Meet Santa and Merry Christmas Claus, a real couple with jolly good names
Some kids are smart enough these days to ask Santa to see some ID to prove that he really is good ol’ St. Nick.
If they ask that of a certain white-bearded gentleman in Nebraska, he’ll just whip out his driver’s license.
It now says, “Santa Claus.”
And his wife’s ID says, “Merry Christmas Claus.”
Bam!
They advertise their holiday services as Mr. and Mr. Claus, complete with a jolly photo, on the Facebook page “Santa and Mrs. Claus.”
Formerly known as Jeff and Mary Brookstein, the married couple walked into the Douglas county courthouse in Omaha, Neb., last week and legally changed their names to Claus.
“I came home one day and said, ‘You know, what about changing our names?’ And she said, ‘I was thinking about that yesterday,’” Santa told KETV in Omaha.
The two, who are both 60, met online, and then she became his Mrs. Claus to his Santa for appearances at holiday parties, day cares and nursing homes. In the offseason, he drives a taxi and she volunteers with several nonprofit groups.
Santa gigs together became their dates. They married two years later after he proposed to her while they were working an event, according to the Omaha World-Herald.
She loved him so.
“I fell in love with this man who could dance with a 102-year-old woman or play with a 6-month-old child and everybody in between,” she told the newspaper.
“He had this huge heart for people. We discovered quickly that we were absolutely perfect for each other.”
At least three other people in the United States have legally changed their names to Santa Claus, according to The Huffington Post, though some people use it without official government blessing.
Last year one legally named Santa Claus ran for a city council seat in North Pole, Alaska — and won.
Santa Claus of Long Island is especially proud to have legal proof of his permanent identity.
“I have it now on my driver’s license,” he told the Huffington Post. “When someone sees me pull up in my pickup truck, I can say ‘Well, I left the reindeer at the airport, they’re being taken care of, and I borrowed this truck. If you need proof here’s my credit card, my driver’s license.’”
The newly minted Merry Christmas Claus in Omaha believes she is the first to legally use that name. A quick Internet search suggests she is right.
“I don’t have children of my own,” Merry told KETV. “So now my job in life, my mission, instead of being a mother, changed to being good to everybody else in the world.”
The Clauses drew a lot of attention at the courthouse last week, dressed in their Mr. and Mrs. Claus outfits.
Santa told reporters on hand that 99 percent of their friends told them “you’re crazy, have fun.”
They’re ready now to live Christmas 24/7, their happily ever after.
“There are children who want to spend time with Santa and Mrs. Claus year-round,” Merry told the World-Herald.
“When people see us they think of love and goodness and happiness, and that’s what we like to bring to them year-round, not just at the holidays.”
This story was originally published November 17, 2016 at 11:04 AM with the headline "Meet Santa and Merry Christmas Claus, a real couple with jolly good names."