About

The Story Behind the Beard Since I’ve worn a beard year-round for over 50 years, it’s no surprise that one fall around 2010, while my wife and I were dining out, a little girl peeked around a wall, looked right at me, and said, “Santa!”

That moment planted the seed for what would become a cherished Christmas tradition.

In 2015, my wife, Tona, was asked by a friend with 14 grandchildren if I could play Santa for their family gatherings. That first year, I wore a fake beard. The next year, I decided to grow it out, and that’s when the real magic began.

Soon after, word spread. A friend at work invited me to appear at their company’s holiday party as Santa, handing out gifts to employees’ children. Seeing the joy on those kids’ faces made me realize how special this calling was.

In 2019, my wife and I joined the Gateway Claus Family Facebook group, a St. Louis metro Santa and Mrs. Claus network with more than 180 members. We meet monthly for training, events, and community building.

By 2021, I began my first commercial Santa role at Cabela’s with about 100 hours of chair time. The following year, I was at Bass Pro, and again at Cabela’s the next season. In 2025, I’m thrilled to have over 200 chair hours scheduled between Bass Pro and Frontenac Plaza, and we’re excited to spread Christmas joy wherever we’re invited.

We’ve also invested in professional training through the School of Santa’s in Branson, Missouri, and are already registered for advanced sessions through 2026 and 2027, which include the WWOC Christmas Ambassadors Symposium and the Santa Family Reunion LLC in Gatlinburg, TN.

From home visits and photo sessions to corporate and community events, we love portraying Santa and Mrs. Claus and bringing holiday magic to life for families and children of all ages.