By Todd C. Elliott
PHOTO BY- Alana Mae Brown • Alanamaephotohraphy.com
In the public imagination, lawyers often live inside a world of gavels, deadlines and legal briefs — all sharp edges and serious faces. But here in Southwest Louisiana, the men and women of the bar are far more than courtroom warriors. They’re musicians and marathoners, gardeners and grill masters, painters, pilots, poets and parents — people whose passions reach far beyond the legal pad. In this new Lagniappe Magazine series, “Beyond the Bar,” we pull back the curtain on the lives of local attorneys when the weekend begins.
Each installment will profile a different lawyer whose life outside the office reveals something deeper about what drives them — the creativity, compassion, curiosity, or sheer joy that fuels their work in and out of the courtroom.
As a specialist in criminal and family law, Michael McHale is also the public defender for Cameron Parish. But that’s not all he is. In a courtroom, Michael McHale is known for his sharp arguments, calm demeanor, and an unwavering sense of fairness. But for the winter, the Lake Charles attorney is trading his crisp suit and case files for a red velvet coat and a hearty laugh.
When word spread that McHale had enrolled in Santa school, there were a few chuckles around the courthouse — but beneath the good-natured teasing lies something genuine. For McHale, becoming Santa isn’t a gimmick; it’s a way of life.
PHOTO BY- Alana Mae Brown • Alanamaephotohraphy.com
“I actually started as a Santa during the pandemic,” said McHale. “I saw an ad wanting a Santa for Zoom calls. And I answered the ad. And I’ll be honest; nobody ever got back with me. But it just sounded like a fun idea. I’d let my beard grow out during the pandemic and got a cheap Santa suit and did it mostly for friends and family. I had so much fun that the next year I bought a nicer Santa suit. I did it for a few charities and photographers. And every year it just got bigger and bigger, for five years now.”
Last month, McHale headed north to Midland, Mich., home of the world-famous Charles Howard Santa Claus School — the Ivy League of sleigh bells and storytelling.
There, aspiring Santas from across the country gather to study everything from the proper twinkle in the eye to the ethics of kindness. It’s where the myth of Santa becomes a craft, where the red suit becomes a symbol of joy, generosity and connection.
“I was hanging out with 300 guys that wanted to be Sant, and I can’t think of a more fun crowd than that,” McHale said.
The school is often described as the “Harvard of Santa training.” Founded in 1937 by Charles W. Howard, a Macy’s parade Santa and one of America’s most beloved interpreters of Saint Nick, the school has carried on a legacy of kindness, tradition and authenticity for nearly nine decades. What began as one man’s mission to elevate the image of Santa Claus into something pure and meaningful has since grown into an institution that draws students from around the globe — each determined to learn how to embody the true spirit of Christmas.
The program blends history, heart and hands-on performance. Over several days, would-be Santas immerse themselves in lessons on everything from beard care and costume maintenance to child psychology and storytelling. They study the origins of the Santa legend, rehearse their “ho-ho-ho,” and even practice answering the most challenging questions children can ask —from “How does Santa get around the world in one night?” to “Why can’t I see the reindeer?” Between workshops, students share meals, trade tips, and build a fraternity of kindness that stretches far beyond the classroom.
“I learned about the heart of Santa,” he said. “that Santa truly is the Christmas Spirit. Students who attend hear from child psychologists, learn sign language. We learned about marketing and things of that nature. But what I learned the most from was just talking to other Santas from all over. When I first walked into the hotel filled with guys with white beards, I felt like this was my people. That I had found my tribe.”
McHale said that he received a diploma from the oldest Santa school in the country and was proud of it. Believe it or not, there’s more than one Santa college, starting in October every year with the goal of preparing Santas from around the world and get them “Christmas-ready.”
“You literally learn everything from Christmas stories to child psychology to how to maintain your beard,” said McHale. “My calendar is filling up, but it’s not full. I’d like to do more Zoom calls as Santa, home appearances for kids and Christmas parties. I want to plan on making appearances at Christmas charities, schools and hospitals, as well as nursing homes.”
McHale said that one of the most important things to have at the ready when being Santa Claus is an answer for anything that a child might want for Christmas. The Santa curriculum provides tactics and answers for when kids ask for the darndest things for Christmas — like healing the sick, bringing someone back into their lives or even a puppy.
“The thing you have to tell the kids who ask for such things is something like, ‘I’m just a toymaker, but I will write your name down in my little red book of prayers and Santa will keep it close to my heart.’ And I learned that with things like that, Santa has to always be on his toes,” said McHale. “When it comes to a puppy, Santa has to explain to the children that because Santa flies from the north pole, it would be far too cold for a dog to travel with Santa. And at that point, the dog or any pet is put on the parents.”
For every Santa, there should be a sleigh or Santamobile, and McHale purchased a red and white Ford Bronco that looks like something Santa himself might drive, complete with a license plate that reads: “NORTHP.” A few months ago, McHale spotted something on a used car lot that put a twinkle in his eye: a 2005 Ford Thunderbird convertible that is red with a white hardtop.
“That car just spoke to me,” he said with a grin. “It said ‘Santa needed that’ so Santa got a little gift for himself.”
What makes the Charles Howard School truly special isn’t just its curriculum — it’s the spirit that fills every corner of the room. Attendees often describe the experience as transformative, rekindling their own sense of wonder and reminding them why the role of Santa endures. For them, it’s not about performance; it’s about purpose. By the time the course concludes, each graduate leaves not just with a diploma, but with the joyful responsibility of carrying on a timeless tradition—spreading hope, generosity, and a little Christmas magic wherever they go.
“One year, I had a photographer that wanted to shoot me with a little girl that had Autism,” he said. “This photographer had taken this young girl’s picture every year and never could get her to smile for the photos before. So, I go in as Santa, and for the first time, that little girl smiled for a photo. And I’m really proud of that. I do a lot of things with special needs people, and those are some of the best because they just get so excited and there’s so much love and excitement there. Even when you’re around adults, you notice it. Adults, when they’re around Santa, you see them go back to when they were a kid, and you can see that excitement of childhood in their eyes. To me, that makes it all worth it. The beauty of being Santa is in the fact that it’s an opportunity to bring real joy to people and I can’t tell you what a thrill that is. That’s just one of the highlights of my life right there.”
PHOTO BY- Alana Mae Brown • Alanamaephotohraphy.com
For this Lake Charles lawyer, it’s about more than earning a certificate or perfecting the “ho-ho-ho.” It’s about bringing something rare back to Southwest Louisiana — a reminder of wonder in a weary world. By Christmas 2025, when he dons the beard and steps into that familiar legend, he won’t just be playing a role. He’ll be carrying the spirit of belief itself, one smile, one child’s laughter, and one quiet moment of magic at a time.
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