first person
Roy Piazza, 70, from Laguna Hills, California, has flown to Hong Kong to play Santa Claus in Pacific Place for the second year running. He explains why he still believes in Father Christmas and how children in Hong Kong are so well behaved
It's terrific being Santa Claus in Hong Kong. I think the people here are wonderful. The children are very well disciplined. I like American children, but these kids here are exceptionally well mannered. They're very intelligent too.
Hong Kong children don't ask for anything unless you ask them. In the US, kids come to you with a whole list of presents they want. Here in Hong Kong they don't do that as much. You say to them 'What do you want for Christmas?' and they say 'I don't know'. I think maybe kids back home are a little spoilt.
I've been a Santa Claus for 15 years now. My father used to play Santa Claus and my brother used to play Santa Claus too, so it's in the family. I worked for a gas and electricity company in New York State for 35 years and I used to play Santa Claus for Christmas parties or get-togethers.
When I retired and moved to California I became a professional Santa Claus. I used to wear a false beard and people said to me grow a real one and you'd look much better - so that's what I did.
I start growing my beard in May and I shave it off in January. When I shave it off, it feels great. My whole face feels cold. When I'm not being Santa I work as a clown and a magician so I keep busy all year round.
When I am Santa Claus, I really think I am Santa Claus. That's me - I am him. It is the way children react and the feeling you get that makes it so magical. You have to have a lot of love and a lot of patience with the children. Every time you see them your heart goes out to them. When you see the big smile on the kids' faces it just makes your day.
I have three children of my own and six grandchildren, aged from four to 18. Some of them are too old to believe in Santa Claus now but some of them still do. One of the younger ones saw me as Santa Claus and he said to his mum 'Santa Claus sounds just like grandpa'. But he really believed I was Santa Claus at the time.
I believed in Santa Claus when I was a kid. I still believe in him now. It is very important to children. That is what they look forward to at Christmas and it is what their parents look forward too as well. As you get older you will always remember Christmas and you will always remember Santa Claus. It brings back many, many memories of when you were young.
You don't have to tell children the truth about Santa Claus. They will find out for themselves. But I think there's a bit in all of us that still believes in Santa Claus. I certainly still believe in him.
I won't get home for Christmas and that is the sad part of the whole thing. Hopefully I'll get the chance to go to church but I'll be working all day on December 24 and December 25. So I won't see my grandchildren but we celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas at the same time before I came out here. We had a big dinner and exchanged Christmas gifts.
It's sad, but coming to Hong Kong is the opportunity of a lifetime for me. How many Santa Clauses get to come here? - Very few, I expect, and none that I know of.
I'm here with my wife and we're going to spend some time sight-seeing. My hobbies are horseback riding and playing golf. I won't get the chance to do that. But on my day off next week, me and my wife are going to Disneyland. The children got us tickets as a present and we're really looking forward to it.
When I walk around in Hong Kong I get a lot of reaction. People say 'There's Santa Claus'. Last year I was on a tour bus and they grabbed me off the bus and wanted to take pictures with me. I was wearing my regular clothes but they still think I'm Santa Claus.
A lot of people groan when they get up and say 'I've got to go to work'. I get to say 'Oh boy, I'm going to work'. I love every minute of it.
