The Santa Claus House has been bringing kids joy for four generations.
If you don’t believe in Santa Claus, then you’ve never been to the North Pole. North Pole, Alaska, that is: an unincorporated city about a dozen miles south west of Fairbanks and home to about 2,000 people – plus a very jolly old elf, his wife, the first lady of Christmas, a dozen or so elves and 8 tiny reindeer.
Santa and Mrs. Claus pet reindeer Donner at The Santa Claus House in North Pole, Alaska.
In North Pole, it’s Christmas every day and has been for the past 67 years. Memories of childhood holidays past hit visitors as they turn onto St. Nicholas Drive – lined with lampposts shaped like candy canes that lead right to the most famous reindeer of all. The most famous landmark, however, sits out front and it’s impossible to miss. The 45-foot fiberglass Santa weighs in at 900 pounds and measures 33 feet around its jolly old waistline – the world’s largest Ol’ St. Nick.
Crews clean snow off Santa before the Christmas season.
“I like the Christmas spirit,” says second generation owner Mike Miller. “People tend to view things a little differently around that time of year. Everyone’s a little more lighthearted and with the store, we get to celebrate that through out the year.”
In 1949, Mike’s parents, Con and Nellie Miller, arrived in Alaska’s Interior with two small kids and $1.40 in their pockets. Con, a merchant and fur buyer, would don a red Santa suit during trips to rural area villages. A few years later, when the couple was building a trading post, the story goes that a boy greeted Con with “Hello Santa! Are you building a new house?” That question sealed the deal. The Miller’s new business was promptly dubbed The Santa Claus House.
The original Santa Claus House trading post, circa 1950’s.
The store wasn’t overtly Christmas-themed, at least not right away. At first, the trading post sold food and gifts and its soda fountain served as a gathering place for the community. Situated in between two military bases, service members often ran up hefty grocery bills. Often, when they would leave the state, many wouldn’t settle up with Con and more times than he could count, he was out by as much as $600: a lot of money back in the 1950’s. Con’s Santa suit was more than just an outfit: he truly embodied the holiday spirit of giving.
Nellie sits on husband Con Miller’s lap.
“My dad was generous and he had a big heart. He couldn’t say no to anyone,” said Miller. Eventually, Nellie intervened and ended the grocery business. Con didn’t argue.
Nellie’s side of the business was mail. She served as North Pole’s Postmistresses for its first Post Office for nearly 20 years. Nellie saw some interesting things throughout the years – in rural Alaska she shipped everything from frozen moose meat to seal hides and whale blubber – but Nellie’s favorite mail were letters with handwriting that was often barely legible. The family considers themselves the original home of Santa’s letter: they’ve been answering the hopes and dreams of kids since 1952. “In the beginning I remember my dad used to hand-write letters,” said Mike Miller. “He just couldn’t keep up with it.”
The Santa Claus House, North Pole, Alaska.
Thanks to technology upgrades, you can now go online and personalize letters from Santa on The Santa Claus House’s website. You can even send your child (or any Christmas enthusiast) a deed for one square inch of the North Pole.
One of hundreds of hand written letter to Santa posted on the wall at The Santa Claus House.
The small business also sends many letters from Santa at no cost. The North Pole receives hundreds of thousands of requests each December from all corners of the world – even North Korea and Iran. Kids don’t always ask for toys, and some of their requests could melt the hardest of hearts. From bringing their dad home from Iraq to turning an old dog back into a puppy, the family answers as many letters as they can.
“I believed in Santa probably longer than most kids did,” said Mike Miller. “I actually even watched him dress sometimes, when he became Santa. But at some point, he changed from being my dad into being Santa.”
In case you’re wondering, yes, the whole Miller family embraces the yuletide spirit. Mike married his co-worker and sweetheart on December 27th, 1974, a day that saw temperatures dip to minus 45 in North Pole. The temperature, however, didn’t chill their love. The couple “always wanted” a Christmas wedding. The list goes on: Mike’s sister is Merry Christmas Miller and their dad played the role of Santa Claus for nearly 40 years – right up until his death in 1996.
Mike Miller with Governor Sean Parnell and sister Merry Christmas Miller shortly after Gov. Parnell signed a bill naming nearby bridges after Con and Nellie Milller.
The family found it was hard to find anyone that could match Con’s devotion. For a while, they worked with locals until enlisting the help of an agency. Today, they require an extensive interview process to find the right person with enough enthusiasm and a caring heart.
Con played the role of Santa Claus for nearly four decades, right up until his death in 1996.
The jolly old elf and his wife, the first lady of Christmas, sit on their throne from Memorial Day to Labor Day and in November and December. If you want to experience magic, all you have to do is watch the face of the children about to meet the big man: from wide eyed wonder to gasps of joy – every kid has a different reaction the moment they realize Santa is real. Tug on his beard if you don’t believe.
Next door you’ll find Santa’s famous reindeer and if you want to get a closer look, the Antler Academy of Flying and Reindeer Games gives you the opportunity to step inside the pen.
Visitors to The Santa Claus House can get an up close look at the jolly old elf’s reindeer – this is Donder giving the camera a lick.
The Santa Claus House is the biggest tourist destination in Interior Alaska. Miller estimates he sees around 250,0000 visitors a year.
Needless to say, the Miller family has their hands full. That’s why they’ve been NFIB members for decades. Mike is a member of the Leadership Council and a strong voice for small business issues in the state legislature and when he speaks, lawmakers listen. That’s because Mike knows what’s it’s like to serve – he was elected to both the house and the senate and spent nearly two decades in Juneau. Miller was President of the Senate in 1997 and 1998.
Everyday is Christmas at The Santa Claus House. During the summer, the small business hosts its annual “Jingle In July.”
These days, Mike relies more and more on his family’s third and fourth generation to run the business. His son-in-law, Paul Brown, has taken over as general manager, and one of Con’s great grandchildren helps run the adjacent RV park. While none of Con’s descendants can rival his iconic white beard – the holiday spirit is just as strong today as it was six decades ago, when that young boy crowned Con Alaska’s Christmas royalty.
