Tygart Valley Santa Klaus

10/06/2024

Christmas comes in 198 days!

I'm preparing my Christmas in July postcard to send out. This is one small way that I spread goodwill to children throughout the year. The nice people who have Santa over for home visits and at their Christmas events, large and small, help me to send these greetings out for free.

Note: if you have already gotten a card from Santa, you will continue to do so as long as I can send them out. No need to sign up again.

Please help!
--If you have gotten cards from me in the past and have changed your address, then please send an update.
--If you want your child, grandchild, neighbor or some special child to receive the card, simply pm me with a message that includes names and mailing address. That's all you have to do, though I do appreciate hearing back from you.

Please share.

25/12/2023

By the time you read this, I will be speeding back to the North Pole. Along the way, I transform from a real person back to an imaginary and magical protector of children and gift bearer. If I could be Santa and a real person for the entire year, I would do it. It’s up to you, dear friends, to keep the magic alive while I’m away in the far distance.

Thank you for all the families, groups, schools and businesses who had me over. Your generosity allows me to manifest Christmas magic year round and in several different ways. I will be a good steward of the gifts you have shared with me.

I will back again next year.

Merry Christmas!

24/12/2023

Flash poll! Post your rating and comments below. "In 2023, the "Elf on the Shelf..."

5) "Has gotten out of control."
4) "I couldn't keep up."
3) "I'm managing to keep up with my kid's friends."
2) "It gives our household a couple good holiday chuckles."
1) "It makes a significant contribution to our Christmas celebration."

23/12/2023

Merry Christmas Philippi WV!

It was so good to see thriving and nice children in North Philippi this evening. It was also good to stop and chat with neighborly adults in the neighborhood. The children of N. Philippi should eat more candy! Dasher was surprised at how much candy she had to fly back to the NP.

Thanks to the Philippi Police Department for taking the time to explain to motorists that children may dart out into the street on such a night despite the vigilance of Santa and parents. I appreciate their help along with a kind and vigilant neighbor, Dave Rowan.

Thanks, to Elizabeth Jenkins for the clever ornaments.

Christmas is here! Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night!

22/12/2023

Neighbors in North Philippi: Santa is coming! Tonight, December 22 starting at 6:45. Listen for the bells. Send the kids out to greet me or wave me up to your porch. Merry Christmas!

19/12/2023

Grownups: watch for this special postcard designed by Spring Fox Studios as my New Year Greeting. It’s the most fun postcard yet!

One of my favorite clients- Santa!
I loved making this postcard design for ! Getting to draw some different critters as well as some familiar faces was such a joy. If you have little ones you can sign up to receive postcards from Santa on his page!

19/12/2023

As my season of practice runs with Dasher winds down, it’s good to look back as see all where I have been.

18/12/2023

18/12/2023

Good news! The Santa Stroll in North Philippi for the 22nd is definitely a “go.” We here at NP keep a close eye on the weather forecast. We will have a dry evening, which makes the perfect conditions for my bell to ring loud and clear.

Starting at 6:45 pm, I’ll start at the intersection of Locust and 2nd, make my way down the street, turn up Maple, and then down Beech. Listen for my bells!

The main thing here is to spark a bit of spontaneous Christmas cheer for the children in my neighborhood. Send them out to the sidewalk to greet me or wave me up to your porch, I’ll have treats, special ornaments and stamped postcards to send out as your last minute greetings.

16/12/2023

“Miracle on 34th Street,” a radio play, performs one more time: Saturday, December 16 at 7:00 pm, Philip Barbour High School. It’s a free performance.

Here are a couple photos that we here at the North Pole received this morning from fine friends of Barbour County. Post yours below!

Bring your neighbor and come over this evening. I’ll be watching for you.

12/12/2023

Has your child had a good chat with Santa this year? For me, there's nothing better than listening to a child give vivid directions to their house or prattle away about their favorite things. These chats are the secret to the long, long life I've had. Here are the last events during which your child and I can have a good chat.

***Covered Bridge Players Annual Christmas Play, "Miracle on 34th Street."***
December 15 and 16, Friday and Saturday, at 7:00 pm, Philip Barbour High Auditorium.
After the play, "Kris Kringle" will reveal his true self as "Santa." Send the kids up on the stage to get a treat and have a chat.

***Philippi Stroll***
December 21, 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
During the stroll, I will be visiting with children at the courthouse gazebo and wandering through the many venues and performances set for that evening. Listen for my bell to know when I'm near the gazebo. We'll have a nice area staged for your last photo with Santa in 2023 and I'll have some treats to hand out.

12/12/2023

I'm pleased to announce the date and time for the 2023 North Philippi Santa Stroll.

Where: Locust, Maple and Beech Avenues in North Philippi.
When: December 22, 6:45 pm. Rain day, December 23.

This is one of the ways I try to create some good will toward children and neighborly Christmas cheer. Invite your children's school friends over for an impromptu cookie exchange. Send the kids out to greet me or wave me up to your porch. Every house and person I meet gets a special Christmas ornament and a treat from Santa's stash. I'll also be handing out stamped postcards for that last minute holiday greeting. Listen for the bells!

Please share and help spread the word. We have several new families with children who have moved in. I'll also give a special greeting to any elderly along the way if you let me know.

10/12/2023

A nice bonus for the children: after the play, “Kris Kringle,” aka Santa, will visit with the audience after the play. Send the children up on the stage to get a treat and have a nice chat with Santa Tygart Valley Santa Klaus.

As always, look me up ahead of time and I’ll watch for your children and and do my best greet them by name.

Make sure you catch the A Covered Bridge Christmas play at Philip Barbour High School’s auditorium next Friday and Saturday (12/15 & 12/16). This year will be an adaptation of the Miracle on 34th Street. Donations will be accepted at the door.

10/12/2023

Watch for Santa around the courthouse gazebo and dropping in at the venues! Listen for the Christmas Bell and the jingles of Dasher’s collar. We’ll have a nice place to visit to get that perfect photo with Santa with the backdrop of the beautiful courthouse winter wonderland.

As always, if you look me up ahead of time, I’ll watch for your children and do my best to greet them by name.

Mark your calendar now for the A Covered Bridge Christmas Stroll. This year’s stroll will be taking place on Thursday, 12/21, from 6PM to 9PM. Margarita's Philippi West Virginia will have Jeff Frey performing while Little Moes will be having Seth Maynard and Rachel Franks. Key to Adam will be performing at 17 North Event Center. You can catch The Sodapopgypsies Band (acoustic) at Molly’s Hand Dipped Ice Cream and the Philip Barbour High School Band quartet will be at the Barbour Co. Community Garden Market at The Market Place. The Yarn Basket, LLC and Winnie's Attic LLC will also be open so be sure to and pick up some last minute gifts!!

03/12/2023

Attention neighbors in Philippi! I'm still looking for a couple hardy helpers to walk with Santa during the 2023 Santa Stroll in North Philippi. It's a simple event: Santa just strolls around the neighborhood.

I need help ringing bells and handing out treats, trinkets and stamped "last minute" Christmas cards to the people along the short route through North Philippi. I also hope to live broadcast it from my phone and would need somebody to do that. The event is always an adventure! If you can brave the cold and walk with me, let me know.

02/12/2023

Please share!

Now that December is here, I have been so pleased to read letters from nice children from all over West Virginia and Ohio. If you want to add your child, grandchild, nephew or niece or even neighbor to Santa's mailing list, simply help your child write a postcard or letter to Santa and mail it to:

Santa Klaus
PO Box 933
Philippi WV 26416

I'll answer back immediately and add your child to my postcard mailing list. They'll get three or four postcards from the North Pole Postal Service every year for as long as I'm able to send them out. I've been told that I'm a "younger" Santa, so that might be for a very long time indeed. It's that simple to add Santa as a penpal!

This is a free service of goodwill toward all children. The people who have Santa Klaus over to their homes and businesses make it possible. I must give a huge endorsement for the fine staff of the HR office at United Hospital Center in Bridgeport who had me over for Breakfast this morning!

29/11/2023

Oh it’s good to see all the youngsters of Barbour County!

26/11/2023

It was great to stop at 17 North Event Center for the first of many breaks I’ll be taking on my practice runs with Dasher. My oldest and wisest reindeer always guides me to the exact right places to find the nice children of WV.

Shelley Starkey Photography captures Christmas magic! The children and their reactions are the focus of the photos. I believe this family will cherish the memories and appreciate the timelessness of these photos for decades.

"Though I've grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe.”

― Chris Van Allsburg, The Polar Express

Tygart Valley Santa Klaus

26/11/2023

If anybody has photos from previous Philippi Christmas Strolls, the annual Christmas Play or Santa Strolls in North Philippi, please share below as a reply! I'd like to show new families the fun Christmas spirit that can be had right here in Barbour County.

26/11/2023

I'm excited to announce that December 22, 2023 at 7:00 pm will see the third Santa Stroll in North Philippi! The number of people I see has grown. This year, I have noticed several new families move into the neighborhood, so please help me spread the word by sharing and, more importantly, knocking on your neighbor's door.

Here's the story: Santa set his navigator to N.P. three years ago, and he ended up in North Philippi, where he saw that the neighborhood had an unusual concentration of children on the nice list. I'll stroll around the streets (Locust, Maple and Beech) of North Philippi, ringing my Christmas Bell and handing out treats. Send the kids out to sidewalk to greet me or wave me up to the porch. Invite your kids' friends over for a cookie party. Last year, folks on Maple Avenue served scalding hot cider. A few homes even invited me in for a minute to greet the grandchildren who had come in from out of town.

The good families and businesses who invite Santa Klaus to their event make the Santa Stroll possible. But I still do need help.

Wanted: a couple stalwart "elves" to help me ring bells and distribute treats and trinkets along the way. Last year, I braved the cold snap alone and might have missed a couple houses. I'll have candy, stamped postcards and some sort of trinket to hand out. I also need a couple volunteers to make the hundreds of trinkets that I'll throw up on the porch of neighbors who are not home.

26/11/2023

Please share!

I'll be stopping several times near Philippi during my practice runs with Dasher. Listen for the Christmas Bell! Bring your children to me right here in Philippi and save yourself yet another trip to the mall. The following are known stops so far. I still have just a couple openings for home visits or events.

As always, if you let me know ahead of time that you'll be at one of the following events, I'll do my best to know your child by name.

December 9, 8:30-10:00 am, Breakfast with Santa, Medallion Restaurant. Reservations Required. $15 per breakfast. The good folks at Medallion will have a nice setting to get your photo with Santa.

December 9, 10;00-11:00 am, Breakfast with Santa, Barbour County Country Club. Reservations required.

December 15 & 16: Covered Bridge Christmas, Annual Play, Philip Barbour High School, 7:00 pm. After performing Miracle on 34th Street, "Kris Kringle" will visit with children in a space staged for nice Christmas photos. Courtesy of the Philippi Christmas Committee.

December 21, 6:00-7:00 pm, Christmas Stroll, Main Street, Philippi. Find me at the courthouse gazebo or visiting one of the many music performance venues during the popular Christmas Stroll. Listen for my Christmas Bell! Courtesy of the Philippi Christmas Committee.

December 22, Santa Stroll, North Philippi, 7:00 pm. For several years now, when I set my navigator to N.P., I end up greeting neighbors in North Philippi. Gather with family and friends to greet me as a stroll around the neighborhood. Send the kids out to get a treat or wave me up to your porch.

December 23, Santa Stroll rain date for the Santa Stroll.

20/11/2023

The Elves are telling me that my rest breaks during my practice runs with Dasher are completely booked up. Nonsense! There’s always time to see the good children of Mountaineer Country WV!

Soon I’ll be updating you on my public appearances.

20/11/2023

My holiday season has started early! I’m thankful for you followers and patrons. I’m living inside a story about Christmas magic! I honestly don’t know how it will unfold from here.

Here are two announcements:

First, I’ll reach many more children this year than last. My nice list gets longer every year. I’ve made some new friends, but I’ll also visit good families who have included Santa Klaus in years past. I look forward to seeing how your children have grown.

Second, I’m pleased to announce that I’ll be able to set aside a good chunk of my proceeds this year to help support my friends at AMOS Health and Hope in Nicaragua. Look them up! The do good work. I’ll use it to self sponsor a trip this summer and take a cash donation to them.

I’ll be updating my public appearances, including the third annual Santa Stroll in North Philippi, after Thanksgiving Day. Watch for me soon!

19/11/2023

My practice runs with Dasher, the wisest and strongest of my reindeer, have started. Watch for me coming near you soon!

Thank you to all the families that joined us today for Santa’s visit. We look forward to seeing many of you when we open for Christmas Tree Season on Nov 24th.

19/11/2023

I’m sure you know how busy Christmas Eve is for me. I still make time to visit a couple families as I arrive in town and go to work. I have just one opening for a visit on Christmas Eve in Elkins, Belington, Philippi or somewhere along the way. The time would have to be flexible because I’ll be welcoming a couple Christmas babies who are arriving on that special evening. Oh how I love to visit a child on their first Christmas! Please inquire if you and your family might be interested in a special visit.

17/11/2023

The North Pole Postal Service EXPRESS is now delivering hand-written responses to letters or postcards that you child writes to Santa Klaus.

1. Have your children write a letter or postcard addressed to: Santa Klaus, PO Box 933, Philippi WV 26416. I collect postcards from all over the world, my favorite hobby.

2. Include a return address.

3. I will write back with a postcard of my own and place your child on my postcard exchange list. Your child will then be penpals with Santa.

This is a free service that I offer out of goodwill toward children. The generosity of the families and businesses who book Santa Klaus make it possible.

Please share.

Tip: it would be a great short project for the grandchildren while they are in town for Thanksgiving!