The Newtown Santa is enjoying his 22nd season bringing joy to children of all ages.

Joe Hemingway began portraying Santa Claus 21 years ago, after the special role was bequeathed to him by Rich Rauner. Along with a fellow Shady Rest couple, Rauner launched a special event for children and senior citizens in the Sandy Hook community in the early ’70s. When the Hemingway family moved into Shady Rest in 1989, they had no way of knowing they would be the ones to carry tradition forward into the 21st Century.

Not only has Joe Hemingway inherited the role of Shady Rest Santa Claus, but he has also become the unofficial Newtown Santa.

“There are some people, especially in Shady Rest, and I’m the only Santa they see,” Hemingway said recently. He has been invited to appear at local events for years, he said, and those invitations continue to grow annually. He has a full Santa suit for the role, and grows out his beard every year for the holiday season.

“There’s one little girl in Shady Rest who will see me at her house, and then at the Rotary pancake breakfast,” he said. “That’s why I started doing as many things as I can in town: This way, people don’t get confused by seeing too many different Santas.”

He credits Newtown Youth & Family Services (NYFS) Executive Director Candice Bohr with dubbing him The Newtown Santa.

“Once I started going with my beard, and people started asking me to visit, like the VFW, and Sandy Hook Christmas party, that’s when Candice said ‘You’re the Newtown Santa!’”

The story of how he took on the role of the jolly elf from the North Pole begins two decades earlier, however.

Shady Rest Santa, Part One

Shady Rest is a private community, originally a summer vacation destination, along the shores of the Housatonic River. It was created in 1929; its entrance is Shady Rest Boulevard, off Walnut Tree Hill Road in Sandy Hook.

Today the community is home to approximately 100 families, the majority of whom are year-round residents.

In 1971, it was Judy and Ed Dick, according to Hemingway, who launched the idea of a Shady Rest Santa Claus. Having no children of their own, the Dicks decided to collect Christmas presents from parents who had signed up for a visit from Santa. Neighbor Rich Rauner agreed to play Santa.

“Judy would arrange them all, plan a route through Shady Rest, and then a week or so before Christmas, this other older gentleman, Rich Rauner, who also had no kids of his own, would ride around Shady Rest in Ed’s pickup truck ringing his bells and visiting the children in Shady Rest,” Hemingway said.

Mary Cody Edgerton has lived most of her 59 years within Shady Rest. Her family moved into the neighborhood in 1967, when she was almost 6. By the time Rauner began his Santa visits, she was 10, “a little too old to be visited by Santa,” she said this week.

Edgerton’s two younger brothers were the perfect age for a visit, however.

“I remember when Richie Rauner began as Santa in 1971,” Edgerton said. “He was wonderful. He really loved the children.”

She recalls Rauner, who died in early 1999, as “a bit of a town figure.”

“He worked at the post office,” she said. “He was really a cheery, bright guy, always ready to smile and give you a hug.”

Years later, when one of Edgerton’s daughters realized that the man dressed as Santa who visited her home was “that guy from the post office,” the visits were still enjoyed by both generations.

Rauner would also deliver gifts to fellow senior citizens who would be on their own during the holidays.

Hemingway, who said Christmas in general and the spirit of Santa in particular have always meant a lot to him, found a kinship with the older gentleman.

“He was truly an inspiration to me in how seriously he took this hobby,” he said.

When the Hemingways arrived 26 years ago, the tradition of Santa’s visits to the children in Shady Rest was well established. The following year, when their daughter Sarah was 2, was the first time the family was visited by Santa.

“I thought it was amazing. What a great idea, having Santa come to your house,” Hemingway said. “He really got into it.”

The Dicks, said Hemingway, were like the godparents of the neighborhood.

Sarah (Hemingway) Taylor, Joe and Meribeth’s older daughter, says the visits from Santa were the most magical night of the year.

“Around this time of year a ‘HO, HO, HO’ and a jingle of bells would be followed by a knock on the door,” she said via e-mail December 2. “Santa would come in, with elves and presents, of course, and we’d talk about our year.”

Taylor and younger sister Maggie eventually realized who was playing Santa, she said.

“We realized that Santa looked an awful lot like the rosy-cheeked man with the white mustache at the post office — our neighbor, Rich Rauner,” she said. “Suddenly it made sense that the neighborhood Christmas caroling always sang extra songs for him.”

That did not stop them from believing in the magic of the season.

“We didn’t want to give up our Santa visits and convinced ourselves we still believed,” she added.

Cody Edgerton eventually married and moved out of Shady Rest for a few years. She returned to the neighborhood in 1990, buying the house she lives in today.

Rauner was still playing Santa when she returned, so her two daughters were introduced to the local tradition.

“I love this neighborhood,” she said. Having Santa visit children “is part of us,” she added. “We put this together every year.”

While not every home receives a visit from Santa, Cody Edgerton said those who do participate — whether planning the annual event for others and/or hosting a visit — “appreciate it so much.

“Now there are people who have been here long enough, they have their grandchildren having a visit by Santa.”

Shady Rest Santa, Part Two

Meanwhile, Hemingway watched in awe, year after year, as his neighbor continued to bring holiday joy to nearby families.

He eventually approached Rauner and told him that when Rauner decided to retire the suit, Hemingway would love to talk about stepping into the role.

“Rich was an amazing guy,” Hemingway said, “but he got sick and his health deteriorated pretty quickly.”

A longtime fixture at Newtown Post Office, Rauner had lived with heart issues for years. After an eight-month wait, he underwent a heart transplant procedure in December 1998.

He returned to his home in early January 1999, but died on January 16 at the age of 58.

A few months earlier, Rauner had called on Hemingway and told him it was time to talk about taking over the role of Santa. The two men went over everything — make-up, the beard, the padding, even notes on some of the neighborhood children — and Rauner offered some sage advice.

“He gave me some tips in how to act the part that I have never forgotten, and it’s why I think of him every year,” Hemingway said. “One thing in particular was not to be loud with your ‘Ho, Ho, Ho!’ because it can be scary to small children, and talk softly to them until they are comfortable.”

Hemingway has many memories of his journey, he said, but among his favorite comes from the very first night, in December 1998, that he took over for Rauner.

“I asked Rich if he wanted me to stop by once I was ready and maybe have a drink and get his approval,” Hemingway said. Rauner declined the offer, however, telling his young apprentice that he was afraid he would be too emotional. Hemingway had no idea he was walking right into a carefully planned handoff set up by his teacher.

“There was one boy who had two younger sisters [who] thought he had figured out that Rich was Santa,” Hemingway said. Santa arrived at that particular house that evening, did his “Ho, Ho, Ho!” at the door, and headed toward the living room to sit by the tree and hand out presents.

“I walk into the room and Rich was sitting there having a drink with the parents,” Hemingway said. “He winked at me as the boy looked back and forth between me and Rich, and we had the boy for a few more years.”

That was the beginning of Hemingway’s experience of playing Santa. He continues to do it, he said, as a tribute to his late friend and mentor.

“I have expanded the role over the years to help some causes, and just to spread cheer,” he said.

It has not always been easy. The weekend after 12/14, “Santa had to go on,” Hemingway said. “With a heavy heart, Santa put on his green ribbon and tried to bring a few smiles to some kids.

“It was rough, but I’m happy we went ahead with it.”

Like her father, Taylor also grew into one of the Shady Rest roles. After Rauner “passed the soft velvet suit on to my Dad, I spent weeks making an elf costume and finding elf shoes so that I could accompany Santa on his trip.”

Hemingway continues to wear the same suit Rauner did. He also wears the same hat and wig given to him by his predecessor.

He has enhanced it, he said, adding a new belt and new boots. He also carries two sets of reindeer bells on leather straps.

“The kids love the bells,” he said. “Kids that are scared of Santa, I let them hold them, and that’s usually a good ice breaker.”

Bohr met Hemingway, she believes, when she did a presentation on behalf of NYFS to the local Rotary club.

“We started talking about Santa after the program, and that’s when I learned about his alter ego,” she said this week. “When that came up, I said ‘Well I’ve got a proposition for you.’”

That was eight or nine years ago, she said. Hemingway’s Santa Claus has been stationed in front of Edmond Town Hall on Holiday Festival days since then.

“He’s fantastic, absolutely fantastic,” Bohr said. “He’s always outside, ringing his bells, drawing attention for people to our event.”

While Hemingway does not have time to sit down and have children climb on his lap during the Holiday Festival, Bohr said he nevertheless makes time for every child who approaches him, including her own.

“I have photo of him on our mantel, with my kids,” she said. “It’s our Christmas card every year, photos with Joe as Santa.”

The day Hemingway realized his magic was working was one Sunday during the NYFS Holiday Festival. One of his neighbors paid him the best compliment he could receive.

“Her daughter had seen me at the pancake breakfast” a day earlier, he said, referring to the longstanding Saturday morning event presented by the Rotary Club of Newtown. “The girl whispered to her mother, ‘That’s the real Santa, because he has been to my house.’”

Staying Busy, With Modifications

Santa remains busy this year, even with the COVID-19 pandemic. When NYFS shifted gear to present most of its Holiday Festival events online, organizers invited Hemingway to do the same.

As part of its Holiday Festival, NYFS offered two Bedtime Stories with Santa evenings. Children tuned in to hear Santa reading to them during a seven-day roster of special events.

“He did a fantastic job,” Bohr said of the new offering.

“He’s genuine,” she added. “He loves doing this. I don’t think he feels like it’s a chore, or a request that he doesn’t like to fulfill.”

Hemingway even offered A Visit From Santa as a silent auction item for NYFS, Bohr said.

“Someone was able to bid on him to do a private one-hour visit to their house, to do gingerbread cookies, or a reading, or whatever the family and he work out.”

When it was time to set a price on the auction lot before bidding opened, Bohr simply put it as priceless, she said.

“What an amazing opportunity to have Santa come to your house and have him sit with you,” she added.

Hemingway was also part of the Rotary Club of Newtown pancake breakfast this month. Like NYFS, and countless others, the annual event went on, but with modifications.

In place of people sitting around large tables at Edmond Town Hall, supporters this year ordered prepacked pancake kits and picked them up on December 5 at Newtown Community Center.

Hemingway was there, handing out some of the kits and greeting many of those who were in waiting vehicles.

Later that evening, Hemingway and his wife, Maribeth, presented the Sandy Hook Tree Lighting, done this year via Facebook Live. December 11-13, he was part of Newtown Holiday Lights, a new event at Fairfield Hills.

Newtown Santa has also “branched out” in recent years, Hemingway said.

He appeared during two events in New Britain this season. A construction manager, Hemingway did a job earlier this year that led to him being invited to be part of the city’s tree lighting this month. He was scheduled to return on December 12 to do a New Britain Parks & Recreation event, Tour With Santa.

Last year he participated for the first time in a Candy Cane Hunt at Tarrywile Mansion in Danbury. He returned this year, when the event was turned into a drive-thru offering.

“I bought a clear mask,” he said, explaining one way even Santa has adapted to pandemic protocols like social distancing. “Kids can still see my beard, but it’s very hot. I take it off between visits, when it’s safe.”

Cancellations have come about, however. Locally, he will not be reading stories to children at the Children’s Adventure Center this month, nor will SHOP’s Visits & Photos with Santa event be taking place.

Within his home neighborhood, Santa will absolutely be making his annual rounds.

“I’m still going to do Shady Rest,” he said.

“I did not want to break the streak, so we’ve sent out a newsletter,” Hemingway explained. “I may go outside, honk and wave, and leave a present on the step. But Santa will be visiting, absolutely.”

‘Never Stop Believing’

Hemingway has three grandchildren, and expects the oldest will be on to his ploy sooner rather than later.

“Nora just turned 2 in October, Joey was born in October, and Colby was born in September,” he said. Nora — Sarah and Billy Taylor’s first child — met Santa last year. Hemingway said he does not expect it will take his first grandchild long to figure out his ruse.

“She’s very, very bright, just like Sarah, and she’s going to figure it out. Soon,” he said. “This year should be OK, but I think next year she’s going to start looking at me funny. She’ll recognize the voice, but I think I have at least one more year there,” he added.

That will not be a problem. Chances are very good Nora will soon follow her mother’s lead, and start putting on her own elf suit and shoes.

Without realizing it, Hemingway has also inspired and instilled the spirit of Christmas in his daughters.

“Some people stop believing in Santa as they grow older,” Sarah Taylor said. “But if Santa is someone who embodies the spirit of giving, who shares an abundance of love and kindness, whose generosity knows no bounds, then I assure you Santa lives in people like Joe Hemingway and Rich Rauner.

“Because of them, I will never stop believing.”

Hemingway has no plans to retire his seasonal work.

“I can’t imagine stopping,” he said. “It’s so much fun. You can’t help but get into the Christmas spirit. I love it.”

Bohr sees a twinkle in Hemingway’s eyes, she said, because he enjoys playing Santa Claus.

“It’s like he was made to do it. He gets excited about it. He’s so friendly with the kids. He is such a community supporter,” she added. “He’s such a giving person, that this is such a natural fit, giving joy to people this way.”