Customer Reviews

Red Suit Diaries, The: A Real-Life Santa on Hopes, Dreams, and Childlike Faith

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I was told about this book right before Christmas 2004. I bought two copies and sent one to my mom. We both read and cried about this book! This is such a heart-warming book! This brings back the magic of Christmas. I really loved the end where Santa tells us grown ups why he thinks Santa helps kids have faith. It teaches them to help others, to think of others, and puts God's love and face on a very special time of year. I really liked the part when Santa is talking to a young girl that is asking him how he flies. Santa tells her that with all of God's love, her Parent's love and her love, it gives Santa the magic he needs to fly on Christmas Eve. There were several things that Mr. Butchart shared in this book that my Husband and I will use when we have kids. If you have anyone in your life that thinks telling their kids that there is a Santa is lying to their kids tell them to read this book before telling their kids that. Also if you are one of those parents that ruin the magic of Christmas for their kids please tell them to keep the information to themselves. I can't tell you how many times I've had a niece, nephew, or family friends children come home crying because some kid at school told them there is no Santa. By reading this book you will understand that most of us use Santa to help us teach our kids about God. Its a very easy quick read. I bought several copies last year to give as gifts to all of our friends and family. My Husband was transferred to GA last year and my Christmas present was to go to Stone Mtn and see Santa!! I was so excited. I waited in line with all the kids and then it was finally my turn! I went and sat on Santa's lap and told him how my family really enjoyed his book. He said that he appreciated the compliments but had to share with me some sad news. On Christmas Day 2004 Santa's wife Annie Butchart passed away and this Christmas was very hard for him. His wife worked with him at Stone Mtn and was very active being Mrs. Claus. From reading his book it is very clear how much he cared for his wife even though I'm quite sure it doesn't even show the half of it. I wanted to share this news so you can appreciate the book a little more. Please buy this book and share it with everyone in your life. I have two copies so when we have guests during Christmas they can read the book and enjoy the season as much as I do.

This is an inspiring true account of one man's journey from Marine to real life Santa. Ed Butchart recounts moments in his life he choose to reach out to other people in need which is one of the true forms of giving. This book will move readers through laughter and tears as you meet many children (and some adults) who have shared their hopes and dreams with Santa. The similarity between Ed and Santa is uncanny from his photo in the back of the book to the fact he has been Santa for over 15 years at a park and has an organization that distributes wheelchairs to kids in need...this book is one you will give year after year to inspire and encourage those in your life.

Ed Butchart is an amazing man. The gift of love he brings to others through his ministry is amazing. The Red Suit Diaries is a wonderful heart-warming story that will surely make you laugh and cry!

With so many attacks on Christmas and on Santa Claus, this book is a breath of fresh air.
This man truly embodies not only the spirit of St. Nick but the true and real Christmas spirit. He relates how he got to be "Santa", stories about children and their parents, about his service to the disabled and about how children and adults do a double take when they see his real beard. Judging by the picture on the jacket of the book, I can see why. The man looks like Santa!
He also talks about the real miracle of Christmas, the birth of Jesus and how when Christmas is put in that perspective, it makes everything else about Christmas more wonderful.
It will make you laugh, it will make you cry but most of all, it will make you believe!

Really this is a sort of Diary from a lovely man with a warm heart that plays Santa Claus at Christmas and other times. You will be touched with some of the many lovely short stories in this book. It is the size of a novella. A quick inspiring little read which may leave you feeling like you need to do more to help others. Enjoy!

Ed Butchart recounts moments in his life from repairing and distributing wheelchairs to kids, to buying a mini bus and picking up wheelchair bound people to drive to his place for coffee and/or church.

Ed Butchart went from tough Marine to real life Santa. He applied for the Santa job grew his beard, dyed it to the right colour and did the training. He loved hearing the secrets whispered in his ear and written in letters.

This Audio will take readers through laughter and tears . Santa for over 15 years at Stone Mountain, Atlanta, Georgia. This story is an inspiration to people everywhere about giving your time and effort to others at Christmas. What an incredible man.

a very delightful and enjoyable read. I'll hold this in my archives `til next Christmas season and read it over and over again...

THE RED SUIT DIARIES is a memoir from Ed Butchart, a man who for part of the year gets to be Santa Claus. The rest of the time he works with Friends of Disabled Adults and Children (FODAC), an organization in Georgia that he founded that "provides home health (mobility and daily living) equipment to people of any age or any disability, temporary or permanent, for medically necessary and medically helpful reasons." The book gives a portion of the author's testimony as a Christian, telling how he started FODAC and how he started working as Santa Claus.

Butchart's work as Santa became an extended outreach of his ministry with FODAC. He decided early in his Santa career that he wanted Santa to be a reflection of Jesus by showing love to everyone who came to see Santa. Some of the stories in the book are humorous and some are serious and some of them are simple anecdotes and others convey an important message. They expand the reach of his career from his first day working as Santa in a large mall in Atlanta, his on-the-side Santa gigs, and his years as the official Stony Mountain Santa Claus.

I really enjoyed reading THE RED SUIT DIARIES. The book is full of love and joy. It tells why this Santa (Butchart) believes it's important for children to believe in Santa Claus and how it helps them grow in their own faith of God. One of my favorite Christmas images is the one of Santa kneeling at the manger of Jesus. There's just something really powerful about that picture. THE RED SUIT DIARIES is the literary equivalent of that image. It's a great little memoir.

This is a wonderful collection of stories by a man who plays Santa at a theme park near Atlanta, Georgia, and runs a non-profit business helping people in wheelchairs. The beautiful humanity of the people in each stories will touch your heart, and restore your faith that Christmas isn't just an consumer "feeding frenzy", but really brings the best out in people. As an amateur Santa myself I felt inspired to raise my standards to include ways of helping people on a practical level, and not just wear the red suit and play the expected role.

Loved the book.

Some one gave me book #2 as a gift and I had to have #1

They are both wonderful and very helpfull as I do represent Santa in Nov. and Dec. each year.

Did I say I loved the book.

Santa