If you’ve lived in Spokane for long, chances are you, your children or your grandchildren have sat on Jim Burney’s lap. In 1974, when he first affixed a snowy beard to his clean-shaven face and donned a red, fur-trimmed suit, Santas were a dime a dozen downtown. “We had five department stores in downtown alone, each one with their own Santa Claus,” he said. When he heard about a Claus opening at JCPenney, he thought it sounded fun. “I’d taken some acting classes in college,” Burney said. He practiced his ho ho ho’s, and at the ripe old age of 26, he took his place on the upholstered chair at Penney’s. That was 39 years ago and he hasn’t missed a Christmas gig since/Cindy Hval, SR. More here. And: Q-and-A with Santa Claus here. (Colin Mulvany SR photo: After they had their picture taken, twins, Maddie and Erik Cathcart, 2, tell Santa what they want for Christmas at River Park Square on Saturday)

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Question: Do you have a memorable Santa story?

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