Lincoln and Santa Claus

[L Verge]

For nearly twenty years, Surratt House has featured Civil War Santa as part of their Christmas open house festivities. Santa is really Kevin Rawlings, who travels up and down the East Coast during the holidays dressed as Thomas Nast's character with red-and-white trousers, a fur-trimmed jacket of blue with white stars, and a red fez cap.

In addition to talking with the children, Kevin has a room all to himself where he displays and teaches about the various forms of "gift givers" that have appeared throughout Western history. And, he stays in first-person the whole time. He is a hit with everyone, and we have even had ladies in their 70s and 80s sit on his lap and ask for presents - including one who wanted a Mercedes. His response was, "Is that the name of a reindeer?"

This year, however, Civil War Santa goofed and is now spending time in Libby Prison (at least that's our story!). He had the audacity to overbook the day and will be going to another Civil War site. We will resort back to the early-Victorian era and feature Father Christmas instead.