. Nicholas told me about Jonathon Syzmoor, the first Woodsman, and I began to search for my call as the new Woodsman. It did not take long to find that my task, sanctioned by Saint Nicholas, was to help people find the True Magic of Christmas in Every Day. So my journey began.
My name is E. Gale Buck, or simply 'Gale', and I live in Raleigh, North Carolina. I am a member of several Professional Santa Groups, including The Long Leaf Pines Santas, Triangle Santa Buddies and Santa America. I enjoy their fellowship and inspiration.
My wife, Christmasana, assists me in this journey and has made all my costumes and many of my accessories. She is my toughest editor and is in short, my muse.
With over fifteen years of experience in group presentations, I have found The True Magic of Christmas to be both my most challenging and most rewarding role.
We published The Woodsman's Tale, the story of Jonathon Syzmoor, the first Woodsman in November, 2010. After another year of intense research and preparation Finding Nicholas, the secrets of santa revealed by his woodsmen, was released in October, 2011. We hope to release the third piece of the story, A Quiet Service, the history of the lineage of santa's woodsmen, in the Summer of 2013. Together these stories will help all of us understand how each of us can share the True Magic of Christmas through our own lives.
5/15/12