Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, Santy, or simply Santa. These are just a few of the names he goes by. Of course, the legend that IS Santa is truly worthy of recognition from the Atlantic Award Group, and in this case, so is the person who brings him to life. Introducing our final recipient of 2015, Santa Ed Taylor from Torrance, CA.
Santa Ed Taylor is clearly on a mission to keep the spirit of Christmas alive all year long. After 7 years of volunteering as Santa Claus at local events he decided to zone his skills as a successful entrepreneur and turn his portrayal of Santa Claus into a small business.
This new business opened doors he never dreamed possible. In addition to appearing on many TV programs and commercials, including a commercial with Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg, Santa Ed has appeared at hundreds of events delivering gifts and good cheer to children and adults alike.
To increase the impact of his work and experience, Santa Ed has written two books, the first was “How to Become an Encore Entrepreneur” and the second, just released in 2015, is the children’s picture book with a powerful message “Selfie Elfie”.
The AAG came to know about Mr Taylor via a nomination in late 2014. It came from a family many miles from where Mr Taylor lived, but through a project he was working on with JibJab, he was able to spread Christmas cheer to this family. Selecting a recipient takes time, and we were not prepared to rush, so we watched Ed’s work for over twelve months and discovered that this portrayal was more of a dedication than a contractual obligation.
Project Director, Alex Maine in a statement on Christmas Eve said:
“I am delighted that we have been able to organize this award in such a short space of time. The nomination for Ed came in during the Holiday season last year and the team have worked tirelessly to approve this award in time for this Christmas.”
“Ed is a generous man, full of the Holiday spirit. It’s clear this isn’t just a job for him, but a way of life. For many of us, Christmas comes but once a year. For Ed, it’s something much more special. Ed excels at what he does, and he spreads joy as he does it.”
“We saw an opportunity to recognize, the legend, the myth and a great man portraying that legend, and we took it. I’m glad we went ahead with this.”
As you can imagine, Santa is very busy at this time of year, so were not able to setup a formal presentation, but we did get this message from him:
“To be nominated for this award was an act of kindness bestowed on me by someone anonymously, that act touches my heart. To receive the award means that my work is recognized as having value and merit this adds to my personal contentment… I am very grateful. Thank you to all involved.”
Don’t forget to nominate someone extraordinary in your life. The Atlantic Award Group would like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas.