ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — It’s a common refrain in Christmas movies. Something imperils the annual spirit of gift giving, candy canes and holiday cheer. Maybe it’s a Scrooge, a Krampus or a dad who spends too much time at the office. There might be a missing Santa or poor weather conditions.
No matter what, the mission is crystal clear: “We need to save Christmas.”
That’s exactly what Kelsey Kiser has set out to do.
Kiser has lived in Western North Carolina his entire life. It was devastating for him to witness the destruction to the region after Hurricane Helene.
“Spruce Pine, Green Mountain, Burnsville, Asheville, Chimney Rock, everything here that I’ve known my whole life was washed away with Hurricane Helene,” Kiser said. “It messed me up in the head pretty bad. I spent the last 60-something days since that hurricane not knowing what I was gonna do.”
Then, one night a few weeks ago, Kiser was praying before bed when he heard a voice.
“I keep this little statue of my nana, it looks like her, I got it after she passed away and I just heard her tell me that I needed to do something for these kids in these mountains,” Kiser said. “Hence the idea, Santa Claus is coming to Western North Carolina.”
Kiser’s partner sewed him a Santa suit and he began practicing his Santa voice.
“It’s been hard trying to find the right one that I wanted,” Kiser laughed. “I don’t know if you’ve seen all the old Rankin and Bass Christmas movies, but I look identical to Kris Kringle from ‘Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town’.”
Between Dec. 13, the last day to donate toys to the W.N.C. Santa drop boxes, and Christmas Day, W.N.C. Santa will deliver presents to families. He will be working from a list of names and addresses spanning Spruce Pine to Chimney Rock.
Kiser has reached out to 12 Baskets Café, the Asheville Poverty Initiative and the Department of Social Services to get the names of families that may need a visit from Santa most.
More than anything, Kiser just wants to bring joy to kids from the mountain communities he grew up in.
“Oh my gosh, what’s going on? That’s kind of the look I’m hoping to get from these kids this year,” Kiser said.
He’s not in it for the fame, either. As far as Kiser is concerned, Santa is the one doing all the delivery. He’s just one organizer of a group spreading Christmas cheer.
“I don’t want clout, man,” Kiser explained. “I don’t want my name on it. I want it to read Santa, Mrs. Claus and the elves. There’s not a single one. Like, all of my friends have pitched in.”
Kiser has also been working with businesses around town to amass the presents Santa will deliver.
“We’ve got toy drop boxes all throughout Asheville right now,” Kiser said. “We’re doing everything we can just to bring some magic to people that need it more than anything.”
Right now, toy drop boxes are located at:
- Asheville Pizza & Brewing Company, 675 Merrimon Ave., Asheville
- Daymoon Coffeebar, 381 Old Charlotte Hwy., Fairview
- The Deck Box, 3049 Hendersonville Road, Unit 30, Fletcher
- Fan-Tastic Cards & Comics, 100 District Dr., Unit 010, Asheville
Kiser wants the toy donations to be new and tactile items that don’t require electricity, in case families are still left without power or housing.
A few suggested donations include LEGOs, dolls, toy cars, board games and handheld gaming systems.
“I’m encouraging people to go onto a website called DK Oldies or to go to one of our local businesses like Orbit DVD,” Kiser said. “I hate to ask people to spend money like that, but gently used items aren’t what Christmas is about. To some degree, it is a little flashy.”
Speaking of flashy, flash photography will be allowed at several meet-and-greets with Santa that Kiser has organized.
“December the 14th between two and five, we will be at Asheville Pizza & Brewing and I’m waiting to hear back from Pack’s Tavern,” Kiser said. “Then, the Fletcher Auction House, we’re doing brunch with Santa the weekend before Christmas.”
More than anything else, Kiser sees W.N.C. Santa as an opportunity to make holiday magic for the people of the Appalachian mountains.
“We just want people to think it’s Santa. That’s the magic that needs to be brought this year,” Kiser said. “It’s not just people. It’s something more than that.”
If you know of a family in need or have toys to contribute, visit the W.N.C. Santa website, www.wnc-santa.com, where kids can write a letter to Santa, or email Kiser at wncsantaclause@gmail.com.
