Could Santa’s Summer Home Be Here?
For almost fifty years, Santa Claus has been welcoming children to his lap. With caring eyes and a big smile, he listens intently to all their Christmas wishes, making each child feel important and special.
Now, in his eighties, Charlie Weatherwax first started embracing the Santa role in 1975 in Pocahontas. At the time, he worked for Iowa Industrial Hydraulics, and they took a week off over the holidays. One day that week, Charlie visited the local Coast to Coast store and walked into a conversation of local businessmen.
“Charlie, we’re having a hard time finding a Santa for this year, would you be willing to play Santa?” one man said. “We’d love if you could go up and down Main St. handing out candy canes.”
Now, even though Charlie was in his thirties, he already had white hair and showcased a belly.
“However, being Santa was the farthest thing I wanted to do,” he remembered. “I said let me talk to my wife Patricia and I will get back to you.”
For $5 an hour, this was the start of a life of special memories, when Charlie first became Santa for the children in Pocahantas county. Patricia became Mrs. Claus, and the role served as extra income for their family.
“Patricia told me she’d be Mrs. Claus and thought the extra money could get a few more Christmas presents for the kids,” he added. “But it became so much more than that over the years!”
The following year, Charlie purchased a Santa suit from JCPenney’s; one he still wears today.
“The quality of the suitcoat is still pristine; but I did have to get new pants over the years!” Charlie said.
It wasn’t long before Santa Charlie was welcoming boys and girls throughout the area, not just in Pocahontas. His sleigh traveled to Fort Dodge, Manson, Storm Lake, Sac City and farther. He was in local parades and shared a listening ear at Santa’s Village in Storm Lake.
At one point, Charlie and Patricia were visiting their kids in Detroit, and on their way back, they stopped at the Coral Ridge Mall in Coralville, IA. Enjoying lunch in the food court, a lady, which happened to be the manager, stopped and asked Charlie if he’d be willing to be Santa at the mall.
“My white beard would often give me away,” Charlie laughed. “It also makes it very convincing when talking with the children questioning my authenticity. The white beard is real and so is the belly.”
From 2003-2013, Charlie traveled to Coralville and became the mall’s Santa from mid-November until December 24. Every day, Santa arrived at 8:30 a.m. and had makeup and hair completed at a local salon. From 10 a.m. until 8:30 p.m., he would meet lots of children. Even families from back home would make the trip to Coralville to update their family pictures with Santa.
“There were so many wonderful people. From the elves to the photographers, we became one big happy family. We still get together with some of them when we come to town,” he said.
He added that one of the hardest times was during the war and 90% of the children who came asked for their parents to be home for Christmas. He said that was heart wrenching to hear and you wanted them to receive their wish so badly.
His wife Patricia passed away in 2010, but Charlie still convinced himself to return to Coralville to be Santa. It gave him purpose as he continued to share Christmas cheer with the children. In his last year serving as Santa at Coral Ridge Mall, a Christmas miracle took place, and in 2014, he married a lovely woman with ties to the Iowa Great Lakes area, Karen Burton.
“I love being with kids and seeing the smiles on their faces,” Charlie said. “Some of the stories are hard, but I want each child to feel like they are the only one there, as I listen to their Christmas wish.”
Karen added that Charlie becomes so involved with the child; they have their own special moment.
“Each child has their own time, as Santa says, ‘Tell me what you want!’ she said. “Their smiles and faces just light up!”
Santa said requests like a pony are a bit more challenging to answer, but he usually says, “Where is the pony going to stay – in your bedroom? Who is going to do chores, and they answer with ‘Mommy.’”
Four years ago, Santa Charlie began bringing his sleigh to Hometown Christmas in LeMars. Put on by Mike and Cheryl Wells, downtown LeMars turns into a winter wonderland and includes special Christmas programming throughout the day.
“It’s like being in a Hallmark movie,” Karen noted.
When they first got the call, they couldn’t believe it. However, not only did they want Santa, but they also wanted Mrs. Claus. Initially, Karen said no, as she didn’t want to infringe on the role Charlie’s first wife Patricia had played with him.
“I wanted to respect Charlie’s children and the role their mother had played, but Hometown Christmas really wanted a Mrs. Claus. The children encouraged it, and so, I became Mrs. Claus,” Karen shared. “This past year, two of Charlie’s boys helped us and became elves! We had a great time!”
A Christmas Miracle for Santa
It was almost Thanksgiving and Santa gathered his suit, favorite Christmas stories and a box of his favorite cookies. This year, like the last three, it had become so difficult to leave his home. His heart was heavy and sad. “But I loved seeing all the boys and girls and hearing their wishes for Christmas,” Santa shared. “I knew I had a job to do; I just didn’t have the same love for it without Mrs. Claus beside me.
At the motel where he stayed during his “mall gig,” Santa woke early each morning for breakfast. He would greet hotel guests with a cheery good morning and an occasional Ho-Ho. As he left for the mall every day, Santa would pass an older man. This man was sick and was in town for cancer treatments. In the evening, Santa would visit with this man in the lobby. They began to share nightly conversations.
The following morning, while Santa was eating breakfast, the older man’s daughter Karen breezed in for a quick cup of coffee. He smiled and greeted her quietly, “Good morning! How is your father this morning?” She was surprised that he knew her father.
Unbeknownst to Santa, the old man was working on a plan. The next morning at the hospital, he paused before going into treatment and asked his daughter to read the Our Iowa Magazine. She began to read and realized that this was Santa at the motel, and he had also lost his spouse to cancer four years ago.
Several conversations led to an agreed upon date, with Santa arriving at Karen's door wearing a new flannel shirt, dark green suspenders and his long white hair combed back. The two walked the short distance to the nearby diner where they comfortably talked about their families and their work.
The next morning, they met at the breakfast room and enjoyed each other’s company and shared chuckles about the guests’ reactions to seeing Santa. “Would you stop by the Christmas set at the mall for a photo with me before you leave?” he asked.
Later that day, Karen and her father made a stop at the Christmas set. Surprisingly, her father had ordered a large banquet of Santa shaped sugar cookies from the local bakery to be delivered to Santa, cleverly signed with Karen’s name and a printed note of thanks for the evening together.
Santa finished his job at the mall on Christmas Eve and his sleigh took him home. He called Karen several times to see how she was, and over the course of the Christmas season, the two got to know each other better. They were married on July 12, 2014, and when not at the North Pole, Santa and Mrs. Claus reside in the Iowa Great Lakes area.
Truly, a Christmas miracle for Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Light snow fall creates a beautiful backdrop to a line of boys and girls waiting to meet Santa and Mrs. Claus. A big Ho-Ho and Christmas cheer reaches into the hearts of each one that visits.
“I recommend the parent come up with a child, especially a young one who’s uncertain! This shouldn’t be a dramatic occasion,” Mrs. Claus shared. “Nine times out of ten, the parent will be able to move to the side and you will get your picture!”
This cheer also makes its way to the Iowa Great Lakes, as Santa has been known to visit Mary’s Gift Shoppe, local daycares, and area restaurants. Some years, he dropped in at Rembrandt Foods, State Farm Insurance and The New Inn. Last year, he became a part of the Christmas service at the Spirit Lake Methodist Church.
However, at age 82, Santa is having to slow down a bit, and bigger events like Hometown Christmas have become difficult for his body. But that doesn’t mean children won’t spot Santa locally, especially if you drive by his summer home?!
“When we eat out at restaurants, it isn’t uncommon for a child to ask, ‘Is that Santa!’” Charlie said.
If you’d like to contact Santa, email bigsplashaquatics@gmail.com.
Then when you are out and about, remember “Santa might be watching?!”
For many years Charlie's dear friend, Michael Stoebe, in the photo to the right, would spend many hours every weekend with “Santa” during his family's Okoboji visits.
As you may tell, Michael had special needs. He and “his Santa” had a very special relationship because in Michael’s world, Santa was real!
Sadly, Michael died this fall, September 18, 2024. Prayers to his family Dr. Elizabeth and Kurt Stoebe of Humboldt, Iowa.
