Santa Claus, Indiana
1931 – Current

International Santa Claus Hall of Fame – December 2015

The daughter of Legendary Santa Claus Jim Yellig, Pat Koch, has greatly contributed to the Santa Claus vocation through her many endeavors.

Every year, thousands of letters for Santa Claus pour into a small town in the State of Indiana, America’s heartland, which is no surprise since the town is called Santa Claus. Children of all ages express their deepest wishes and darkest fears to the man in the red suit. Answering these letters has been a community tradition for decades.

As Santa’s Chief Elf, Koch’s involvement in answering these letters began in 1944, when she helped her father, “Santa Jim,” and today she heads up the many volunteers who carry on this loving custom.

In 2006, she founded the Santa Claus Museum to preserve the history of the community of Santa Claus and the attractions that helped build “America’s Christmas Hometown”.