One of Santa’s Local Helpers

Story by Lyda Kay Ferree, The Southern Lifestyles Lady. Photography by Kristina Only

Ron Canter of Jackson, whom many of you know, was a student at The Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School. This school is a non-profit organization that was established in 1937. It is the longest continuously running Santa Claus School in the world. The Santa School is located at the Santa House in downtown Midland, Michigan. The school is celebrating its 85th anniversary in 2022. Bill Geist, formerly of CBS News, described this school as “The Harvard of Santa Schools.”

The mission of the school is to uphold the traditions and preserve the history of Santa Claus and to provide their students with the necessary resources that allow them to further define and improve their individual presentation of Santa Claus.

In 1995, Tom and Holly Valent conducted the first World Santa School School in Illulisatt, Greenland. This Santa School has been taught in Australia, Greenland, and England. Tom and Holly participated in the week-long St. Nicholas festivities in Zurich, Switzerland; Oslo, Norway; and Stockholm, Sweden.

VIP: Why did you decide to attend the Santa Claus School in Midland, Michigan?

RON CANTER (RC): I found out that Charles Howard was the Santa Claus for Macy’s Parade, and he started it in 1937 and stayed with it until his death in 1969. Charles Howard was the only Santa in the Macy’s Parade until 1969. He started the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School in Albion, New York. He lived on a farm, and the school began in the barn. At first the class only had about seven people. The downtown area of Albion is about the size of Humboldt’s downtown.

The Valents began the Santa Claus School because they felt a need. They believe that Santa enters through the heart, not the chimney. The red of the Santa suit represents the outdoors, health, and good humor. The white cuffs and the trim on the Santa suit stand for purity.

VIP: What courses did you take at the Santa Claus School?

RC: The School offers the same courses every year for the beginning students. The curriculum includes the following:

*The history of Saint Nicholas and Santa Claus

*Proper dress and use of make-up

*Tips for radio and television interviews

*Santa sign language

*Live reindeer habits

*Practice Santa flight lessons

Note: There is a Santa oath.

When Ron was a first-year student at the Santa Claus School, he also learned myths and legends about elves and information on St. Nicholas; “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus” editorial; and information about “The Night Before Christmas” and the stories and songs, signing, and becoming a mall Santa. The courses vary from year to year. There is a course on marketing and media and how to present your resume and how to get hired as a Santa. The courses sometimes coincide with the news topics.

Veterans of the school may attend any courses they desire. “We break off into veterans, newcomers, and Mrs. Clauses. When I attended this school there were 35 Mrs. Clauses. (This was the first year the school had designated a Mrs. Claus course.) and 120 Santa Clauses. When I first started at the school, the class size consisted of about 70 or 75 people.

VIP: Tell me about the students who attend this school.

RC: After registration we meet and share our names and where we are from and why we got involved with Santa. One guy drove to the Santa School from California for 15 years!

VIP: Do most students want paid positions as Santa?

RC: Many want the mall jobs as they pay well. But the problem is the malls want Santas at the mall the first week of November through Christmas Eve. That’s 7 days a week working 8-14 hours a day. I did home visits for 25 years, and they depended on me to be there. One young child was 6 when she met me as Santa. She is now 14 and as cute as can be. Another little five-year-old girl called me Presents.

VIP: What did you like about the Santa Claus School?

RC: I enjoyed meeting people from all over the world. One year we had about 35-40 newbies, as I call them.

“He errs who thinks Santa enters through the chimney.  Santa enters through the heart.”

— Charles W. Howard, 1937

VIP: The Santa Claus School is in a Santa House. Describe this house.

RC: It’s like Disney World! There are railroad tracks that travel around the ceiling, and a cuckoo clock chimes the hour. The school’s leader sat in the Santa House that he designed and built. It’s something to see!

VIP: Are some kids afraid of you and if they are, how do you handle this?

RC: Yes, some kids scream bloody murder, and others laugh and joke with you. You don’t know what to expect as Santa with children between the ages of 1 and 3 1/2 years old. They might be happy and smile, or they might scream and cry. If we were in a photo shoot at Kristina Only’s downtown studio in Jackson, and they were afraid of me, Kristina placed the child on a chair and took a Christmas photograph without me.

VIP: What did you wear as a student at the Santa School?

RC: We wore casual clothing. I wore bib overalls, a sweater, a Santa shirt, and red or green shorts. We wanted to be comfortable. We went on bus trips to places like Toys R Us stores on the way to Frankenmuth, Michigan where Bronner’s, the largest Christmas store in the United States, is located (It’s near Saginaw, Michigan.)

VIP: Describe your Santa suit.

RC: I have two Santa suits. I wear a white pirate-like shirt, a red vest, a big belt, and a huge cape. It’s all wool and satin-lined. I store it in a Christmas tree box and get it dry cleaned. Two vendors whose business was called Sew Santa attended the conference one year. They made beautiful Santa suits with beautiful price tags on them!

VIP: How do you handle a child who tells you he doesn’t believe in Santa Claus?

RC: I tell them the kids who believe get the presents. I’m not THE Santa Claus, but I am the helper, I added. I tell the kids that Santa Claus is not just one person. There are hundreds of them around all doing the same thing. I do not drive my sleigh to Japan because I don’t speak Japanese, I sometimes add.

VIP: Tell our readers about the Santa Claus Hall of Fame.

RC: There is a one-day free workshop there and it is located in a Santa Claus candy shop. The late Mayor George Smith of Jackson was one of the original people in their Hall of Fame.

VIP: How have the children’s wish lists changed over the years? Do they want more high-tech gadgets now?

RC: There are fancy names for the dolls now, and the boys want Play Stations or iPhones and tablets and a lot of electronic stuff.

VIP: What are some of your favorite Santa experiences with children in Jackson and West Tennessee?

RC: One year the Lions Club asked me to be Santa in the little Santa House at Court Square. A little boy sat in my lap. He wanted a John Deere tractor, and he named three or four pieces of the tractor. He was only three years old, but he knew what he was talking about as he came from a farm in Beech Bluff. His mother told me that he got the tractor parts right.

VIP: What are some of your most challenging experiences as Santa?

RC: One child told me he wanted his grandfather back. (His grandfather had died of cancer.) I told the child that I’m not God. I’m Santa Claus. But I explained that I would put the child’s name in my little black book, and Mrs. Claus and I would say a prayer to help him get through this challenge. On another occasion a 4th grade girl told me her mom needed a car to transport her and and her three brothers and sisters. I told her I would pray about it and hope that things would come out for the best. Later, her teacher told me that somebody from the child’s church donated a car to that family.

What to Know

Ron “Santa” Canter

Santa Phone: North Pole number

Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School

(Established 1937) is a non-profit organization that is celebrating its 86th year! The school is accepting reservations now for October 5-7, 2023. Registration for a new student, either Santa or Mrs. Claus, is $620. Registration for a returning alumnus, either Santa or Mrs. Claus, is $590.

Mailing Address: 2408 Pinehurst Court/Midland, MI 48640

Mission of this School: The mission of the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School: To uphold the traditions and preserve the history of Santa Claus while providing students with the necessary resources to improve and further define their individual presentations of Santa and Mrs. Claus, allowing them to enter the hearts and spread the Christmas spirit to everyone they meet. (989) 631-0587.