Budapest, Hungary
1898 – 1982

International Santa Claus Hall of Fame – December 2013

Lucky Squire was born in 1898 in Budapest, Hungary, and came to the United States as a young man during World War I. In his early days, he worked as a laborer and took any odd jobs to help his family settle into New York City.

In the 1940s, Squire became a minister. When his mustache started to turn white, he let his beard grow out, and it began to attract attention as he looked more like Santa Claus.

In the 1950s through the late 1970s, Squire was one of the most sought-after Santas in America. He worked for over a decade as the Gimbles Department Store Santa in New York, appeared with the world-famous Radio City Rockettes, and was featured in numerous print advertisements for major companies across the country. He is most known for his modeling work with Ideals Magazine and for RCA and Capital Records.

His last modeling job was in 1979 for Sports Illustrated. Squire also did promotional appearances for major toy manufacturers like Ideal and Mattel.