Beaufort Santa

Bringing Holiday Cheer to the Lowcountry

story by MICAH PEPPERS          photos by CHARLOTTE BERKLEY

Saint Nicholas, Kris Kringle, Father Christmas, or the most widely recognized name, Santa Claus, is a fixture in homes around the world. The image of Santa Claus is embedded in the hearts of adults as a joyful, nostalgic childhood memory of pure happiness. As these same adults become parents, they watch the tradition continue on their own children’s faces.

John Knorr didn’t plan to become the North Pole’s helper and Beaufort’s Santa Claus. His wife, Jodi, didn’t seek out the role of Mrs. Claus, but now the pair is a staple in the Lowcountry, continuously bringing excitement to both children and adults throughout the area.

John and Jodi are originally from Colby, Wisconsin. John worked as a commercial technician and was offered a transfer opportunity to Columbia, SC. In 2009, he, his wife, and their four sons packed up their things and headed east.

Once settled in Columbia, the family was eager to find a church home and get involved within the community. From there, John began preaching and reaching others through street ministry. This led him to become an evangelist and eventually an ordained pastor while working for the church. At a Christmas craft show held by the church, a member mentioned they had brought a Santa suit and asked if anyone would like to play the role. John volunteered, and little did he know at that moment, but he would become — as so many know him — Santa John.

John took his role seriously and was a hit at the show. Opportunities started to open, and John visited establishments as Santa Claus, including, nursing homes and battered women’s shelters. He enthusiastically agreed. “Being able to see the joy on the faces of these families who really didn’t have anything was amazing,” explains John.

Over the years, John and his wife began to visit the Lowcountry. Jodi fell in love with Hunting Island, and after living in Columbia for ten years, they moved to Beaufort in 2019. John got a job working maintenance at the Beaufort Inn. As Christmas approached, John mentioned to the owner that he would be interested in playing Santa Claus for the visiting families. “Even with COVID, I didn’t want to put an end to the Christmas tradition.” The Inn agreed, and he officially brought Santa Claus to the Beaufort Inn’s annual festivities.

Word of mouth spread quickly, and John began to get other requests. “I found out that people were asking, ‘Hey, did you see the Santa at Beaufort Inn?’ and my phone started ringing.” Parents began to ask if he would be willing to do home visits. “Parents wanted Santa to visit their kids to help them get back on the nice list. So I started going. I would see their Elf on the Shelf and have full conversations with the Elf while the kids watched. I had to make sure they were being good little boys and girls.”

John would also take walks in downtown Beaufort, popping in the businesses to say hello. Jodi is a nurse at Mossy Oaks Elementary, and John had the opportunity to visit the students at that location along with other elementary schools in the area. When COVID was at its peak, John would transition to Zoom calls, so the kids still had the opportunity to speak with Santa.

After five years of being Santa Claus, John will tell people, “I am Santa Claus. Jodi will play Mrs. Claus, but she’s not as crazy as I am. There is just something really special about it for me.”

John doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon. “I love to see the excitement on their faces when they see me. It doesn’t matter if they are two years old or 102 years old. It takes you back to when you were a kid to see Santa. There is just something extraordinary about watching joy spread across someone’s face, and all I had to do was portray a character. I just love it so much.”

Santa John is available at locations throughout Beaufort and the surrounding areas. If your family would like a personalized visit, Zoom call, or have an event you would like Santa to attend, John can be reached at beaufortscsanta@gmail.com or find him on Facebook @beaufortsanta.