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Santa Gets Help From Cousin Pancho

Barrio folk hero sports a lowrider, elf entourage

By Ambreen Ali,  Newser User

Posted Dec 24, 2008 3:02 PM CST

(Newser) – Santa's been getting a little help from his South Pole cousin, Pancho Claus, the lowrider-driving barrio folk hero who doles out gifts on both sides of the Texas border. Pancho takes different forms—sporting a red zoot suit in Houston and a sombrero and black beard in San Antonio—but is often played by war veterans catering to underprivileged kids, the Houston Chronicle reports.

The legend was born in the 1970s during the Chicano civil-rights era, one enthusiast says. Each Pancho has his own take on his origins: One claims he’s the love child of Santa’s brother, Frank, and a Mexican woman. Another traces his roots to Mexico’s fields, where a wish-granting fairy godmother created him to make children happy.

Pancho Claus and his entourage of elves take his lowrider for a spin in an annual Houston parade.
Pancho Claus and his entourage of elves take his lowrider for a spin in an annual Houston parade.   (Flickr)
Pancho takes different forms in each Texan city, but he's a folk hero among barrio kids.
Pancho takes different forms in each Texan city, but he's a folk hero among barrio kids.   (Flickr)
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When what to my wondering eye should appear, but eight lowrider cars all jacked down in the rear!” - "Pancho" Richard Reyes' version of
'Twas the Night Before Christmas

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COMMENTS
Showing 1 of 1 comment
Guest
Dec 24, 2008 9:18 PM CST
Why not lPancho Claus? Why not St. Habib's Day in March? We already have Kawanza...a made-up racial holiday. Instead of trying to be Americans, certain groups go out of their way to separate themselves. Zoot suits? Oh, yeah, gangbang all the way..... Sheesh, what the hell have we become?

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