HURON — Santa Claus is coming to town! Or more correctly, he’s coming back to town.

Ron Baseler, a 1975 Huron High School graduate, is returning to town this weekend, to mark his 50th year of stepping into the famous suit, hat and boots, for a special event at the Huron Senior Center, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 11.

According to Gayle Kludt, with People’s Transit in Huron, who is partnering with the Senior Center to host the event, a wide array of activities will be available on Saturday.

“We will have Santa here, of course,” she said, “and kids can sit on his knee and tell Santa what they want for Christmas and get their picture taken. There are also other activities, such as Christmas Cookie Decorating, Holiday Bingo and other games, to help usher in the season! We’re really glad we are able to have Ron come back to Huron and participate.”

Baseler, who now lives in Omaha, Neb., said he began his role as Santa when he was a sophomore at Huron High School. If that doesn’t necessarily sound like something a high schooler would do, Baseler said his motivation was much simpler.

“Well, frankly, it was a paying gig,” he said with a hearty chuckle. “A buddy of mine said he thought that someone could get paid to be Santa for people. He was right!”

Baseler said he rented a suit for that first season, ran an ad in the Plainsman and was hired to appear at peoples’ homes or other events as the jolly old elf.

“I think I did maybe a dozen appearances that year - mostly at people’s houses,” he recalled. “The kids’ expressions were the hook. They just had the neatest expressions. They completely forgot about the gifts that I carried in….Santa Claus was in their house!”

One of the first things he did after that first season was order his own suit “from Sears and Roebuck,” and he has been in the Santa business ever since.

His appearance in Huron on Saturday will bring his 50-year career full circle, as he returns to where he first donned the suit with a stick-on beard. “I wanted to come back and surprise my Dad,” Baseler said. “He had never seen me portray Santa, except in pictures, so I wanted him to see me.” Unfortunately, Baseler said his father passed away in April, but the seed to come back to Huron was planted.

“I called Gayle - who was a classmate in high school - and asked if there was anything she knew about that wanted to needed a Santa and she responded with a resounding “Yes!” and we were off and running.”

Baseler said that he mostly works larger events as the in-home Santa appearances have tapered off. “I have a regular event at the Cabela’s down here, as well as some other events.” This season has seen more of a return to normal, after last year’s appearances were curtailed by the pandemic.

He said he would not be able to estimate home many appearances he has made in character over the years, but felt it was important that he limited the number of times each season, to avoid burnout. “I have never come home and said, ‘Boy, I’m glad that is over with,’ after an appearance,” he said. “When I got married and had children of my own, I began to do fewer events and while I still love doing it today, I am glad I did.”

And although Baseler has recently retired from his “other career” as a data analyst for an insurance company, he intends to keep each Santa appearance fresh and new, making memories for children of all ages and saving a few for himself.

“My favorite memory was one year we were doing pictures with Santa and a very pregnant mom brought her two kids in for a photo, which was lovely. Again, those lovely expressions. Then, about a week later, the mom was back with a newborn, to have a picture with Santa and the new baby! I tell you, one hug from a child just does it for me!”

Baseler said he will be ready to make more memories on Saturday, back in his hometown.