Santa Jim

For many of us at Iron Gate, and for our faithful yearly customers, Santa Jim Is Santa. He is the only North Pole representative that many of your younger customers have ever met!
Jim is all the things that Santa should be: reliable, prepared, jolly, and easy-going. He fits right into our little family, and we look forward to having him with us each year. When his red vehicle pulls into the winery on the first Sunday of December, as it has for 11 years now, we know the Christmas season has begun!

I was introduced to Santa Jim from a recommendation of another photographer and I am so grateful that our paths crossed. From the moment he first called me and said "Hello Amber! It is Santa calling you from the North Pole!" I felt like a kid all over again and was filled with joy! I asked Santa Jim to join us for a special experience for the little ones in our photography studio. That afternoon we had a lot of children who were not quite sure what to make of everything as well as quite a few who just weren't a fan of strangers. Santa Jim was so kind, patient and even came up with unique ideas how to capture wonderful photos even with the shy children. At the end of the day I could not stop smiling, my heart was overcome with joy. Santa Jim played a huge roll in bringing the magic of Christmas to life for many children and I am so thankful! I've already asked and I can not wait to have him back again next year!

We LOVED santa Jim!! He was AMAZING!! All the kids loved him and we captured so truly fantastic images. We will definitely be booking Santa Jim again!

New to our neighborhood, my husband and I wanted to continue a tradition we had started elsewhere as well as welcome the local families into our home on Christmas Eve. Because I had no idea how many children to expect, I wanted to make the evening special for everyone by having Santa visit as he began his trip around the world. Santa Jim Hastings brought a wealth of excitement and joy to the gathering, which numbered well over 50 new friends of all ages. An excellent storyteller, he also led the children in singing appropriate Christmas songs, such as "Jingle Bells" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." He took time with each child to hear their special wishes and take photos. Much better than any mall Santa experience. Santa Jim is now a permanent part of our Christmas Eve celebration!

Durham Santa came and "surprised" our guests at our daughter's Christmas Wedding Reception! He was a wonderful Santa and mixed and mingled with our guests and created a wonderful memory for our family and friends!! Highly recommended!!