Remembering Michael Alan Hamlin, beloved Santa of “My Dream in a Shoebox”

(Manila, Philippines, November 2013)—Christmas has always been synonymous with Santa Claus. For some, Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without Santa. For the My Dream in a Shoebox campaign, the goal is to continue the work of its first Santa, brand authority Michael Alan Hamlin, who passed away in March 2013.

Led by strategic marketing communications firm TeamAsia and the Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), My Dream in a Shoebox was launched in 2009 with the simple goal of distributing shoeboxes filled with school supplies to support the education of underprivileged children. Since then, it has collected and distributed over 24,043 shoeboxes, 245 computers, and ₱4.5 million in financial assistance nationwide.

Hamlin suited up in the iconic red-and-white Santa garb and easily became every kid’s dream come true. He once wrote about his experience as Santa in his professional blog: “…The children’s eyes lit up, huge smiles appeared and chants of ‘Santa, Santa’ filled the room. When given the chance, the children jockeyed for a position near Santa, held his hands, and slung their arms around his neck.”

“He took his role very seriously. As we prepared for the campaign’s second year in 2010, he told us that he wanted to have a more authentic-looking Santa costume, and not just the makeshift costume he wore the first time around,” said Bea Lim, daughter and successor to Hamlin as TeamAsia’s managing director. “Because of this, my mom had a velvet suit made for him as a surprise. To complete the look, he even bought a pair of ‘Santa glasses.’ He rocked the outfit!” Hamlin even got his wife, TeamAsia president Monette Iturralde-Hamlin, to dress up as Mrs. Santa to complete the Christmas experience.

But it did not stop with the costume. Hamlin never turned down any child who wanted to hug or talk to him, despite the heat and exhaustion. As much as possible, he took the time to get to know every child he met at the event. “He didn’t just play the part of Santa, he lived it,” recalled Lim.

A successful brand strategist, Hamlin poured his heart into his work, especially his own personal brand. This is why he regarded suiting up as Santa not a temporary gig but a commitment, even after being diagnosed with cancer in 2012. “While the project is about sharing school supplies to help with the kids’ education, he would convince people to also give toys to the kids. He saw that receiving toys really made the children’s eyes light up,” Lim said.

Hamlin was also recognized as Santa even without the costume, Mrs. Hamlin recalls. “Sometimes children would see him and call out to him. Once, around Christmas, we got stuck in traffic and, suddenly, a group of children surrounded the car chanting ‘Santa! Santa!’”

IBPAP Senior Executive Director Gigi Virata recounted her observation of Hamlin’s effect on the children. “I remember the smiles on the kids’ faces whenever Mike, as Santa, would walk into the room,” she said. “It was a great touch—he personified the campaign and made it even more real to the kids.”

“It was the Santa in him,” Lim added. “For him, everyone deserved to be happy on Christmas.”

Now on its fifth year, My Dream in a Shoebox targets have been raised to collect 15,000 shoeboxes and ₱1.5 million in cash donations. IBPAP and TeamAsia are also expanding the program to more areas, with more drop-off points for shoeboxes nationwide.

“This year, we are motivated to achieve even greater things,” Lim said. “As we say ‘bon voyage’ to the first Santa of My Dream in a Shoebox, Michael Alan Hamlin, we promise to continue his awesome legacy of creating smiles and spreading happiness not only during the Christmas season but all year ’round.”

Donations and volunteers for the My Dream in a Shoebox campaign are welcome. To extend your support, please contact Zyra Rayos del Sol of IBPAP through 817-2727 or zyrarayosdelsol@bpap.org, or Johanna Manimbo of TeamAsia through 757-3500 local 336 or jimanimbo@shoeboxcampaign.teamasia.com.

He didn’t just play the part of Santa, he lived it. My Dream in a Shoebox continues to bring happiness to children in memory of its beloved Santa, brand authority Michael Alan Hamlin, who passed away this year at the age of 60.

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About My Dream in a Shoebox

My Dream in a Shoebox is a Christmas campaign that collects and distributes shoeboxes filled with school supplies to Filipino children and provides funding to help build public schools nationwide. Now on its fifth year, it continues to inspire Filipino children to follow their dreams and encourages organizations, employees, and individuals to give and share—the true spirit of the Christmas season.

My Dream in a Shoebox is a joint corporate social responsibility initiative of the Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) and strategic marketing communications firm TeamAsia.