A Day In The Life Of Santa

Here are the morning’s top stories on Tuesday, December 23, 2025…

• Christmas is two days away which means Santa Claus is pulling overtime. He’s at the mall taking photos and he’s project managing toy production. This story is all about the work of being Santa. So, if you’re listening with a child who’s expecting a visit from jolly old Saint Nick this year, you may want to turn down the volume. 
• California is preparing for another storm system that could bring dangerous conditions to large portions of the state.

It’s Go Time For Santa

Old Saint Nick is a total rock star to little kids, and December is when he goes on tour. On the calendar: photos at the mall, appearances at fundraisers, and official tree lighting ceremonies. But what does it take to maintain the magic of Christmas?

Myk Price is a professional Santa performer. This is his fourth year of performing in public – doing everything from photoshoots to fundraisers. “But I’ve actually been wearing the suit for private parties and friends’ kids for a little over 30 years,” Price said.

Like a lot of Santas, Price is naturally jolly, but there’s something that makes him a little different. “As of today, I am one of perhaps seven Black Santas in the entirety of California, maybe eight,” he said.

He said the Santa community immediately welcomed him into its peppermint-perfumed embrace. And while people of all backgrounds are thrilled to see him, on occasion a kid will say “hey you’re Black, you don’t look like the real Santa.” Price has a careful response. “Many people see Santa in many different ways, and have for centuries, and people have certain pictures in their heads. And just sometimes, depending on who’s here, there is somebody who really needs to see me looking like this. And so today I look like this. Tomorrow I can look like somebody else. It’s all a part of Christmas magic,” he said.

Storm Expected To Create Dangerous Conditions Across California

After a weekend of rainfall, the Bay Area and the rest of the state are bracing for days of dangerous stormy conditions expected to begin Tuesday night and extend through the rest of the week.

Two wind-fueled systems will hit the region throughout the Christmas holiday week, bringing a possibility of up to 80-mile-per-hour gusts, flood conditions and widespread power outages. “We really have several waves of potentially strong to moderate showers and thunderstorms, and along with that, we’re going to have very strong winds at the highest peaks,” said Joe Merchant, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Monterey office.

Redding has experienced major flooding after Sunday’s rainfall. City officials issued warnings to avoid multiple major roadways, and urged people to stay home and avoid driving when possible. According to Redding Mayor Mike Littau, a person who was stuck as water entered their vehicle died after calling 911 Sunday night. Littau said the person’s phone died while they were making the emergency call.

Southern California is likely to see the heaviest rainfall, late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. The National Weather Service is warning of potentially life-threatening floods. Evacuation orders went into effect Tuesday morning for nearly 400 properties in “various recent burn scar areas,” according to the L.A. County Office of Emergency Management.