Georgetown Santas 2024

For the 26th year, the Georgetown Santas are hard at work, bringing Christmas Cheer to Salina and surrounding areas.

79-year-old Santa, Jack Schmiedeler started the Georgetown Santas as a way to get rid of an excess of Halloween candy. Santa Jack was inspired by his neighbor, whose wife loved to bake, so on Christmas Eve he would dress up as Santa and walk around the neighborhood and hand out Christmas cookies and cakes.

Santa Jack comments "I told my wife, "I know how to get rid of this candy", and she said "You're nuts" because I had gone out and bought a Santa Claus suit, and I stood out here, and anybody that came by I waved and a few of them stopped. I think I did it two nights, and Paul across the street there came over and said "You're having too much fun! Care if I join ya?" We did it for two years he and I. It was all a word-of-mouth thing wasn't nothing in the paper or anything like that about it. Then three other Santas joined us. So there were five of us here for a number of years."

Santa Jack went on to say that when it finally did hit the papers it "went crazy."

The Santas financed the whole event with their own money for many years. Over the years they have received different donations from places like Rustle Stover's and most currently have a "good thing going with Dillons" who gives them a good deal on candy right after Halloween.

Due to appreciation from the folks the Georgetown Santas bring Christmas cheer to " the last few years, we haven't had to put a penny into this" Santa Jack said. "People come through and give ya a hundred dollars and you don't even know their names." He noted that it costs around three thousand dollars to put on this event each year.

Kylee and Jason Gragg of Salina said they have been visiting the Georgetown Santas for two decades. Their favorite part of the Georgetown Santas is "the lights, the decorations, the Santas, all of it!"

Dave and Gloria Shmit, and Jonny and Karen Sharp personally know one of the Georgetown Santa's and have been coming "every year since they started." "It's just beautiful the Christmas spirit out here, the treats they give, it's just a beautiful thing. It doesn't matter what the weather is like, they're out here and it's nice to see it."

The Rohleder family have been coming to see the Georgetown Santas for three or four years. Their favorite part is "All the Santas!."

John and Rachel Zamora are originaly from western and north central Kansas and have come to see the Santas for four years. "They obviously have a community or neighborhood that just puts this on for everyone. The tradition of it is really cool."