White House Christmas tree arrives by horse-drawn carriage
First Lady Melania Trump received the White House Christmas tree in a horse-drawn carriage.
FORT WORTH, Texas – Sleigh bells ring and dozens of bright-eyed seniors listen. Mrs. Claus is home and has important news to share.
“I come from the North Pole to bring you some very exciting news,” she told those gathered at the Haltom City Senior Center outside Fort Worth, Texas, on a cold December day. “Big announcement…you’re all on the nice list.”
The elders in their winter pajamas shout with glee. However, Santa is nowhere to be seen. Mrs. Claus, also known as Betsy Modrzezewski, of Keller, Texas, stands at the controls in a satiny red outfit with white faux fur cuffs, raising smiles and memories as she recites carols and “The Night Before Christmas.”
“It’s refreshing,” said Joyce Hale, 68, a senior in the community who has been watching Modrzejewski perform for the third year in a row. “She has a great personality.”
Don’t look now. But just down the lane from Santa Claus comes Mrs. Claus. While St. Nick may be the season’s biggest draw, Modrzejewski and others say Mrs. Claus is rising in popularity as clients look to break away from the everyday, bring out the motherly nature of characters and shine a spotlight on positive female role models.
Although there is no central registry of Mrs. Clauses, there are probably hundreds across the country as members of organizations such as the World Santa Claus Network and the International Brotherhood of Real Bearded Santa Clauses, which are now open to women. Meanwhile, at the acclaimed Charles W. Howard Santa School in Midland, Michigan, enrollment for Mrs. Claus has increased from just 10 students 20 years ago to 75 students this year.
“Honestly, we’re not the first thing people think of,” said Trish Vishnecki of Dallas. She’s in her fourth season in the role and has had no shortage of gigs. “But once you hire Mrs. Claus, you realize the value of having Mrs. Claus.”
Mrs. Claus is in such high demand that Vishnecki only has three days without a live performance from mid-November to January. “I’ve been turning down jobs,” she said.
But who is Mrs. Claus? According to the California Women’s Museum, certain traits such as a cheerful disposition, beard, and chubby figure have been associated with Santa, but there are few details associated with Mrs. Claus, even though she is first mentioned in James Reese’s 1849 short story “The Legend of Christmas.”
That’s one reason so many performers say they’re drawn to Mrs. Claus. Her relative obscurity provides a freer canvas.
“There are expectations from Santa that make them more similar, but Mrs. Claus has a wide range,” said Vishnecki, 70, who retired after working as a manager for child actors in the Los Angeles entertainment industry. “There’s no right or wrong. All you have to do is love your children, have a true Christmas spirit in your heart, and want to create memories that will last a lifetime. Other than that, you can be anything you want to be.”
For example, in Atlanta, Oretha Mobley stars as Grandma Klaus.
“I’m Santa’s mom and Mrs. Claus’ cheerleader,” said Mobley, 63. “The kids ask, “Where is Santa?” And I say, “Santa is resting at home until Christmas Eve.” ”
Mobley, a victim witness specialist with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, adopted this persona to draw on her experience working with troubled children.
“Grandmas have wisdom and children love to be held,” she said. “Grandma will give you a hug and make things better.”
Ira Hamilton, known in Huntsville, Ala., as “Ira Kringle, that Filipino Mrs. Claus,” said Mrs. Claus reflects her Filipino heritage of being warm, hospitable and cheerful. “We like to have fun,” she said. “We don’t know about strangers.”
However, while many Mrs. Clauses still appear with Santa, the number of people who are in charge of the show is increasing. Modrzeszewski, 49, said about 60 percent of his appearances this season are solo.
“Mrs. Claus is strong,” she said. “She runs the North Pole. A lot of families want to set that example for their daughters.”
Hamilton agreed.
“A lot of people like to put Mrs. Claus in a box and say she just bakes cookies,” said Hamilton, 48. “My Mrs. Claus is basically the Queen of the North Pole.”
Parents hosting house parties have other reasons to conscript Mrs. Claus. She can entertain children waiting in line to take pictures with Santa, ease the fears of young children who are scared of Saint Nick, and ease the burden on busy hostesses by involving children in games.
“If Mrs. Claus is not there, it will be the responsibility of the mistress to occupy the children,” Vishnecki said. “We make the hostess’ job easier.”
Ms. Vishnecki, who plays the role of “Evergreen Queen Mrs. Claus,” does not intend to exaggerate what Santa does or to downplay Mrs. Claus’s supporting role. But while some Santas sing and do magic, she said, “Many Santas don’t. They just show up and act merry and take pictures. Usually Mrs. Claus brings a little more to the table. We sing and make cookies. We can also have a homemade night party for the little girls. There are no restrictions.”
“They’re happy when I take control.”
In addition to senior centers, Mrs. Claus appears in nurseries, day care facilities, retail stores, charity events, corporate galas, and more, featuring elves, Dickens carols, and real reindeer.
Modrzejewski, who serves as the church’s children’s ministry director and sells herself as “the feisty Mrs. Claus,” has fully taken on the character, juggling tree lightings at elementary schools and rehabilitation centers, fundraisers and even podcast interviews.
She is currently in her third season. Her kit includes a doll, a jar of reindeer hair, and a real sleigh bell. Mrs. Claus strives to be as professionally prepared as Santa Claus, and as part of her training, Modrzejewski visited reindeer herders in Michigan so she could answer children’s questions about the animals.
Mrs. Claus and Santa, who perform together, usually talk beforehand to iron out details of the backstory in case children have questions about how they met or how long they’ve been married. Hamilton tells the audience that Santa stopped at a bakery in the Philippines for a break while traveling around the world delivering presents, and it was love at first sight.
“That’s how I became Mrs. Claus,” she said. “We are always consistent with our story.”
The performers say it is also important to get to know each other in order to facilitate interaction in front of the audience.
“What we emphasize at Santa School is that Santa and Mrs. Claus should be examples of love for each other,” said Holly Valente, Mrs. Claus performer and president of the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School. “Children don’t always have loving and respectful relationships between husbands and wives or fathers and mothers.”
Still, working with Santa means walking a fine line.
“When Santa and I are together, I don’t want him to be overshadowed,” Hamilton said. Her husband, Craig, plays Santa and is “a perfect complement to Mrs. Claus.” For example, if an event organizer reserves a seat for Santa, Santa will likely reserve a seat for him as well.
Vishnecki said that when he stands in front of the audience with Santa, he not only reads the atmosphere in the venue, but also reads the people he is meeting with. With all the Santas in the spotlight, she will hold back until beckoned. The other Santas don’t really want to interact with her.
“Santa is the star,” Vishnecki said. “I’m there to make him look good, but it’s also a partnership. The Santas I work with are more timid. They like it when I take control. But I’m not going to step beyond my role as Mrs. Claus. I’d love to work with that Santa again, and we’re there to make sure our guests have a good experience.”
Mrs. Claus’s passion for fashion
In Huntsville, Ms. Hamilton embraced the role of Mrs. Claus two years ago when her husband, Craig, began playing the role of Santa in honor of his late friend. It was a natural thing for both of us. They were the kind of couple who had Christmas trees in every room of their house. Since then, Christmas trees have become more than just a seasonal pastime.
“When we did this, we changed our lifestyle,” she said. “Everything in our closet is red, green, and gold. All my shoes are Klaus-style. We listen to Christmas music all year round. It’s not just something we do in December.”
Their son and daughter often perform together. Shepherd, 18, plays Jack Frost, and Marian, 16, plays the Sugar Plum Fairy. The family has a room dedicated to costumes and make-up, called “Claus-et.”
that’s right. You didn’t expect that Mrs. Claus only had one dress. Like Santa, Mrs. Claus’ costumes and repertoire are as diverse as the audience, from period pieces from vintage stores to formal dresses made by seamstresses.
Mrs. Mobley, Grandma Claus, wears a combination of velvet and satin, but wears cotton when interacting with children and Scottish prints when reading to a crowd. If she wants to make a statement, she also wears a round white fur hat accented with fashion pins.
Before appearing at the senior center, Modrzejewski said the dress’s cuffs and collar are removable, so it can be removed before washing.
“That’s what I learned from Santa,” she said. “If you don’t, it’ll turn pink.”
Modrzejewski ended his appearance at the senior center with a carol sing-along, then posed for photos with a crowd of elderly people suddenly reminiscing about their youth, and listened as they recounted their holiday memories and details about their grandchildren.
“She brings so much joy,” said center supervisor Bobby Arthur.
Modrzejewski’s job is done. As it turned red, Mrs. Claus put her feet up and disappeared into the cold air until next year.
