How do you do Santa Claus?

When I was a kid we never did Santa Claus, we did Spirit of CHristmas. My husband's family went all out. Now, our son is one year old and one of the elders in my church has a custom made Santa suit, complete with boots (and a real beard) and he comes and visits families around Christmas time. Of course, all the children know that its really Father Jim, but they enjoy it anyway. I am thinking of doing this, because is meets my husband's upbringing and mine half way. What are some other ideas? I just don't want my son to grow up with the commercial idea of Christmas.