What does it take to be Santa? For 3 SLO County Claus impersonators, it’s all about the joy
A special magic can happen when a child sits on Santa’s lap and tells him what they want to find under the tree.
For three local Claus clones — two Santas and one Mrs. Claus — that enchanting memory for them is part of what has kept them in their fuzzy red costumes every Christmas season for more than a decade.
Two of them have held court in the same locations all that time, while the other is usually in the same general area of Cambria, although he does branch out into other North Coast locations.
Each said they plan to keep providing that magic for as many children as possible for as long as possible.
Joe Schacherer of Oceano, 79, has sat-in for Santa, literally, for 11 years at Downtown SLO’s Santa’s House in Mission Plaza.
“It’s worth the drive,” he said.
As one of four who will assume the role there this year, Schacherer started the team’s month-long gig Nov. 29 with a fire engine ride, a walk through a holiday-lit tunnel and hundreds of excited children yelling for him.
Tom Tierney of Cambria, 88, has done the Santa gig in front of the Chamber of Commerce and other Cambria locations for more than two decades.
He was set to do it again Friday starting at 4:30 p.m. for the first half of the two-day “Holidays in Cambria Village” event, set up, as usual, in front of the chamber at 767 Main St. He’ll also be Santa at some other North Coast holiday events.
Della Carillo of Cayucos, 83, said she has donned Mrs. Claus outfits there for “about 25 or 30 years, I think.”
“It’s been so long, I don’t remember how long it’s been,” she said.
Her annual “dependent Claus” assignments starts at the Cayucos tree-lighting ceremony Sunday, followed by the community’s holiday open house on Dec. 14. She, too, will be at other events during the holidays, decked out in her festive, seasonal regalia — most of which she makes herself.
Being a longtime SLO County Claus is a special privilege, volunteers say
For these three Claus duplicates, the Santa magic goes both ways.
While some Clauses try it for only a season or two, the trio stressed that they are in it for the long haul.
Tierney and Schacherer each trim their fluffy white beards back in January, then let the facial hair grow all year so their costuming will be more authentic.
After all, Santa must have to trim his beard occasionally, too.
Both said they sometimes get slightly older, skeptical kids who doubt their authenticity.
“Once, a boy looked at me and said, ‘You’re not Santa!’ and pulled on my beard,” Tierney said. “When it didn’t come off, he turned and shouted at his mother, ‘Mom, he is Santa! He really is!’”
Schacherer has had similar encounters, he said, as have other Santas.
Tierney meanwhile also remembers starring in a group photo at a Santa gig in the tiny town of San Simeon, with him, more than 220 children and some adults.
Mrs. Claus has her own beloved memories from years past.
Carillo, who gives a gift to each child, recalled one time giving a young girl a stretchy bead bracelet.
A few days later, someone from the Cayucos Elementary School called her, saying the child was very upset because she’d broken the treasured memento.
Of course, Mrs. Santa suited up again and took another bracelet to the gratefully amazed child.
Schacherer said his most magical moments were being Santa on the San Luis Obispo holiday parade float, the last entry in the procession.
“To come around that corner and hear so many people shouting for Santa was the most humbling thing I’ve ever experienced,” he said. “I’m so proud to be one of the few people to experience that. It’s all about the shared joy between Santa and the kids.”
How those SLO County Clauses got started
The Claus stand-ins each took different routes toward deciding to take on the roles long-term.
A couple of years before Schacherer retired in 2015 from his job as a software engineer for San Luis Obispo County, he literally was pulled into the Santa role as he and some coworkers walked past Santa’s House.
“Two women spotted me, ran out and said, ‘We need you to be our Santa!’” he said. “How could I refuse? I did start real quickly after that.”
Carillo had served as president of the Cayucos Chamber of Commerce and has remained active in it and other local nonprofits ever since. Fun fact: She’s also suited up as the Easter Bunny.
She began her Mrs. Santa routine to replace the “elves” who had previous helped Santa.
“When the last one left, the Chamber leaders asked me to dress up as Mrs. Santa,” Carillo said.
One year, she even wound up subbing for the Santa who, at the last minute, couldn’t participate.
Being so active in the small town has its drawbacks under those conditions. A man brought his child up to sit on Santa’s lap and said quietly, just to her, that he knew who she was.
“I recognize your eyes,” he told the community leader.
Carillo often takes on the Mrs. Santa role for other local organizations, she said.
Tierney began portraying Santa for his family after he got divorced and started growing his beard.
“I used the beard as a reason to celebrate Christmas with others, because my life had changed so much,” he said.
Tierney’s grandchildren often call him Grandpa Ho Ho. He even has a “Cambria Ho Ho” license plate on his truck, and in 2020, bought a red Jaguar so he could be in costume, sitting on the back deck and waving while his daughter, Cindy Tierney Burke, drives him slowly up and down Cambria’s Main Street and other roads during the holiday season.
One time, the longtime Cambria contractor remembered being in costume, driving the car home and stopping for gas, when a man walked by while talking on his phone.
“I could hear him tell the person on the call ‘I’m standing here in front of Santa, and he’s driving his own car. Santa has a Jaguar!’” Tierney said with a laugh.
“It’s all about pleasing people, making people happy, bringing positivity into their lives,” he said.
This story was originally published December 6, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
