Santa stories

WASHINGTON - Dave Stoufer has had a close relationship with Santa for 50 years. People who have seen Santa in Washington say Santa bears a close resemblance to Stoufer.

'That's true,” Stoufer said. 'People greet me as ‘Santa' all yearlong.”

When Stoufer was a child, his family didn't write to or see Santa. His Uncle Bill once pretended to be the jolly man, but Stoufer said it was obviously not Santa.

'Because he had red hair,” he said.

Stoufer first met Santa 50 years ago in Fort Dodge, Iowa.

He was active in Community Theater and sold shoes in a department store. Stoufer said he had a short brown beard, like Shakespeare.

While working in the department store, a woman approached him asking if he wanted to play Santa.

Her granddaughter was in bed dying, and the little girl wanted to see Santa Claus, Stoufer said. Stoufer arranged for the jolly old man to visit with the girl. When Stoufer left the house, he and Santa were instant friends.

Stoufer said that he could tell by the little girl's expression that she believed in Santa and that he had made her very happy. The experience, he said, made him a believer, too.

Santa asked Stoufer if he would be able to help him.

'I immediately thought it was something that would bring me some real good feelings,” he said.

For several years, Stoufer helped Santa do home visits. After 10 years, he moved to Washington and started helping Santa here.

Stoufer said he would sit in the tin shed with Santa, 'and freeze my tail off.”

He and Rachel Nicola married, moved to Iowa City and started a business. Six days a week he would go to Sycamore Mall to help Santa visit with children.

But Stoufer didn't stay away from Washington long, and he decided to move his business to town.

Stoufer helps Santa stay organized and prepares for his arrival. He orders custom suits for Santa and keeps them safe in the summer. For many years he and Nicola set up the Santa house with toys and decorations.

'Every Thanksgiving Day that's what we did,” Stoufer said. 'We got ready for Santa to come.”

Over the years, Santa has told Stoufer many stories, which he passes on to others every Christmas.

Stoufer said some kids will ask for more than just toys. One child asked if Santa can bring their mom home from the hospital, or bring together a divided family.

'Things that are so important to a little child that they don't often get the chance to say to adults,” he said.

Stoufer said kids will talk about death and sickness, and they understand more than adults give them credit for.

One time when working with Santa, a little girl approached holding a teddy bear in disrepair. Stoufer said the eyes were gone, the nose was cut and it was filthy.

She held it out to Santa.

'She said she knew there were boys and girls out there that don't have things as good as she did,” Stoufer said. 'So she wanted to give Santa the teddy bear to give to one of those boys or girls.”

Santa took the teddy bear and hugged the little girl.

'She cried, Santa cried, if the bear would have had eyes he would have cried,” he said.

Later that day, the dad returned to explain the story.

The little girl had told her parents she knew there were kids who did not have the privileges she did. The teddy bear had come home with her from the hospital when she was born, Stoufer said.

'She had it in her possession 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They couldn't take it away long enough to wash or repair it,” he said.

It was her most valued possession, and she wanted to give another child her cherished teddy bear.

Stoufer said that story is an example of Christmas magic.

Children aren't the only ones who love seeing Santa, he said. Adults love being wished merry Christmas and seeing a wave from Santa.

This year marks 50 years of Stoufer helping Santa. It is also his last year.

Stoufer said at 79 years old, being a helper for Santa is hard work, for both Stoufer and Nicola.

'It's time,” he said. 'But I'm going to miss it.”

Next Christmas, the pair plans to travel to Florida after Thanksgiving and enjoy retirement.

Is someone training to be Washington's next Santa helper?

Maybe Santa has his eye on someone, Stoufer said,

'But that's the sort of Christmas secret he doesn't share.”