This is Rasta Claus, AKA Cleve Freckleton.

He jumped at the chance to step into Santa’s boots when his colleagues asked him to dress up at the school where he works at.

Music teacher Cleve, 54, works at Delia’s Special School in Bradford and first made his Rasta Claus appearance back in 2012.

He was keen not to confuse kids who traditionally think of Father Christmas as being a big, white guy with a massive white beard.


And so Cleve developed Rasta Claus, who rocks long dreads and loves reggae music.

‘The kids I worked with had special needs, with autism and such, so I didn’t want to go in there and confuse anybody,’ he explains.



‘So instead, I decided to create a whole new Christmas character with his own backstory.’

Rasta Claus is the child of Father Time and Mother Nature and he has his own motto: ‘Give a lickle back’.

And while he still has a grotto of sorts, kids arrive to find a golden coin given by Mother Africa.

Only when they’ve found the coin can they trade it in for a gift.

Cleve, who is originally from Jamaica, says that he wanted to spread the message that if you give something to the earth, you can get something back.

‘My thinking was more ecological, in that it is important to be giving to the earth, to be planting seeds to be able to give to the earth in order to get something back.

‘Rather than just asking what kids want for Christmas, it is also about what they would like to give for Christmas.’

And it’s hardly a surprise to learn that Rasta Claus has gone down an absolute treat with the punters.

Cleve’s been inundated with requests for appearances.

‘It is so lovely to be in character and see the happiness on people’s faces, old and young,’ he says.

‘I see people and kids from all backgrounds and faiths. It’s lovely to put aside all the world’s problems and cultural divisions and create moments that are beautiful.’

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