Tampa Bay’s real housewife of the North Pole
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Dennis and Ellen Hoffman as Santa and Mrs. Claus. Photo courtesy of the Hoffmans.
Dennis Hoffman comes from a family of jolly men — his grandfather, father and uncle all donned the red cap — but he wouldn't be Santa-for-hire if it weren't for his wife, Ellen.
Flashback: When a Santa booked for their friend's daycare fell through in 2009, she volunteered her husband. He had a white beard and a costume he wore for fun. Why not?
- Soon, he was hooked. Dennis joined the International Brotherhood of Real Bearded Santas, began taking Santa trainings and kept his beard full time (something he couldn't do before he was laid off as a press superintendent at the Tampa Bay Times).
- When Ellen retired from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, she officially became Mrs. Claus.
The look: Everyone knows what Santa looks like. But Mrs. Claus is up for interpretation. Some embody her as she might look making cookies at home in the North Pole. But not Hoffman.
- "I definitely don't have white hair or wear that silly mop hat," she told Axios. "Why some ladies wear that is beyond my comprehension."
- She dresses in a gown to match Santa's formal suit. If she's going to be sitting on the ground to play or read with kids, she opts for a red and white blouse and skirt.
The job: Mrs. Claus often takes a backseat to Santa, but without her things would be a lot less jolly.
- Children who are excited to see Santa but get scared of a strange man are usually comforted by Mrs. Claus. They may be more eager to let her hold them or stand next to her for a picture. That means a nice shot with fewer tears.
- She's also ready to whip out wet wipes if a kid with messy hands tries to grab Santa's (pricey) suit and keep chaos down in the line so everyone gets their unique one-on-one Santa experience.
Yes, and: She's not always by his side. She does solo storytime and playtime events.
Another perk: Mrs. Claus keeps away Santa groupies.
- "We get some fresh women every now and then that maybe had a drink or two where we're at, but I think they don't want to offend Mrs. Claus," Dennis told Axios. "I think her presence may tone it down when that happens."