What does it take to be Santa Claus? A fluffy white beard? A round belly? A booming “Ho, ho, ho”?
According to new research from Oregon State University, the answer might surprise you: Just a calling to bring joy to others.
OSU’s Borbala Csillag and her colleagues studied professional Santas across the United States and discovered something wonderful — the people behind the red suit are far more diverse than we’d expect. After interviewing more than 50 Santas and surveying nearly 850 more, they found that anyone can successfully play Santa if their heart is in it.
“There are pretty strong societal expectations around what Santa looks like, but we found that most anybody can be Santa if their heart desires it,” said Csillag, an assistant professor of management in OSU’s College of Business.
The researchers discovered Santas come in all shapes, sizes and backgrounds. Some fit the traditional mold perfectly. Others adapt the role to their own circumstances — like the slim Santa who tells kids he’s getting healthy, or the Santa with cochlear implants who explains they’re a microphone to the head elf at the North Pole.
Right here in Philomath, we have our own example of someone who answered that calling.
Rick Wells has been donning the red suit for over a decade now, starting with a gig at the Newport Historic Bayfront during their Christmas Boat Parade. These days, the Kings Valley resident is a familiar sight around the region during the holidays — from the Philomath Christmas Tree Lighting (which took place on Nov. 21) to an appearance at Philomath Community Library (scheduled for 10 a.m.-noon on Dec. 13) to the Parade of Lights (he’s been a part of the event for its first two years).
“I love to see the look on the kid’s face and the joy that it brings to them,” Wells said when I interviewed him back in 2020 during the first week of the Philomath News.
And it’s not just kids. One of Wells’ most memorable appearances was at a Keizer retirement home — a gig he initially thought was a daycare.
“Those people hadn’t seen Santa — some of them probably in a lot of years — and they were talking about childhood things that they did,” Wells recalled. “You couldn’t believe what that does for those elderly people.”
That’s the real magic, isn’t it? Whether you’re conducting groundbreaking research at OSU or spreading Christmas cheer from an antique fire engine, the message is the same — Santa isn’t about the costume. It’s about the joy you bring.
2. Neighbors bring back holiday parade
After a six-year hiatus, the Corvallis Holiday Parade is back — and the timing carries a touch of irony for those who remember how Philomath’s own parade came to be.
The Corvallis parade is set to begin at 6 p.m. Saturday, following a route that begins on Washington Avenue, heads north on First Street and ends at the city’s holiday tree at Jackson Avenue.
Three community members — Nicole Nystrom, Sarah Thompson, and Courtney Holgate-Champney — teamed up with the Downtown Corvallis Organization to revive the tradition that faded during the pandemic.
For Philomath residents, the news might spark a memory. When Corvallis stopped hosting its parade, it left a sort of gap in the region’s holiday traditions. That gap helped inspire Philomath’s own Parade of Lights, which launched in 2023 as a way to bring holiday cheer to the community.
Now, both communities will have parades to call their own — Philomath’s is coming Dec. 20.
“Events that are free and accessible to all are important to foster togetherness and build community,” Holgate-Champney told Benton County officials. “Bringing this back feels meaningful, like restoring something that helped make Corvallis special.”
Attendees are encouraged to bring nonperishable food to support Noodles for Neighbors, Benton County’s food drive. Donation bags will be placed at each street corner along the parade route. Food will be donated to Linn Benton Food Share.
Sometimes the best traditions are the ones neighbors keep alive — whether in Corvallis or Philomath — because they know community matters most during the holidays.
3. Adults get their turn at the spelling bee
Remember the nerve-wracking thrill of middle school spelling bees? The Corvallis-Benton County Public Library is bringing that experience back — this time with the comfort of adult beverages to steady those nerves.
“Sip and Spell: A Spelling Bee for Adults” returns Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. to The Majestic Theatre in Corvallis and it’s exactly what it sounds like — grown-ups stepping up to spell words they probably haven’t thought about since their last Scrabble game (here are the rules).
The library promises to pull “all of the big words out of the dictionary,” which should make for excellent entertainment whether you’re brave enough to compete or smart enough to stay in your seat and watch. The first 60 people who register between 6 and 6:45 p.m. can compete for a first-place prize, while the rest of the audience gets to enjoy the show with a tasty beverage in hand.
Tickets are available now (here’s a link) and organizers recommend grabbing them early. The event, which is emceed by former Philomath News contributor Mike McInally, is free to attend and free to compete, making it one of the best entertainment values in town — especially if your idea of a good time involves watching someone confidently spell “definitely” with an “a.”
It’s the kind of event that celebrates both intellectual prowess and the willingness to potentially embarrass yourself in front of a theater full of people. Which, honestly, is what community is all about.
Just remember — no late seating. If you’re not in your seat by showtime, you might lose it to someone who knows how to spell “punctual.”
(Brad Fuqua is publisher/editor of the Philomath News. He can be reached at News@PhilomathNews.com).
