Most of us grow up with a simple, unquestioned belief: Santa Claus appears every December, stepping straight out of the North Pole with a belly laugh, a snowy beard, and a timeless red suit. We wave to him in parades. We hand him our wish lists. We trust him with our children. But very few ever pause long enough to wonder who is behind that magic — and what it truly takes to embody the most iconic character of all time.
This month, the AZ Courier News brings you something special: an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at a man who has spent 38 years donning Santa’s boots — not just as a role, but as a calling. His name is Bruce Bartley, and his story is one of resilience, compassion, transformation, and unwavering holiday spirit.
It is a story of a man who didn’t just become Santa.
He grew into him.
Humble Beginnings, a Hard Childhood, and the Spark That Lit the Way
Bruce’s journey begins in Independence, Ohio, long before he ever put on the suit. His father passed away before he was born, leaving his mother to raise him alone. Life was not easy. He experienced childhood trauma, relied on neighbors for support, and learned early on that family can take many forms — including the community that surrounds you.
But something else grew inside him too: empathy. Kindness. A soft spot for children who, like young Bruce, needed to feel heard, valued, and safe.
“In spite of everything,” he told me, “my mom made sure I had good manners, good values, and a good heart. I learned exactly the type of person I didn’t want to be.”
That upbringing shaped not only the man — but eventually, the Santa — he would become.
Years later, someone recognized Bruce’s outgoing personality and suggested he try being Santa at a city event. His first costume was nothing fancy — an off-the-rack suit, a standard beard, the look of a classic mall Santa. But he approached the role with sincerity. Even then, he knew:
If he was going to be Santa, he was going to do it right.
Becoming Santa — A Complete Transformation
A decade ago, everything changed. A church he partnered with wanted to give him a more professional appearance, something worthy of the spirit he carried. They connected him with a Hollywood-level wig and beard company — the kind that crafts pieces for major films.
What happened next sounds like something straight out of a Christmas movie.
The company mailed Bruce a specialized kit, asking him to create a mold of his head and face. It wasn’t a simple process, but Bruce was committed. When the mold was sent back, the company used it to craft a fully custom, perfectly fitted, incredibly lifelike wig, beard, and mustache made from real human hair.
And here is where it gets even more magical.
When the holidays are over each year, Bruce carefully packs his Santa hairpieces and ships them back. The company treats them like treasure: washing them, grooming them, repairing every loose strand, and storing them safely for eleven months — only to return them right on time when Christmas rolls around again.
People often ask if his beard is real. Bruce smiles, with that familiar twinkle in his eye, and says, “Yes — it’s real hair. Just not mine.”
And that little bit of mystery only adds to the magic.
Out of costume, you’d never guess he was Santa. With short, simple hair and an unassuming style, Bruce blends right into everyday life. But the moment he steps into the suit — the red velvet, the gleaming belt buckle, the bell-tipped hat — something shifts. His posture changes. His eyes soften. He quite literally becomes Santa Claus.
And he takes that responsibility seriously.
The First Time in the Suit — And the Promise That Defined Him
Bruce remembers his very first day as Santa vividly. The venue was packed. Children stretched out in a line that never seemed to end. When closing time rolled around, staff began to pack up, but Bruce refused to leave.
“No kid left behind,” he decided — a personal rule he still follows today.
He stayed until the very last child had their moment with Santa.
Not rushed. Not dismissed.
Seen. Heard. Cherished.
That first experience overwhelmed him in the best possible way. “I realized that day,” he told me, “that this wasn’t just a costume. This was a ministry.”
Moments That Melt a Santa’s Heart
Over 38 years, Bruce has seen the full spectrum of childhood wishes — from funny to heartwarming to heartbreaking.
Most kids ask for whatever the big toy of the year is. But every so often, a child leans in close and quietly shares something that pierces straight through the red velvet.
He’s had children ask for their parents to be happy again.
For their family to stop fighting.
For their sick sibling to get better.
One child wrote a letter asking nothing more than to “be as beautiful as the other girls.”
“That one hit me hard,” Bruce said. “Kids just want to be heard. They want to feel validated.”
There was the little boy who came to Santa shaking, convinced he was on the naughty list. His parents had joked about coal, but the boy didn’t find it funny. Bruce quickly reassured him:
“There is a naughty list and a nice list, but they’re temporary. You can always do better. And if you look at the word naughty, right in the middle is a G. That stands for grace. And Santa always has grace.”
Some moments are joyful, too — like the children who tug on his beard to “test” its authenticity. Instead of pulling away, Bruce gently guides their hand toward him, reducing the tension while dramatically saying, “Ouch! That tickles!” The child instantly releases, convinced more than ever that it’s real.
Kids love to stump Santa by asking him their name. Sometimes his helper whispers it. Other times he deflects with, “You can’t test Santa,” and shifts the conversation toward their holiday wishes. By the time he learns their name naturally, he uses it as they walk away — sending them off in delighted awe.
Once, a little girl made him a handmade ornament crafted from a tree branch with her name carved into it. Bruce still has it, and he hangs it on his Christmas tree every year. It is one of his most precious keepsakes.
And the letters. Every single letter.
He has kept them all — hundreds upon hundreds of heartfelt, hopeful, innocent messages from children who believed in Santa enough to write him.
When he told me this, I nearly teared up.
You can’t fake that kind of devotion.
You can’t fake that kind of love.
Santa’s Most Unexpected Moment — A Christmas Prayer in Disguise
Perhaps one of the most powerful experiences happened seven years ago. Bruce was at a photo station near Santa’s workshop when a young couple approached. They were newly dating, excited and nervous, filled with the kind of hope that only young love brings.
And suddenly, something profound came over him — something he had never felt in his many years as Santa.
“I had to ask if I could pray for them,” he said. “I don’t know why. I just felt it.”
They agreed. Under twinkling Christmas lights and surrounded by smiling families, Santa Claus took their hands and prayed for their future, their relationship, their guidance.
But it didn’t stop there.
One by one, people in the area formed a line. Not for photos.
For prayer.
It was a moment that changed him — a reminder that the suit wasn’t just fabric. It was purpose.
“I realized then,” he told me, “that Santa is simply a reflection of the kindness already inside people. My job is just to bring it out.”
Lessons He Teaches Every Child — and Every Parent
Bruce has learned that children want two things more than toys:
They want to be heard.
They want to be loved.
So he gives them both.
He often encourages them to go home, hug their parents, and say “I love you.”
“That’s the only gift parents really want,” he says.
He reminds kids that giving is better than receiving, and that love is the easiest gift in the world to give — a gift they can give every single day.
He also feels a nudge from God, a gentle prompting he has come to trust. He tells every child, regardless of their request, that they are loved and that life will turn out good for them.
“You never know,” he said, “what a child is carrying in their heart.”
Supporting Santa’s Favorite Causes
Bruce is deeply connected to several local organizations that help children and families — especially during the holidays. He hopes readers will consider supporting them this year.
Shared Christmas (Angle Tree) – Supports over 30 organization with toys and hygiene products (laundry detergent, etc.) Contact is Mary Alice Aguilar (480) 421-8268 email: maryalice.aguilar@cornerstoneaz.com
American Legion Community Outreach – collecting toys for Hartford Sylvia Echidnas Elementary School (title 1) Contact is Rae Hopf Auxiliary President (480) 296-3556 email: raehopf@cox.net
Rockpoint Church Prison Ministry – Angel Tree Christmas Party to distribute toys for the children of incarcerated parent(s). Contact is Sharon Johnson Sharon.Johnson@rockpointchurch.com
A Final Blessing From Santa
After nearly forty years behind the beard, Bruce reflects on how profoundly this role has shaped him. Playing Santa hasn’t just been a seasonal job — it has softened him, humbled him, and opened his heart in ways he never expected. He’s learned that a single moment with a child can change the direction of their day, their season, even their sense of being seen. And over time, he says those moments have changed him just as much.
When I asked what message he’d want our community to hear this holiday season, he didn’t hesitate. He spoke about kindness, compassion, and the simple act of caring for one another — qualities he believes the world is always in need of, but especially now. His hope is that we slow down, appreciate each other, and remember that grace is something we all have the ability to give.
Meeting Bruce reminded me that Santa Claus is far more than a character in a red suit. He is a feeling — a spark of goodness that lives in all of us. Behind the beard is a man who gives that spark freely, year after year, child after child, with sincerity and heart.
Bruce doesn’t just dress up as Santa.
In every meaningful way, he becomes Santa — the best parts of what we imagine, brought to life in our own community.
