VIDEO: Bruce Templeton launches Twenty Four Teddy Bears!

Last Thursday on September 29, 2016 Bruce Templeton launched his latest publication Twenty Four Teddy Bears: A Christmas Journey. This latest book, published by Creative Book Publishing, rounds out a trilogy for Templeton. His initial release, The Man in the Red Suit, garnered international attention and was a Globe and Mail best seller. The second book in the series equaled in its success, and was called The Man with the White Beard.

Like the initial two, this new book is meant to be read in the lead up to Christmas with each chapter corresponding with a date in the month. The stories profile the folks who were recipients of special teddy bears that Bruce, in his efforts as Santa’s assistant, helps get to people in Newfoundland and Labrador.

If you missed the launch, take a look at this video, then be sure to visit the signings and sightings section of the website for all of Bruce’s upcoming appearances.

Photos from Bruce Templeton’s launch of Twenty Four Teddy Bears

On Thursday, September 29, 2016 Bruce Templeton launched the third book in his Christmas series that shares his experiences assisting Santa! Published by Creative Book Publishing, the book was made available for the first time ever at the event held in the Knights of Columbus hall in St. John’s, NL.

As of today, you can find the book in many retailers, and online. Bruce will also be available at a number of signings and appearances, which you can find here.

Photo Credits: Joshua Jamieson and Bernadette Gentry

Bruce shows Olivia where her story is found in the book (on page 89)

The Telegram’s Keith Gosse taking photos for the paper!

Bruce speaking to guests at the launch.

 

Bruce Templeton to release third book – Twenty Four Teddy Bears – September 29!

Creative Book Publishing is excited to present Twenty-Four Teddy Bears: A Christmas Journey by bestselling author Bruce Templeton.

Join us on Thursday, September 29, 2016 from 6pm to 8pm at the Knight of Columbus located at 49 St. Clare Avenue in St. John’s, NL, to join in the celebration.

Twenty-Four Teddy Bears chronicles twenty-four of Santa’s most memorable visits over the past thirty-seven years. These have taken him from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to Senior’s Homes, and Santa has left the bears with tiny newborns, people who’ve passed their 100th birthday, and all kinds of children, adults, Christmas doubters, and Christmas believers in-between.

Stories that will make you laugh and cry, but most importantly make you appreciate the true meaning of the holiday season.

All are welcome, admission is FREE, refreshments will be served and books will be available for purchase.

Visit the Facebook event page here, and feel free to invite/bring friends!

New journal entries as Bruce continues to assist Santa with Newfoundland and Labrador visits

Bruce has been busy assisting Santa since our last update on Monday! Here are some more bits of news about their experiences together since then:

December 14, 11:30pm
Santa looked on the shelf tonight and 30 of the 48 teddies have found new arms to hold them. So 18 more visits in 10 days ending in the children’s hospital on Christmas Eve. Today was wonderful in that a very caring law firm held a big dinner for those in our city who through illness, addiction, or just plain bad luck find themselves in need this year. There was beautiful food, music, dancing and genuine warmth. Santa had a ball.

The photos are from an engagement last week where Santa’s helicopter landed and he had breakfast with over 260 people. Imagine being child and you are standing on the balcony of a community centre. It is very cold and soon you hear the thump thump engine of a helicopter and Santa drops out of the sky landing in the swirling snow right before your eyes.

We get one chance to keep the dream alive for children.

December 17
Three more teddies have found new arms to hold them in the last 24 hours.

Santa absolutely loves Buckmasters Circle and the children there. For those not familiar with the name, it is a former military base in the centre of St. John’s, NL. The children are very different. They may not have all the latest toys and clothes but do they make up for it in other more important ways. Santa went into a room packed with kids and as always, he got down on the floor. The kids climbed all over him but with great respect and kindness. But what Santa notices the most is how caring they are for one another. Older brothers and sisters with their younger siblings on their hips and looking out for their well-being. There is no fighting, just the joy of Santa’s visit and several hundred appreciative, curious, and well mannered youth who make Santa’s visit one of the nicest of the 48 Santa will do.

The second teddy is with a new Canadian tonight. Thank goodness Santa has an elf to read the names of the children at Daybreak on the Boulevard. I think the wonderful staff there are as excited as the children when Santa peeked around the door and looked into the wide eyes of astonished little kids. They are all 1 to 4 years old. The children come from every corner of the world and for some, this is their first Christmas in Canada. They may not have met Santa before, but tonight there is a little two year old, with big blue glasses, curly brown hair and the biggest grin you can ever imagine clutching Santa’s teddy.

Tomorrow at 8:30 am, Santa has yet another first experience here in Newfoundland. He has been asked to come to the H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Treatment Centre to be present with a little girl while she is there for her radiation treatment. Santa’s teddy will be there too and teddy and the little girl will go home together.

Come with me St. Nicholas. Santa needs your guidance.

Annual flight to the North Pole; 18 NL youth meet the man in the red suit!

Santa had a very early start in the North Pole as a Provincial Airlines plane left St. john’s with 18 very excited children and one parent. Every child had a question that they wanted Santa to answer and the children were selected by 99.1 Hits FM. Santa is advised there were many thousand entries.

When the plane landed in the North Pole, and was pulled into the big hanger, Santa boarded the plane and met every child. An elf followed Santa and delivered gifts. Santa’s teddy stayed with Olivia, a beautiful little girl who is diabetic and has a feeding tube. Her question was “Can Santa fix sick little girls and boys?”

You get one chance to made a memory for a child. We have kept the dream alive for 18 children who will never forget their adventure this morning.

After the Flight to the North Pole, Santa went to a seniors home where family and friends gathered to meet Santa.

Santa sits with little Grant at Tiffany Village

Once that was completed, we did floor visits on the Assisted Living Floors. As we got off the elevator on one floor, an attendant came quickly and asked if Santa could visit a specific room for the elderly resident was dying and the family had gathered. I stopped for moment and said a quiet word with St. Nicholas and asked him to go into the room first. (St. Nick travels with Santa in difficult times.)

We went into the living area where somber family sat in quiet vigil. We talked quietly as members went into the bedroom and said their goodbyes. Santa reached into his mail bag and took out teddy and gave it to a family member who hugged it. As I got ready to leave, a woman said that they would take teddy into the bedroom. They thanked Santa for coming.

So a morning with 18 children on a plane and now in a unit where a soul is departing. And only half of Santa’s day is done. 75 children are next.

More updates from Bruce and Santa on the road…

Five teddies in new children’s arms tonight. We started the morning early with breakfast for several hundred staff members at Eastern Health. Then at noon, Santa found a wonderful daycare with some sweet young children. But the highlight of the day was Santa’s visit to Ronald McDonald House and sitting on the floor with a house full of kids reading the Night Before Christmas. A Little girl in a wheelchair has Teddy and promises to look after him forever.

Santa joined Buddy the Puffin at center ice and we collected thousands and thousands of teddy bears at the hockey game. Another busy day tomorrow and we start with “the Flight to the North Pole” at 6am.

Santa and Buddy the Puffin

Sky high Santa

While out and about over the last few days assisting Santa, Bruce managed to get some candid photos of the man in the red suit!

With the sleigh being tuned up for maximum efficiency on the big night, Santa gets a hand from Universal Helicopters to make some of his early visits to Newfoundland and Labrador.

In these photos, you can see Santa as he arrived for the St. John’s Downtown Christmas parade, as well as a few from a recent visit to Outer Cove, NL.

Santa flew with Pilot Lorne to meet 250 kids and parents there. There was a big playful snow ball fight before some signature teddy bears were passed on to loving children who were all very excited!

Templeton at TEDx a success!

Bruce Templeton speaks at the St. John’s TEDx event May 22, 2015

We previously shared the news that author of The Man in the Red Suit and The Man with the White Beard, Bruce Templeton, would be sharing some words of wisdom at the May 22 TEDx event in St. John’s, NL.

Well we’re very pleased to share that the speaking engagement went extremely well! After the event where Templeton received a standing ovation, he said that he felt “the whole room was very moved by their adventure.”

There will be video footage of the talk posted online in the near future, and when that becomes available, you can be sure to find it here on Bruce’s official website.  Of the video, he says “I want people to receive the gift Santa offers and then for them to share it.” So – stay tuned!

Bruce shares what updates and new stories are coming in The Man with the White Beard

Bruce Templeton talks about setting up The Man with the White Beard