One smart woman
Mrs. Claus keeps things going smoothly at the North Pole.
By SUSAN HALLER for Smart
What’s it like being married to Santa Claus? It’s a lot of fun, but exhausting. Kris is a busy, busy man. I actually feel kind of bad for him. He really loves football, but after Halloween, he’s booked every weekend for appearances at the York Galleria, parades, ribbon cuttings, charity events, Christmas Magic at Rocky Ridge ... he never gets to catch a game. Thank goodness for TiVo.
What is the most frustrating part of your life? Have you ever tried getting chimney soot out of velvet? Or dried hot cocoa? Keeping Kris’ red suits clean is by far my biggest challenge. I’ve tried to convince him to wear a more washing-machine-friendly fabric, but he insists velvet is the softest for children to sit on. I’ve also asked if he’d consider using something besides a chimney to drop off the toys. But he says, “It’s tradition, and it’s more convenient to land on the roof.” What I wouldn’t give for a dry cleaner up here ...
What is your secret for a successful marriage? Patience. It’s not easy living in Kris’ rather large shadow. I mean, how often do you hear about Mrs. Claus? Nobody really knows me for anything more than maybe my cookies and for dressing like my famous husband — which, by the way, is just for photo shoots. But I try to keep things in perspective. I give Kris to the world for most of the fall and winter, knowing that the spring and summer is our time to enjoy life together.
What are you most proud of? With all the news about global warming, there’s been a lot of concern in our neck of the woods about the workshop flooding. I’ve led the charge around here for being more environmentally friendly. We’ve replaced all of our lights with compact fluorescent bulbs; added solar panels to power the workshop, elf housing and our own home; and we’re trying to make more of the toys from recycled materials.
I think the biggest gift we can give the children is a clean world to live in.
What inspires you? The ability of one person to change the world. Kris does so much more than drop off a few presents at a couple billion homes — he teaches us about generosity and tolerance. Each of us has an the opportunity to be kind to our neighbors, to foster the spirit of Christmas. Kris just shows us how important those small acts are on a grander scale.
ABOUT MRS. CLAUSMaiden name: Mary Christmas
Age: About 1,760 years young (she stopped keeping track after her 275th birthday)
Occupation: General manager of North Pole Inc. Responsibilities include baking, cooking, cleaning, tailoring, some toymaking, checking “The List.”
Family: Santa Claus, elves and pet reindeer: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph
Lives in: The North Pole
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