Several days ago I posted a 1979 photo of "Santa" in front of the La Brea Circus in 1979. Apparently that was photo journalist Elisa Leonelli as Santa Claus and she took photos of herself all over Los Angeles as Santa Claus. Many were published in the French Photography magazine ZOOM:
A FEMALE SANTA CLAUS IN L.A.The Santa Claus figure is the symbol of Christmas In most parts of the world, but nowhere is it so pervasive as in the United States.Here he is not only a character from a fairy tale, that children dream about and hope to see some day. Everyone has a chance, at Xmas time, to meet Santa Claus and get a picture taken with him. There is a plethora of these red costumed figures walking around. Businesses, stores and institutions rent costumes and beards and hire unemployed actors to impersonate the old fellow. They hope to show their goodwill, get the people into the Christmas spirit, and sell more merchandise. In the country where fairy tales come true Santa Claus is a physical presence, the guy next door.As Xmastime approached last year, I, an Italian photographer living in Los Angeles (L.A.), was trying to figure a way to get into the Xmas spirit, so I decided to become Santa Claus. I went to a toy store, bought a Santa Claus costume, and put it on. With cameras and tripod I set out In the streets to take pictures of him (me) in L.A.People from Europe and from the East Coast often complain that it doesn't feel like Christmas in Los Angeles, because there is no snow, but actually I found out that there couldn't be a more perfect setting for Santa Claus. The fairy tale character comes alive in a city that looks like a fairy tale dream come true. The gingerbread houses, the Disneyland-like parks, the art-deco buildings, the bright colors -Santa Claus is at home in L.A.(c) Elisa Leonelli 1979.