Second generation
The only way to be promoted to Santa is to start at the bottom and work your way up to head elf. After having been an elf for 31 years, Linskey took over the family business.
His parents, Martin and the late Jackie Linskey, had portrayed Santa and Mrs. Claus since he was 7 years old.
While the Linskey family was living in Valparaiso, their family friends threw a Christmas party. “They thought it would be great to have Santa at their family gathering,” Shane Linskey said. They asked Martin Linskey, Shane’s father, to play Santa. What started out with a fake beard, baseball cap and red jacket, grew into what would become a second-generation business, lasting more than 40 years and still ho-ho-ho’ing!
“The first year, my dad just helped out a family friend,” he said. “But, the next year, he started doing it more professionally with his own suit. It grew into a pretty cool thing.”
Throughout the years, the Linskey’s visited organizations, family parties, schools, hospitals, and participated in parades. As an elf, Shane drove his parents to venues, helped them inside, organized the children and got them ready to meet Mr. and Mrs. Claus.
In 2005, Martin and Jackie Linskey had to hang up their hats for health reasons.
In 2006, Shane Linskey picked up his dad’s profession. “As I went with him and saw the joy he brought to children of all ages; it was neat,” he said. That first year, “Santa Shane” did mall and private visits. “Being at the mall was great,” he said. “A lot of children who were very happy to see me every day”
The following year, Linskey got into corporate events. “I like to interact with the clients that I see, whether they’re children or adults,” he said. “At the mall, it was more fast-paced photo shoots, and that’s all. You didn’t really get to interact with the children or adults as much.”
Each year, from December 1 to December 25, you will find Santa Shane doing upwards of 30 to 40 corporate events, in-home visits, Christmas lighting ceremonies and festivals.
Real Beard Santa Claus travels from Madison, Wisconsin to Milwaukee Wisconsin, and areas in-between. Having traveled as far as Chicago for Santa visits, Santa Shane prefers the areas around Milwaukee and Madison as he can visit more people by remaining local.