Meet Santa Michael

Real beard. Real training. Six years and counting.

"It's one of the true joys of my life," says Santa Michael of his six years as Santa in Lake Charles.

At a Glance

Real Beard, Not a Costume

6 Years of Experience

Santa School Graduate

Insured, SAG & IBRBS

Santa Michael in his green Christmas vest.

Santa Michael reading the children’s names on his Christmas list. — Every child’s name matters.

6 Years of
Christmas magic

Santa Michael's Story

It started small. A weekend here, a neighborhood party there, a man with a real beard who looked a little too much like Santa Claus to stay a secret for long. Six years later, what began as a hobby in Lake Charles has grown, booking by booking, into SWLA Santa, a full business families hire by name rather than a costume rack and a rented smile.

Santa Michael has reinvested in the role every year since: a seat at the Charles W. Howard Santa School, a Screen Actors Guild card, membership in the International Brotherhood of Real Beard Santas, and the insurance paperwork that protects a family hosting someone new in the house. None of it was required to put on a red suit. All of it was required to become the Santa Lake Charles families actually ask for by name.

Also Serving as Papa Noel, Louisiana's Own Santa

Same beard, same training, different accent. Santa Michael also performs as Papa Noel, a Cajun Santa persona built around the Christmas Eve bonfire-on-the-levee tradition Southwest Louisiana grew up with, trading a few "ho ho ho"s for a "Joyeux Noël, cher." Families booking a Santa Visit, a Community and Organization Visit, or a Film and TV Appearance can request Papa Noel instead of Traditional Santa at no extra step.

Santa School
Graduate

Graduate of the Charles W. Howard Santa School

Called "the Harvard of Santa Schools" for a reason, the Charles W. Howard Santa School is where Santa Michael built the parts of the job a costume can't teach: slowing down for a toddler meeting Santa for the first time, using basic sign language with a deaf child, and sitting with a family quietly grieving a pet or a person who won't be there this Christmas. It's the kind of judgment that shows up in the quiet moments of a visit, long after the suit stops being the interesting part.

Insured, SAG, and IBRBS Credentials

Four credentials back every SWLA Santa booking, not just the ones that happen to come up in conversation:

Charles W. Howard Santa School: graduate, trained in storytelling, crowd handling, and the harder conversations

Insured by Nationwide Santas, Policy 1888835, on file for every booking, with a certificate available on request

SAG (Screen Actors Guild) member: the credential film and TV productions look for

International Brotherhood of Real Beard Santas: member, because the beard is real and so is the community around it

Why SWLA Santa Is Different

There's a real difference between a man in a rented suit and a real beard Santa Claus who trained for the role, and that's the whole philosophy behind SWLA Santa. A real beard photographs differently up close. Santa School training shows up in the quiet moments a costume rental can't fake. Insurance protects a family or a venue hosting someone new, not just Santa Michael. SWLA Santa also does charity visits at a reduced rate, because six years in, the point was always to spread more joy, not just to book more hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

A few answers, straight from Santa’s desk.

Is Santa Michael's beard real?

Yes, it's his own, not a costume piece, which is why he's a member of the International Brotherhood of Real Beard Santas.

Is SWLA Santa insured?

Yes, insured by Nationwide Santas, Policy 1888835, with a certificate available on request for families and venues that need one.

Does Santa Michael do charity work?

Yes, SWLA Santa does charity visits at a reduced rate for families and organizations who could use the help.

How long has Santa Michael been doing this?

Six years, starting as a hobby and growing into SWLA Santa, a full business serving Lake Charles and the surrounding region.

What is Papa Noel?

Papa Noel is Santa Michael's Cajun Santa persona, available on request for a Santa Visit, Community and Organization Visit, or Film and TV Appearance.