Joseph Sabino Mistick: This Pittsburgher is a much-needed 'Buddy the Elf'

Chris Webb wore his “Buddy the Elf” costume again this year, right up until Christmas, on the job at Nordstrom in Ross Park Mall. Webb is a natural in a Buddy costume. At 6 feet 4 inches tall with an easy smile and a knack for astonishment, he could have been Will Ferrell’s double in “Elf,” Jon Favreau’s 2003 Christmas film.

USA Today ranked “Elf” the No. 3 best Christmas movie of all time, calling it “the closest this century we’ve had to an honest-to-goodness holiday classic” and saying that it is “filled with heart, humor and childlike wonder.”

As the movie tells us, Buddy is a human boy raised at the North Pole by elves. When he grows into an adult, he learns of his human roots and heads to New York City to find his biological father. Once he encounters the coldness of big city life, he responds with decency and kindness, changing the lives of others.

Webb’s Buddy transformation started as a holiday dare three years ago, when Jackie and Jack Casey and their son Mike decided it would be a hoot to see their friend and favorite haberdasher in an elfin onesie. So Webb wore it to work the next day under the curious eye of Nordstrom management, who quickly decided to go with it.

It was pure fun for the first two years. This is not a knock against Santa Claus, but he can be a little judgmental at times with all those “who’s been naughty and who’s been nice” questions. Buddy, a grown man in an elf’s hat and tights, doesn’t have that off-putting gravitas.

Like everything else in 2020, Webb’s Buddy had to adjust this year. He wore his mask at all times. He added more days and hours as Buddy. And with fewer people in the store, he spent a little more time with those who needed to spend a little more time with him.

“People needed more this year. They talked about their struggles and loved ones who are suffering or gone. They were looking for someone easy to be with and easy to talk to, someone approachable,” Webb said. And when they found Buddy, they lingered.

When a young child wandered away from his parents, the kid loved hanging with Buddy until his parents arrived. When an older couple lost track of each other, the husband was panicky until he spotted Buddy and knew he had found a friend who would help him find his wife.

One evening, the phone rang in the men’s department and the caller asked to speak to Webb. Webb knew the guy and remembered he was fighting some demons that had become tougher because of the pandemic.

“Can I come see Buddy?” the caller asked. “I know he’ll make me feel better.”

For Webb, the Buddy thing was a frolic for the first two years. Shoppers shouted “Hey Buddy” from across the store or drew close for a quick selfie to share with their friends before rushing off to shop more, and that was a good time.

But this year, Buddy had real work to do. This year, Webb was more than just a guy in a funny suit.