Tom Pellitieri

“Toledo Santa”
Toledo, Ohio
1961 – Current

International Santa Claus Hall of Fame – December 2021

Tom first portrayed Santa in his 6th Grade Christmas Program.

In 1978, as a senior in high school a friend recruited him for a series of Breakfast with Santa events at the local Ben Franklin.

In 1988 and 1989 Cherry Hill contacted him to appear at the Boulevard Mall in Amherst, New York. During the 1990s he continued to visit for friends and co-workers and started to build up some regular appearances.

By 2005, he began advertising his services as Toledo Santa LLC, with home, corporate, and public appearances.

In 2011, Tom began his association with the Hope for the Holidays Drive Through Toy Drive, organized by WTVG- TV.

In 2019, he was asked to be Santa for the Toledo Blade’s Holiday Parade. Tom donates his time to various charities, including those for animal rescue, homelessness, the developmentally disabled, and food insecurity. A percentage of his Santa income each year is donated to the Paws and Whiskers Cat Shelter, Toledo’s only all-feline, no kill shelter.

He has also been involved with numerous national Santa Conventions.