How one Santa gets ready before spreading holiday cheer in Twin Cities
When Sid Fletcher isn't at the North Pole, you might find him at his second home in Eden Prairie preparing to become Santa Claus.
After a long journey, Santa Sid needs a makeover to get back into "Ho Ho Ho mode." With a little help from his Mrs. Claus, his wife Mollie Fletcher, the transformation begins.
"It takes me about an hour to do Santa," Mollie Fletcher said as she prepared him. The process includes curling his hair and beard, a little touch of makeup, a spray of sparkles, and choosing the right outfit and accessories, of which Santa Sid has many.
In the "Santa room," where Sid Fletcher gets his makeover done, a picture of his younger brother Patrick hangs on the wall as a reminder of how it all began.
Sid Fletcher got his start as a teenager when Patrick Fletcher, then 3 years old, was diagnosed with leukemia around Christmas time. Sid Fletcher, 17 at the time, dressed up as Santa to cheer his brother and the other children in the hospital. Patrick Fletcher passed away, but Sid Fletcher has continued playing Santa ever since.
"He's the one that started me in this business," Sid Fletcher said as Mollie Fletcher worked on his beard. "My Patrick. He's my little angel."
Sid Fletcher has been spreading Christmas cheer for 52 years, including 25 years exclusively at the Mall of America, where he would see as many as 17,000 children a year. He eventually retired from the Mall. These days he keeps a busy schedule hosting events throughout the metro. His schedule is demanding.
"A matter of fact, I don't know until I wake up in the morning and look at my schedule," Sid Fletcher said.
On the day WCCO was with him, he was visiting the Paddy Wagon in south Minneapolis, where kids were lined up, ready to meet him. The motivation for Santa Sid is simple.
"There's nothing better than seeing the sparkle in their eye, the smile on their face, and the parents being happy watching them have fun too," Sid Fletcher said.
"His unique style with the kids, you can tell he's 100% comfortable talking to them and encouraging them to be their best self. I appreciate that," said Staci Buchanan, a parent at the Paddy Wagon. Her 8-year-old daughter, Payton, was smiling ear to ear as Santa Sid joked about stepping on her Christmas wish: legos.
"He asks you a few questions, like what you want and if you're doing things you should," Payton Buchanan said. "He's funny and I just like him."
Every curl, every touch, every detail leads to these moments, spreading joy and wonder, one child at a time.
But Santa Sid isn't alone in spreading holiday cheer. In 1996 he founded North Star Santa, a nonprofit that organizes a team of Santas, Mrs. Clauses, and elves who step in to bring the magic to events across the Twin Cities.