Winterville was just one of many stops this holiday season for Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Jeff Martin and his wife of 10 years, Tracy Ryan, are in their sixth year of portraying the legendary couple from the North Pole. They posed for photos and entertained families at Redstone Arsenal’s annual Winterville Dec. 7-8 at the Redstone Activity Field for the third consecutive year.
“Buddy, I just love making people smile,” Martin, 60, of Dutton, said. “When people see Santa, they have a different look on their face. They smile, and that’s the only reason I do it. And you always have that one kid that breaks your heart.
“Like, I asked this one kid: What do you want for Christmas? And he said, ‘I just want my family to be happy.’ And that was his answer. You always have one you remember. It really takes you by surprise sometime.”
Martin got another memorable answer last year at a homeless shelter in Huntsville. A boy told Santa that all he wanted was a family.
Ryan, 54, said she has “a ton of fun” portraying Mrs. Claus. She and Santa arrived at Winterville on Dec. 7 on a Redstone fire truck.
“The kids were so excited,” Ryan said. “Of course, they’re not as excited to see Mrs. Claus as they are Santa. But I get some neck hugs, too. And it’s also the adults, a grin comes across their faces.”
Martin and Ryan are both retired from careers in public service. Martin retired from the Army National Guard Dec. 24, 2015, as a chief warrant officer 4 after more than 32 years in uniform. He served in Iraq in the Gulf War, in 1990-91, and again in 2007-08. He was a maintenance warrant at Anniston’s Pelham Range, and he is a Gold Star family member.
Ryan retired in 2018 as a high school science teacher in Jackson County. She taught at North Jackson, Skyline, the Kevin Dukes Career & Innovation Academy, and at Northeast Alabama Community College.
The couple started portraying Santa and Mrs. Claus in 2019, giving Martin a new role after leaving the Army.
“His identity was very much one of a Soldier,” Ryan said. “After 2015 he didn’t feel like he had an identity anymore. He grew out his white beard, and I said, ‘You’ll make a good Santa.’ He said I’m in if you are. And I said if we’re gonna do it, we’re gonna do it right.”
By last week, they had about 10 more commitments through Christmas Eve. They visit foster children, homeless shelters, libraries, schools, churches and small businesses throughout Northeast Alabama. Santa and Mrs. Claus plan to take their personal vehicle, Rudolph II, a jeep that features holiday-themed lighting, decorations and decals, to Daytona Beach, Florida, the last week in April. They always go to Jeep Beach Week.
“We start in December,” Martin said. “We’re booked every weekend and sometime during the week, all the way up to Christmas Eve.”
They bring smiles in the North Pole’s tradition.
Natalie Crawford, special events coordinator for the Garrison’s Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, shared her thoughts on bringing Santa and Mrs. Claus to Winterville.
“Jeff and Tracy really personify the spirit of the holiday season and have brought so much joy to the Redstone Arsenal community, at our annual Winterville event,” she said. “We are so lucky to have such a special, military-connected, Santa and Mrs. Claus sharing their magic with us.”
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