Lincoln's "Real Santa" recognized by community leaders

 

[December 09, 2020] 

For the last 13 years, Terry Bell has blessed countless children and won the hearts of many as his role as Santa. On Thursday, December 3rd, before the Christmas Cruise, he was surprised and honored with an award proclaiming Terry, as "The Real Santa" by representatives of Downtown Lincoln, Logan County Tourism Bureau, Acting Mayor Tracy Welch, and Roger Matson.

Lisa Drew shared the following words and Kathie Williams presented Terry with the trophy. That evening Terry proceeded to do what he does best. For over two hours, he and Wendy greeted hundreds of cars filled with excited, smiling faces, eager to see Santa and Mrs. Claus at The Depot.

“Is there really a Santa Claus is a question that has been asked by many children (and some adults) for a very long time. The answer varies from a definite yes to shock that anyone would even think of continuing to promote what some prefer to think of as a fairy-tale or fictional character that serves no purpose, claiming that its effects may even be harmful to a young mind. However, in Lincoln Illinois, this question seems to be answered in the affirmative and in the embodiment of the character by a well-know and kind-hearted man named Terry Bell.

The story of Terry and how he came to be known as Santa by our community spans a period of 13 years. Roger Matson was president of Main Street at the time and needed a Santa to flip the switch on a giant Christmas tree on the Court House lawn. He asked Terry and at first Terry said no, but then decided that he would do it in order to help Roger. A family member gave him a suit that they no longer used, and it fit.

A fake beard and black rubber boots from Big R completed the outfit. He had not intended to keep on being Santa but, according to Terry’s wife Wendy, after a little girl (who was initially afraid of him) looked at him and said, “I love you, Santa”, he was hooked.

Taking his role as Santa very seriously, the next year Terry decided to grow his own beard but he needed a little help to keep it white. For a while, Wendy bleached it but now she says that bleaching it is no longer necessary. The beard is real, and it is white and just like in the movie “The Santa Claus , his beard grows longer and becomes whiter the closer that it gets to Christmas.

2013

2013

Terry began participating in the Lincoln Christmas parade a few years later. Gradually, people began to know him and recognize him as Santa. He became a member of Illinois Santas, an association of Santas across the state, and searched out training opportunities, the first being in Santa Claus, Indiana.

A year after that, he went to Gatlinburg, TN for the Santa Family Reunion. It was there that Noerr Programs, a family-run Santa employer, asked Terry to pose for a picture. They needed a “real bearded” Santa, someone who really portrayed Santa well. Noerr Programs began talking with Terry and tapped him to be the Santa at White Oaks Mall in Springfield, where he has been for the last seven years. Terry then began attending Noerr’s Santa University in Colorado to learn the specifics of being a Mall Santa. This year, he attended the C W Howard Santa School to have his questions answered regarding how to approach the issue of COVID-19 as Santa. According to Wendy, and obvious from all of his efforts, Terry wants to be the best possible Santa that he can be. Terry now looks so much like Santa that he is often recognized as him, even without his Santa suit. However, Terry’s striking resemblance to Santa’s physical appearance is not the only thing that makes him resemble the jolly old fellow.

Terry’s generosity of time and his caring nature make him a Santa that is real even to his core and in his heart. He has uplifted the spirits of many a child and given them hope for something special. He has visited hospitals and brought smiles to the faces of sick children, making them forget for a while that they are anything but a child full of hope and excitement. He has participated in parades, met with public officials, visited children in their homes for photos, and has even been the “real Santa” to adults in our community who would otherwise be embarrassed to admit that they, like their children, still hold a soft spot for Santa in their hearts.

Last year several generous donors provided toys to Terry to distribute to children who visited him at the mall. Ironically, it seemed every time a child asked for a specific toy, Terry had it in his Santa Sack, surprising them with a bit of Santa magic. Terry gave one special gift to a young boy who had suffered much loss in his young life, although Terry did not know that at the time. Terry simply knew that this was the right child for this particular toy, gave it to him, and told him that he was getting this gift because he was a good boy. The boy and his parents were so happy and grateful. His mother wrote to Terry a few days later. She explained that her son had been having some difficulties at school, due to the losses in his life. But she told Terry that this gift had changed her son’s life. He had decided that, because Santa saw the good in him, he was always going to be good. His teacher happily reported that he had been on “green” all week long.

Terry Bell has won the hearts of many in his role as Santa, not only at Christmas, but throughout the year as well, due not only to his appearance, but to his generous spirit and love for the child in everyone, no matter their age. And isn’t that, after all, the true meaning of who Santa is? Yes, Lincoln, Illinois, there is a Santa Claus who makes the child-like hearts within us smile. His name is Terry Bell.

Standing left to right:  Lisa Drew, Morgan Gleason, Tracy Welch, Roger Matson and Kathie Williams

On Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020, just before the Christmas Cruise in Downtown Lincoln, Terry was presented with a trophy by representatives of Downtown Lincoln, Logan County Tourism, Mayor Tracy Welch, and Roger Matson. The trophy proclaims Terry as “the Real Santa”, and Terry, we know that you are.”

[Cindy Smith/Lisa Drew]