WALLINS CREEK, Ky. — Mountain Santa readies his sleigh.
It’s a holiday tradition like no other as the Mountain Santa of Harlan County prepares to deliver thousands of gifts and treats to underprivileged children of eastern Kentucky. Mountain Santa was created 45 years ago by the late Mike Howard. His son Jordan Howard prepares for his fourth outing this year dawning his father's big red suit.
“He done it for 42 years and then that’s when he got sick and got cancer and I’ve been doing it ever since then," Howard said.
Beginning Dec. 11, Howard, his sister and dozens of volunteers will lead a caravan of trucks and cover hundreds of miles of winding mountain roads. They deliver wrapped, age-appropriate toys for the children living throughout the area.
“When you can put a smile on anybody’s face, especially a child, because a lot of these kids, they live up in these hollers, they don’t have anything," Howard said.
“I’m just thankful that the Lord is letting me be the man that’s playing the part to be able to do this to distribute the toys to kids during Christmas because you wouldn’t believe how pitiful they are.”
Harlan County is well known for its coal mining history and due to decades of decline, thousands of coal jobs have left the region.
However, in Santa’s satellite workshop, gifts are arriving from hundreds of miles away.
"We had about 1,500 toys come in from Mississippi this past Saturday," Howard said.
And as Christmas Day nears, Howard said it’s not too late to give.
“You can ship it to 268 Santa Lane, Wallins, Kentucky 40873 and it will come right here.” You can also join the Mountain Santa Facebook group to help.
Every gift will be given out.