Al Jastram Juggles Fatherhood as an Entertainer, Growing FM Santa dot Com From Clown College Roots

Al Jastram returns to The Fargo Five out of character to share the real story behind FMSanta.com and a lifetime spent entertaining. He started in the mid-1980s, teaching himself to juggle to keep his kids busy while his wife ran daycare at home. That do-it-yourself spark led to balloon animals, a homemade clown suit, and early birthday-party requests that arrived purely by word of mouth. In parallel, Al carried a commission-only sales career in the heyday of stereos and turntables at Team Electronics in West Acres Mall, where specs like wow and flutter still ruled the sales floor. The episode dives into how those years in sales honed his storytelling and people skills that later powered live shows.Al recalls teaming up with his close friend Jim Hegel through Valley Con, where they stabilized the event by turning hospitality into a friendly competition among fan groups. The two traded skills—magic for balloons—and built a two-man act that headlined street fairs and traveled the region. They sharpened their craft at the Priscilla Mooseberger clown school under veterans like boss clown Glenn Little, then toured as comedy magicians once heat exhaustion pushed Al out of heavy makeup and wigs. Throughout, Al kept discovering that what people wanted most was not a quick line of balloon animals but real entertainment that filled a corner with smiles and groans at impeccably timed dad jokes.Santa arrived almost by accident at a hospital “feast day” when Al was the new guy and drew the short straw for the suit. He negotiated to keep that suit long-term, started fielding seasonal invites, and eventually embraced a real beard to elevate the illusion. A tender moment with his granddaughter sealed the path: he told her Santa cannot be everywhere, so he helps. From that day, he protected the wonder for kids while growing FMSanta.com into a familiar fixture at daycares, preschools, photographer studios, and large public events. Al and Mrs. Claus have appeared at Pride of Dakota for North Dakota Agriculture in Fargo, Grand Forks, Minot, and Bismarck, Black Friday festivities in Detroit Lakes, and more. He favors events over mall stints because they let him perform continuously rather than sit idle for hours, and he sets aside late December for preschool and daycare story sessions where his natural gift for narrative keeps little ones rapt.The conversation also charts the practical side: direct-mail outreach to parks and fairs, word-of-mouth referrals, seasonal calendars that open to photographers in July and the public in August, and a measured approach to advance bookings. Al talks openly about friendship, craft, and building props with Jim, including a collapsible circus wagon that packed into a van. He reflects on retiring from day jobs while staying busy as Santa, trading long hours in stores for focused sets that deliver more joy per minute. The episode ends on legacy. Al plans to keep going as long as he is physically and emotionally able, because the payoff remains the same as it was in the living room—wide eyes, belly laughs, and the bright hush that falls when a story lands just right. If you spot Santa Al at your YMCA, at a holiday market, or under a photography studio’s lights, you are meeting a performer who has spent decades turning simple tools into unforgettable moments. That is the craft. That is the job. That is the joy.