As Santa prepares for his trip around the world, we salute at least two local men who cover for him while he's at the North Pole.

Joe Delleman

The Atlantic estimates that Santa delivers presents to 6,100 children every second, drinking over 34 million gallons of milk along the way.  Santa made dozens of trips to Door and Kewaunee counties to celebrate the Christmas season over the last six weeks, bringing up the rear in parades and sitting in front of thousands of kids listening to their wishes. In Kewaunee County, the jolly old elf looks a lot like Joe Delleman, a Luxemburg resident who worked at the paper mills in Green Bay before his career took him to Bay Shipbuilding. Delleman has been confused with Santa Claus for over 15 years at different events like Christmas in Casco at the Casco Kidz Zone and brunch at Homestead Kitchen and Tap. While he is flattered by the comparison, Santa is just happy he is able to bring a little Christmas magic to everyone he meets.

Santa says he is looking forward to sitting in his recliner, finishing off the last few cookies from the night before, and watching the Packers play. 

Trent Snyder

When the Man in Red cannot come to Sturgeon Bay himself, the community knows it can always call on Trent Snyder to fill his boots.  Snyder bought the Santa Claus suit for a Packers game he went to and wore to a costume party shortly after he moved back to Door County because he did not have a better option. His first attempt at buying a Santa Claus suit was from a second-hand store in Minneapolis, but that turned out to be a Mrs. Claus suit he would later give to his wife.  Snyder says the response from the party led to his first gig as a Santa.

Snyder filled in for Santa several times this winter, including appearances in the Sturgeon Bay holiday parades.

These stories were previously published in past years.