Thanksgiving through Christmas is the busy season for Danny Bland of Bland’s Sewer and Water in Alton, Ill. He’s not busy maintaining pipes, however, he’s busy maintaining hearts — including his own — by playing Santa Claus.“This will be my 15th year,” Bland says. “I’ve been playing Santa since my beard turned white. I wanted to do something for the kids and I enjoy this so much. No amount of money in the world can pay for how I feel when I get that feeling in my heart.”The 62-year-old with the 6-inch white beard refuses to take any pay for
