As long as you believe in Santa Claus, he will come to you.

Lamar Steed laughingly said that he’s long in the jaw but he’s not about to say exactly how long.

But, then age doesn’t matter among believers. That’s why Steed waited patiently in line at First National Bank in Brundidge for his turn to sit on Santa’s knee and share his Christmas wishes.

“What I asked Santa Claus for was an apple, an orange, orange slices and Brazil nuts or walnuts,” Steed said. “That’s what Santa Claus brought me when I was a little boy and that’s what I hope he will bring me this year.”

Steed was one of several “big” children who visited with Santa Claus in Brundidge this week and revisited Christmases past.

“It did bring back a lot of memories for me,” Steed said. “And, if all I get is an apple, an orange, orange slices and some nuts, that will be enough.

When Steed was a little boy, that was more than enough to make Christmas merry and bright.

“My daddy had a two-horse farm and he and Mama did the best they could. We didn’t get much but we didn’t know that it wasn’t much,” he said. “Our Christmas was simple. We would go to the woods and cut cedar tree. The only decorations on the tree were icicles. I had two sisters and, on Christmas Eve, each one of us would set out a straight back chair and that’s where Santa Claus would put what he brought us.”

In addition to the traditional Santa gifts of fruit and nuts, Steed said he would get a toy.

“One time, I got a tricycle and another time a red wagon. Those were big Christmases. But it was always exciting when Santa Claus came.”

Steed said his mama and daddy were very secretive about Santa Claus.

“I remember one Christmas I saw a hoof print close the house and I just knew that Santa Claus’ reindeer had been there,” he said. “Daddy has some calves but I continued to believe” … until the children at school took away the magic.

“I was about 15 years old then,” Steed said, laughing. “It was a big disappointment when it happened but I tried to make out like it was not true.”

And Steed said he still believes in Santa Claus. That’s why he stood in line to make his Christmas wishes known and to let Santa know that the simple gifts he received as a boy were good enough.

“And they still are,” Steed said.