By day, Dana B. Friedman, 63, is a trial attorney at LAW OFFICES OF DANA B. FRIEDMAN downtown. By night, the Kew Gardens resident transforms into ol’ Saint Nick, donating “truckloads of toys” to charities, something he started doing after 9/11 by giving back to first responders’ families.
“I hope the kids get out of it as much as I get out of it,” said Friedman. “The joy is just overwhelming.”
With over 100 Santa appearances this season, Friedman leans into time management. The law comes first, but, “I’ve always been able to adjourn conflicted matters and never have missed an appearance, whether judicially or as Santa,” he said. “It’s something I’m extremely proud of.”
The roles rarely co-mingle, but once, when en route to a charity event, Friedman got a last-minute call to fill in for another attorney. He wore a long black trench coat over his Santa suit, but the judge wasn’t having it and asked him to remove the coat, revealing his signature red and white attire.
“I believe the suit and tie represent respect for the law and quite possibly the judge felt I was not showing proper etiquette and decorum,” said Friedman, who confirmed to the judge he was on his way to a charity event. “I didn’t want to use our philanthropic deeds to be improperly taken into consideration. However, I won the hearing.”
His firm’s paralegals weren’t always on board with his side ho-ho-hustle. Initially, he got mixed reactions from colleagues, but after seeing joyful children at his charity events, “most have seen the light and joined in the fun as elves or Santa’s helpers.”
Friedman has nine Santa suits — one is always in his car for last-minute invitations, and said the Santa gig has made him a better lawyer. “It’s made me a better listener,” he said.
Whenever he wears the Santa garb, though, “I’m the real thing,” he added. “That’s it, period. End of story. I treat it that way.”
entire NY Post article: https://nypost.com/2022/11/27/need-christmas-cash-want-to-spread-joy-get-santa-suited-up/
entire NY Magazine article: https://www.curbed.com/2022/12/santa-claus-ride-along-dana-friedman.html
Santa set up shop in New York City in response to the events of September 11th, 2001 to give back to the community and the families of the first responders who valiantly gave their all to the innocent victims of terrorism. With so many victims of the terror attack left spending their first holiday season still mourning missing loved ones. NewYorkSanta was created to give something back and let the families of the first responders know they were being thought of, there was still hope, and possibly even a bit of magic still left alive in an otherwise battered city.
That first season, NewYorkSanta offered Santa’s services exclusively to the families of the first responders and the victims of the World Trade Center attack and set out to reach as many of the families as we could. In the years that followed, New York Santa began providing Santa’s services to hospitals, orphanages, and other institutions where children might not otherwise receive a visit from Santa.
Now years later while NewYorkSanta makes appearances at private and corporate events, we never forget our initial purpose, of visiting children who might not otherwise receive a visit from Santa and bring them toys, cheer, and holiday spirit. For many children; I am the only Santa they’ve ever known, for them, I am the real Santa.
Dana “Santa” Friedman, Patricia Florio and the staff of New York Santa.