By Kathryn Lemmon
If you've misplaced your Christmas spirit this holiday season, look no further than Santa Claus, the town, for inspiration. The red-suited one has ample enthusiasm, but he's currently booked solid until Dec. 26. He's got rookie reindeer orientation to supervise, and his inbox has hit maximum capacity.
Santa Claus residents, on the other hand, are like the citizens of Whoville, a most un-Grinch-like bunch. Folks here live on streets such as Candy Cane Lane, Arctic Circle and Tinsel Drive. They're happy to welcome visitors all year, but in December the spotlight falls directly on them.
When the cold months arrive, Santa Claus rekindles its love affair with the holiday season. They hold an annual Christmas parade and have traditional Christmas dinners with Santa at Santa's Lodge. You can enjoy chestnuts roasting at Santa's Candy Castle and a Christmas Arts and Crafts show.
Santa Claus, Ind., has been around since the 1850s. The town started out with the name Santa Fe (pronounced "fee"), but the postal service refused their application for a post office because that name had already been taken. The townspeople decided on Santa Claus, and a post office and ZIP code followed. FYI — when your naughty and nice list is complete, that number is 47579.
Snail mail shows no signs of being obsolete here. Vast quantities of letters arrive from kids around the globe, and Santa's valued helpers in Indiana respond individually to thousands of letters every December. Mail is sometimes routed to Santa Claus without any postage, a sure sign that the postal service has the yuletide spirit, too.
If you visit during December, Lake Rudolph Campground and RV Resort hosts an annual drive-through Christmas light show. Electricity at each campsite provides an ideal venue for this type of show. The rolling terrain, coupled with a tranquil lake sets the scene for the 1.2-mile glowing extravaganza of LED lights. Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer and Artie the Elf are the stars of the show.
The light show includes three animated light tunnels and more ooh and aah moments than can be counted. Stately tall trees add to the light-show experience.
If you should visit in the warmer months, lodging options include tent camping, stationary RVs and several types of cabins. You can even have a hot pizza delivered to your tent.
For those who prefer more comfort than canvas, the new Christmas cabins are the answer. Each has ample deck space and a high-end barbecue grill. Kids are happy to claim the sleeping lofts, while Mom and Dad get a big bed and flat-screen TV down below. The Christmas cabins are available on weekends in December.
The town is situated along a section of highway without an obvious downtown area. However, Santa is honored with a fine statue on a bluff very near the original post office, a historic church and the town museum. The restored statue dates from 1935.
The museum, though small, is packed full of town heritage. A display of letters to Santa is a poignant read. Although the requests have changed, from hula hoops to iPads, the sentiment remains the same. Another exhibit shows the contribution of Robert Ripley. Santa Claus was featured in Ripley's famous "Believe It or Not" newspaper column in the 1920s when Ripley reported he'd sent in a 3-foot-by-5-foot wooden postcard so he could get the unique postmark. His readers began following his lead but with paper cards rather than wood.
If you're under 30, you'll already know the biggest draw to Santa Claus today is Holiday World Theme Park — a major draw for the roller-coaster crowd. The museum highlights the evolution of the park through the years, from Santa Claus Land to Holiday World.
Be sure to stop at the Christmas Store to collect a keepsake ornament for your tree. Do you require a 7-foot grinning Santa in Bermuda shorts? Or does your small business needs a windswept Santa in a helicopter hanging from the ceiling? This megastore has room after room of unusual decorations that celebrate sports, cartoon characters, the military, hobbies, themes — you name it. Allow plenty of time to browse. Within the store, Santa has a guest house where he welcomes youngsters who prefer to make their annual requests in person.
Another notable person from this area was Abraham Lincoln, who spent his formative years at the Spencer County homestead. The Lincoln family moved to Indiana from Kentucky when he was 7 years old, and he lived in Indiana until he was 21, seeking books to read when he wasn't splitting logs. These years are commemorated at Lincoln's Boyhood National Memorial and Lincoln State Park, both worth a visit.
WHEN YOU GO
For general information: www.santaclausind.org
Events for the 2013 holiday season:
Santa Claus Land of Lights: Dec. 8-31
Traditional dinners with Santa at the lodge: Dec. 13-20
Town Parade: Dec. 14
Arts and Crafts Show: Dec. 14-15
Chestnuts roasting on Saturdays from Nov. 30 to Dec. 21
Kathryn Lemmon is a freelance travel writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
View Comments