Sitting down with Quintin Koger Kidd, aka “Santa Q”, a Clinton County Santa Portrayal Artist, we expected a lighthearted and jubilant interview. What we got was a tale of a well traveled man who has worn many different suits, and not just the red one.
Quintin’s story is not all milk and cookies. He has felt the bad parts of life as much as anybody else, which has led him to developing his core values which are to “be nice, be kind, and share generously”, which he expresses to every child that crosses his lap, and parent that snaps a photo.
Coming from a Virginian lineage older than the founding of the United States, Santa Q has lived in 10 different states (11 if you count Ohio the two separate times he has resided here), worked for Chevron, was elected to both city council and later as mayor in Brentwood, CA in the 1990’s and early 2000’s, became an independent consultant for Mason’s largest eyeglass company, met his now wife (on Craigslist) and fell in love, then “retired” to become Santa. He has seemingly always lived an interesting life, but how does this lead one to becoming the ‘new age’, free-thinking Santa that doesn’t ask kids if they have been “naughty or nice?”
Santa Q shared about his family’s history with addiction that has tragically cost him the life of his stepson; “addiction is such a carbuncle in the butt of mankind, and it’s a pain. It’s painful for people.” He went on to say that society’s outlook on addiction has become too judgemental and not compassionate to the people struggling with addiction and the fallout that it inevitably causes; “I think having gone through it, you learn to be more tolerant of those people who are struggling and the impact it has on their lives.” Santa Q explains he has brought the lessons learned through his family’s struggles to his Santa-ing. He asks children if they have been “nice and kind?”, because as people, we need to realize everyone struggles and does so differently. It is not his job to determine naughty or nice, his job is to make sure that everyone is doing what they can to “be nice, kind, and share generously” throughout the year.
To learn more about Quintin Koger Kidd (aka “Santa Q”), visit www.santa-q.com.