When he’s not in his sleigh, Boise Santa spreads cheer on the bus

Santa’s sleigh fires up for only one night a year, of course, so on Wednesday morning Kriss Kringle stood on a corner waiting for a ValleyRide bus to downtown Boise.

Santa, portrayed by Boise resident Larry Jones, was on his way to the post office to mail off some Christmas gifts for his grandson, Landon, 5. With light snow falling, Santa smiled and waved at people in cars passing by the intersection at North Orchard Street and West Fairview Avenue.

“The gifts have to get there by Christmas, but I’m going to be busy that night,” Santa said, without explaining why his grandson wouldn’t be on his Christmas Eve route for delivering presents to children who weren’t naughty, but nice.

Jones, 60, who grew up in Emmett, said he enjoys dressing up and spreading holiday cheer.

“Everybody waves,” he said. “And the little ones always say ‘Hello Santa.’”

Jones owns two Santa suits, so he’s always prepared, he said. And unlike a lot of department store Santas, he doesn’t need a fake white beard.

“The beard is even real,” he said, tugging on his whiskers.

Still waiting for the bus, Santa went back to waving at cars passing by on Fairview.

“Ho, ho, ho,” he shouted in his easily recognizable deep voice. “Merry Christmas.”

This story was originally published December 16, 2015 at 10:48 AM with the headline "When he’s not in his sleigh, Boise Santa spreads cheer on the bus."