About Delaware Santa
The Journey to Becoming Santa
When he's not in his workshop, he is the senior associate of First State Health and Wellness in Delaware. His undergraduate degree is in biology and natural science from Messiah College, and he attended Palmer College of Chiropractic for his graduate training. While at Palmer he worked as a teaching assistant in the diagnosis department and the student clinic. He has written and contributed to several articles and books on the topics of chiropractic, acupuncture, and natural healing – including the chapter on chiropractic and acupuncture in the legal nursing text “Medical Legal Aspects of Medical Records.”
Dr. Douglas Briggs has earned diplomate certification through the International Academy of Medical Acupuncture. He is also credentialed as a diplomate in pain management through the American Academy of Pain Management. In his spare time he works as an instructor at the Cornerstone Martial Arts in Hockessin. He was recognized by the Delaware Chiropractic Society at 2010 Chiropractor of the Year. He has previously served as the President of the Delaware Chiropractic Society, and is now the state delegate for the American Chiropractic Association. He also is the current chair of the Acupuncture Advisory Committee to the DE Medical Board, and serves on the DE Health Care Advisory Panel for Workers Compensation.
Dr. Briggs has been with 1st State Health & Wellness since November 1995. He is a native Delawarean, and lives with his wife, Dawn, and their son in Pike Creek. He is a longtime member of Faith Baptist Church in Wilmington. He has had the honor of his patients voting him one of the “Best of Delaware” over the last few years. He was recognized as the ClausNet Member of the Month for March 2019.
Old Fashion Christmas At Bellevue 2016 from CineMavericks Media
People have asked me over and over “Why do you do, what you do?” For me, it is about making each visit I have with every child, senior, mom and dad something that they will never forget. Hopefully they leave thinking to themselves “that is what I hoped Santa would be like.” The smile of a child is similar to the MasterCard commercial “for somethings there is MasterCard and others there is a smile and it is just priceless!
Santa's Tips for a Successful Visit
When you book Delaware Santa here are some things to consider for your event:
Visit – A typical visit from Santa almost always includes a grand arrival, lots of photos, and the distribution of gifts. Many years of going up and down chimneys has made Santa very flexible! If you have any special requests, such as singing, reading, or anything else you may think of, please let Santa know in advance. Santa will do his best to make your special visit a memorable event, and is open to exceptions and special arrangements.
Setting – Choose a spot that will serve as a good background for photos. Near the tree, wreath, nativity, Christmas cards, etc. A lit fireplace may be too hot. Preferred room temperature would be low to mid 70's. There should be adequate light for reading and photos. A sturdy dining room-type chair with no arms is ideal for Santa. Santa can provide chair if requested, but you must arrange for arrival and removal of chair in advance. Please leave room beside and in back of the chair for standing photo opportunities. Be sure that all cameras, phones, etc. are charged and ready for photos! Santa quit the pipe long ago – please, no smoking during the visit.
Contact – Santa should have a contact person to meet just prior to the event, preferably with a cell phone. Also, a backup phone number "just in case".
Parking – For safety reasons, the FAA in America restricts sleigh operations to Christmas Eve and Christmas only. Therefore, Santa will arrive in a car, and should not be seen outside by the children. A NEARBY parking spot should be reserved. Perhaps the children could prepare "Reserved for Santa Parking Only" signs?
Gifts – All should be clearly LABELLED, and should fit into a common 35 gallon (about 30"x36") trash bag. If there are too many or oversized gifts, please make prior arrangements with Santa.
Arrival – Santa will call the contact person about 5 minutes prior to arrival. Make sure everyone has been gathered for the arrival. Contact will meet Santa outside and prepare for entrance (put gifts in Santa's bag), and announce Santa.
Meet Santa – When it is time for the children to meet Santa, Santa will require an Honorary Elf (perhaps an older child?) to introduce each child by name. A large event (corporate, or more than a dozen or so kids) may require more than one Honorary Elf. Infants should be presented to Santa by parent(s). It is helpful for Santa to have a list of names in advance, perhaps including a small bit of personal information for each child (school, teacher, hobbies, sports, pets, recent events, etc.).
Distribution of Gifts – It is best for Santa to distribute ALL the gifts FIRST, then have everybody open AT THE SAME TIME. Please talk with Santa if you would like to do otherwise. Please! Be absolutely CERTAIN that EVERYONE will have a gift!
Departure – Usually after the gift opening, as attention will turn to other things. Make sure all your Santa photos have been taken, and any other Santa moments have been made. Any balance due to Santa should be made discretely, not in front of the children (outside), or as a "Christmas card" presented to Santa. A singing group departure is always nice, such as "Rudolph" or "Jingle Bells" or even "Silent Night".
Miscellaneous – Extended visits (over 2 hours) are not recommended, unless there is an unusually large crowd. A private break area should be provided for Santa for extended visits. Sanitary wipes should be on hand for small children, who often wind up with very sticky fingers. The best Santa photos with small children are usually in the first 5 seconds – be ready! Folks may need to hold frightened children, if they cannot be distracted. If pets are frightened, it may be best to keep them in another room. Pet photos with Santa are welcomed. Finally, I am Santa or Santa Claus. Please do not inadvertently spoil the visit for others by asking a "wrong" question, or making a "wrong" comment, or calling me the "wrong" name during my visit! My primary mission is to bring joy to the children.
