Pat McDonogh

The Courier-Journal

Loretta Lynn’s voice breaks the silence of a dreary Saturday morning in Sunshine Hollow, blasting loudly through her rendition of "Blue Christmas" and alerting the residents of Santa’s arrival.

In most Christian cultures, there are traditions and tales of St. Nick bringing gifts to boys and girls. In the mountains of Appalachia, Santa arrives on the tailgate of a Ford pickup. Behind him a caravan of elves doles out presents to any child in sight.

If 64-year-old Mike Howard were applying for the job of a department store Santa, he would be soundly rejected. Too short, too wiry and no beard. Dressing up as Santa is easy, being Santa takes great faith.

Howard, a retired coal miner, has been the Mountain Santa to children of Harlan, Ky., since 1974. The youngest of 11 children, Howard watched his brother play Santa at a church one Christmas and was taken by the joy on the children’s faces. The next year he took over and quickly realized the great need to share gifts to all the hollows of Harlan.

Like all missions, Mountain Santa gets by on the kindness and donations of others. “I go to the mountains every day and pray, and the Lord gives me the money I need,” Howard said. Volunteers from Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina and Tennessee pour into 268 Santa Lane leading up to Christmas to wrap presents and help with deliveries. This year Howard will hand out 100 truckloads of gifts in six different trips through his community.

► YOU MIGHT LIKE: Read our profile of Mike Howard from 1994

“This means a lot to children who don’t have nothing," said Debbie Hensley, who carried home an armload of presents from the passing Santa. "There are a lot of people out here who don’t have Christmas and Mike helps out every year. He’s a wonderful person.”

“It makes you feel so good inside knowing that you’ve done something good," Howard said. "I always cry on Christmas Eve when the last run is empty. I wish I had more gifts to keep going.”

He may not be the typical rotund Santa, but to the poor children of Harlan County he is very real. And the memories can last a lifetime.

Pat McDonogh can be reached at 502-582-4608.

Lend a hand

If people want to assist Mike Howard, he can be contacted at:

Mike Howard

268 Santa Lane

Wallins Creek, Ky. 40873