About Santa David Bates

Santa David Bates is a real-bearded Santa, a member of the International Brotherhood of Real Bearded Santas, and 2023 is his 19th Christmas season as a Santa.

David is a lifelong Oklahoman and has been a Tulsan since 1969. He is retired from Saint Francis Health System and previously worked for the Cities Service Companies. He is married and has two children and five grandchildren. He is an active member of First Baptist Church in Tulsa.

His 2023 season will include several appearances at Philbrook's Festival Nights, as well as homeowners' association parties, local businesses, and other events. To book Santa David for your 2023 event, send an elf mail to Santa_Tulsa@yahoo.com

You can learn more about Santa from this 2010 Tulsa World feature story about Philbrook's Santa and the accompanying Q&A, this 2008 Urban Tulsa Weekly profile of Santa David Bates, a 2013 profile in Tulsa People, this 2014 Tulsa World story on grooming bushy beards, a 2015 Tulsa World interview by Scott Cherry, and in this tribute column by his son, Michael Bates.

Please visit and like Santa David on Facebook, too!