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Merry Christmas

... from the extended Bates family to your family. Photo by Cole Elijah Cunningham, featuring Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus at Philbrook....

Posted by Michael Bates on December 25, 2011 12:16 AM

Philbrook Festival of Trees begins -- take a picture with Santa!

Philbrook's Festival of Trees 2011 begins today, November 19, 2011, running through December 11, 2011, and Santa will be there for pictures weekend days throughout the festival. Admission to the Festival of Trees is included in admission for the Philbrook Museum of Art. To learn more about David Bates, Philbrook's...

Posted by Michael Bates on November 19, 2011 12:02 AM

Philbrook's Santa in the news

There was a nice feature in the daily paper on Thursday about the guy I've called Dad for the last four decades or so, but who's known around Philbrook this time of year as Santa Claus. The Philbrook Museum's Festival of Trees is in full swing - and one jolly...

Posted by Michael Bates on December 2, 2010 10:56 PM

Santa Claus, <em>Stinky Cheese Man</em> illustrator at Philbrook today

Santa Claus returns to Tulsa's Philbrook Art Museum for the 25th anniversary of the Festival of Trees. Today (November 21, 2009) is the members' opening of the Festival; the Festival opens to the public on Sunday. Santa will be at Philbrook each weekend of the festival (including the Friday after...

Posted by Michael Bates on November 21, 2009 1:20 AM

Holly and Shamrock: Santa Clauses parade in Tennessee

Tulsa's Santa David Bates is attending the 2009 Celebrate Santa convention in Gatlinburg, Tenn., this week, and he's posting daily updates on his website. This afternoon is the big event: The Holly and Shamrock Parade, with of hundreds of Santa Clauses, plus Mrs. Clauses, elves, and reindeer, in honor of...

Posted by Michael Bates on March 17, 2009 12:59 PM

Christmas 2008

Christmas 2008 so far: On the way to work the morning of the 24th, I spotted water flowing out from our street onto the nearest arterial. I doubled back and saw that the source a couple of springs emerging from cracks in the concrete. I called my wife, who called...

Posted by Michael Bates on December 26, 2008 10:57 PM

David Bates, Tulsa Santa, featured in <em>Urban Tulsa Weekly</em>

The December 18-24, 2008, issue of Urban Tulsa Weekly includes a feature story about Santa David Bates by managing editor Katie Sullivan. Some clips: Bates is in his fourth year as one of Tulsa's many Santas that grace the city's holiday surroundings and events. After retiring four years ago from...

Posted by Michael Bates on December 18, 2008 8:57 AM