Merry Christmas from Sam Grey Horse 🐴

The Christmas legend of Sam Grey Horse

Sam Grey Horse on his mule, Mula, wearing a Santa suit.

Sam Grey Horse lives the “Native” life in east Austin on the “road that time forgot.” | Photo by ATXtoday

No, that’s not Santa Claus you’ve seen trotting on horseback down Congress Avenue. It’s lifelong Austinite Sam Grey Horse on his mule, Mula.

You may have seen Sam before — he’s been taking to the streets dressed up as St. Nick for years and watching the city change for even longer. Since 1961, to be exact. He’s been called the “Sixth Street Cowboy” in honor of his affinity for riding his horses downtown — a title he renounces due to his indigenous heritage.

An instagram post of Sam Grey Horse on his horse, Big Tex, for a photoshoot with Patagonia Austin. — Sam lives in East Austin on “the road that time forgot” with his dogs and ponies.

If you haven’t seen his holiday antics, perhaps you’ve heard of Sam from his music career, touring with the local band Greyhounds, as a model for Patagonia, filming with Richard Linklater, or when he made national news in 2011 for receiving a DUI while riding his mule on Sixth Street — the charges were later dropped.

During winter, Sam dons his big red suit and mounts one of his steeds — Big Tex, Big Red, or Mula — who were rescued from slaughterhouses. He’ll often sing from a cordless microphone and claims his horses dance alongside him when they’re happy. Sometimes, he’ll stop his “Ho! Ho! Ho!s” to give a lucky child a ride.

After a 2010 accident on a racing horse left him with 12 broken ribs, collapsed lungs, a broken neck, broken clavicle, cracked skull, broken wrist, and in a coma, Sam said doctors told him he would never be able to walk or ride a horse again. Sam said just like he saved his ponies, they also nursed him back to health, because “that’s how the universe teaches you.”

You can still spot Sam spreading cheer outside of the holiday season. You’ll have the most luck if you frequent the Continental Club, where the Greyhounds regularly play, C-Boys Heart & Soul, and The Saxon Pub.

“I’ve been doing this for 10 years — there’s just some energy that makes me get up and do it,” Sam said. “If I can heal people with a smile, their healing hits me 10-fold. And I know it heals me.”

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Thursday, Dec. 22

Armadillo Christmas Bazaar | Now-Friday, Dec. 23 | 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. | Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd., Austin | $12-$47 | Shop for artisan gifts, dig into food from local vendors, and take in live music at this annual lakeside bazaar.
Donate at We Are Blood | Thursday, Dec. 22 | 8 a.m.-6 p.m. | We Are Blood, 4300 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin | Free | For a limited time, blood donors will receive a free Alamo Drafthouse movie ticket for their donation.
Menorah Lighting | Now-Monday, Dec. 26 | 5:30 p.m. | Lakeway City Hall, 1102 Lohmans Crossing Rd., Lakeway | Free | Join in on a nightly menorah lighting for the Festival of Lights.
PAACK | Thursday, Dec. 22 | 6-7:30 p.m. | The Saxon Pub, 1320 S. Lamar Blvd., Austin | Free | This all-star, five-piece girl band is bringing music to your ears — tips are appreciated.

Friday, Dec. 23

Winter Wanderland | Now-Sunday, Dec. 25 | 12 p.m. | Austin Motel, 1220 S. Congress Ave., Austin | Free | Enjoy photos with Hunky Santa on Thursdays, movie screenings on Fridays, caroling on Saturdays, and pop-ups on Sundays at this event.

Saturday, Dec. 24

Christmas Dinner at Corinne | Saturday, Dec. 24-Sunday, Dec. 25 | 3-10 p.m. | Corinne, 304 E. Cesar Chavez St., Austin | $42 | Gather for an elevated entree plus drinks for lunch or dinner for the Christmas feast of the year.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

Weather

56º | Partly cloudy | 8% chance of rain
As an arctic blast looms around the corner, state leaders maintain that the Texas power grid is stable and should have enough power to meet increased demand from now until Saturday. ⚡️ (KXAN)

Travel

Austinites can now hail a driverless ride from San Francisco-based robo-taxi company Cruise. Austin and Phoenix are the first cities to launch outside the company’s California home base. Join the waitlist to get a ride. (Austin American-Statesman)

Sports

Austin FC released the schedule for its 2023 season. The 34-match season starts on Saturday, Feb. 25, and runs until Decision Day on Saturday, Oct. 21. View the full schedule. ⚽️

Now Open

Buzz Mill Coffee at 1505 Town Creek Dr. is sporting a new Jamaican food truck: Mr. Pimento. Expect to see jerk-spiced mac and cheese, wedge fries, and sweet fried plantains on the menu. 🍗 (Austin Eater)

Number

8.9 million. That’s how many Texans are traveling at least 50 miles away from home for the holidays. This winter is expected to be the third-busiest travel season since 2000 — so don’t leave without checking these peak traffic times. (KXAN)

Entertainment

It’s been a star-studded year for Austin entertainment, and we love reminiscing about it. Celebrities including the Queer Eye Fab Five, Lizzo, Anne Hathaway, Dustin Hoffman, and Ben Affleck made appearances in the Capital City this year — who made you the most starstruck? 🌟 (KXAN)

Listen

Need a gift that only takes a few mouse clicks? Gift three, six, or 12 months of an Audible Premium Plus membership. They’ll get one credit a month good for any title, plus instant access to thousands of books and podcasts in The Plus Catalog. Hello, future book club. 📚*

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Retail

Last-minute gifts to check off your list

Give the gift that keeps on giving with a subscription to a monthly club. | Photo via Flaviar

There may be just three days until Christmas, but — believe it or not — it’s not too late to find some last-minute presents. Instead of paying an arm and a leg for overnight shipping, opt for one of these subscriptions, gift cards, or digital gifts for a gift that keeps on giving.

Literati kid’s book club subscription ($45+/month, $165/three months, $540/year) | Give the special child in your life the gift of reading with a monthly book subscription tailored to their interests.

Wine & Food Foundation membership ($150-350/year) | Your fellow oenophiles, aka wine lovers, will enjoy a quarterly curated six-pack of wine, member pricing on future bottles, and advance ticket purchasing opportunities.

Amazon Prime membership ($14.99/month or $139/year) | Kick someone off the family plan and get them their own Prime membership. Psst — Students get half-off. 📦*

Scott’s Cheap Flights Elite membership ($199/year) | For the travel lover that wants to receive flight deals — like a $600 round trip flight to the Maldives — straight to their inbox. ✈️*

Flaviar subscription ($60/month, $110/three months, or $350/year) | This membership provides the opportunity to taste new, rare, and limited edition spirits. 🥃*

What are your New Year’s resolutions?

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THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Figi.

Editor’s pick: I think about my New Year’s resolutions all year long because I hate the feeling of abandoning them after a few months. I try to keep them specific, attainable, and productive.

This year, my resolutions are to...

Read at least one book per month
Join a rollerskating club
End every day with zero emails in my personal inbox

Read these tips on how to make lasting resolutions — I’d love if you share yours with me as well.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Take a look at weather patterns from Christmas past.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Laura Figi, London Gibson, Dayten Rose, Josh Kranzberg, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Camille McLeod | Advertise with us.

Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM City’s advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.

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