True to his tradition, François Ayuda distributed gifts and a touch of magic to sick children at the Béziers hospital

With his cart full of presents, Father Christmas, François Ayuda, makes the rounds of the sick children in the pediatric ward. Mathilde Jullien – Midi Libre

François Ayuda, as Santa Claus, with part of the nursing staff of the pediatric department of the Béziers hospital center. Mathilde Jullien – Midi Libre

Thanks to the generosity of the partners of the association, “Les marionnettes du cœur, mon Papa Noël”, each year, François Ayuda puts on the Santa Claus outfit, to distribute gifts and a touch of magic to the children of the pediatric department of the Béziers hospital. Without forgetting to pay tribute to the daily dedication of the white coats.

10 a.m., in the corridors of the Béziers hospital center, the excitement is rising around François Ayuda. Dressed in his long red robe lined with wolf fur, and hidden behind his beautiful curly beard, we can only see his eyes, which, for more than 40 years, have rested on sick children, particularly those hospitalized in the pediatric ward.

His sack, a wheeled cart, pushed by a nurse through the corridor, is overflowing with teddy bears, chocolates and toys, collected from generous partners, thanks to his association, “Les marionnettes du cœur, mon Papa Noël”, founded in 2012. “Come on Santa Claus, get to work”, says a nurse cheerfully, and the red dress starts moving, followed by a small group composed of, among others, his wife, Evelyne, the mayor of Béziers and his wife, the director of the hospital, in addition to the nurses who assist him. To help him find his way, they have cleverly hung red hats in front of the doors he will have to go through.

Stuffed toys, chocolate, small cars and other toys overflow from the cart

Groping and gently, he makes his appearance in the bedrooms of children who are sometimes still groggy from the night, or impressed. And when faced with the shy ones, François Ayuda, full of experience and savoir-être, finds the subterfuge and manages to brighten their eyes, by placing a gift in their hands. Even when he has to stay on the doorstep, arms wide open, to greet a contagious child, his presence does not leave these little bedridden children indifferent.

With his arm wrapped in a bandage, sitting on his bed, a little boy plays with his figurines while the TV shows cartoons… It is with big, amazed eyes that he welcomes Santa Claus, from whom he receives a magic slate, a small car and some chocolate… His mother, at his side “hopes he will come home today”. “We will let him go, he is better”, reassures a nurse. With his little hand, the child mimes a kiss that he sends, before throwing a “goodbye Santa Claus” to melt hearts… A last little word of encouragement to the mother, the traditional “Merry Christmas”, and François Ayuda resumes his tour of the pediatric ward.

“We're going to ask this ray of sunshine full of love for you”.

But it's not just the little ones who benefit from his generosity. Two young girls, pre-teens, are also waiting for his visit. They will receive a helmet and a game to make bracelets, as well as a stuffed animal, which one of them is already clutching in her hands, her face lit up by a broad smile, unlike her friend, who, her eyes misty, looks sad. “Can we take 5 minutes, we're not late ?”, asks Santa Claus. Faced with this little bout of blues, he undertakes a magic trick, and pretends to catch a ray of sunshine at the window. Suddenly, his hand lights up, thanks to a small hidden lamp.“We're going to ask for lots of love for you, from this ray of sunshine.” It's won, a smile emerges at the corners of the hospitalized girl's lips.

“I'm passing through but you, you're here all year, the Santa Clauses in white”

Little by little, from room to room, the trolley empties, and it's time to go down to the pediatric emergency room, where he creates a surprise. A mother rushes to his side for a photo, leaning her head towards his beard, and holding his hand. At his touch, even the adults become children again… Just like the nursing staff, who also ask for their photo, spreading a joyful agitation for a short moment, before calm takes possession of the place again. “I'm a passing Santa Claus but you, you're here all year long, the Santa Clauses in white”, he gets emotional. After this tribute to the white coats, and after thanking Robert and Emmanuelle Ménard, for “the beautiful illuminations in town”, it's time for him to go to neonatology.

His day, the most important of the year, is far from over, after a break in the afternoon, Santa Claus Ayuda will go to the homes of sick children in the evening, it is then that he will be able to celebrate the nativity, with his mother Christmas, his wife Evelyne, who animates the puppets during their interventions.