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GRANTING WISHES ...for 47 years!
Woman's Day Australia
|December 22, 2025
Stepping in for Father Christmas keeps Harold happy
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When Harold Connell is asked why he's spent almost five decades sweating it out in a red velvet suit at Christmas, he just grins. “Because the magic never gets old!” the 84-year-old tells Woman's Day. “Christmas is such a joyful time, and people are so happy — why wouldn’t you spread a little cheer?”
Better known to shoppers as Santa Harold, he first took on the role in 1974 at a toy shop in his hometown of Greensborough, Victoria. At the time, Harold was a firefighter, looking for a side gig to help provide for his wife, Elvia, and their three kids.
This story is from the December 22, 2025 edition of Woman's Day Australia.
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