DeAnn Johnson

“Traditional Mrs. Claus”
Crescent City, Illinois
1963 – Current

International Santa Claus Hall of Fame – December 2025

DeAnn Johnson first became Mrs. Claus in 1981 for the Watseka, Illinois Area Chamber of Commerce. Since then, she has been the “Traditional Mrs. Santa Claus” for over 40 years. She has appeared not only in Watseka, but in events, places and parades that include Santa’s Village Theme Park in Dundee, Illinois, in Santa Claus, Indiana, in the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade, the Gibson City Lighted Christmas Parade, and over two dozen parades and many locations, and TV appearances on WGN-TV in Chicago, WCIA/CBS 3 in Champaign IL to mention a few, and in numerous documentaries.

As a “solo” and free-standing Mrs. Claus, she has appeared in Florida for Ronald McDonald Houses, for the Illinois tollway plazas, and other venues. She has been active behind the scenes in planning and producing various conventions, workshops, and gatherings, including the events in Albion, New York, and Santa Claus, Indiana.

She has created her own original programs from “Crafts with Mrs. Claus” to “Cookies with Mrs. Claus” and “Story Time with Mrs. Claus”. She has also rewritten some Christmas songs to include interaction with the guests at some of her appearances. She has a vast collection that began when she was quite young, of Santa figurines, nostalgic decorations, Christmas cookbooks, and historical memorabilia.

DeAnn is also a member of the Knights of St. Nicholas and a founding member of the Mrs. Claus Commission.