North Pole

So when Mac and Steve are still lying under the VW kombie, and Susan is at work what could Heather and I do? Yes - we went to North Pole to see Santa.

Susan tells me North Pole was first started by a Christian group, and there certainly are a lot of churches there. I now quote from the postcard I bought: In the early 1950's Con and Nellie Miller, new to Alaska's interior, began a small trading business to the visitors. Donning an old Santa suit, Con earned celebrity status as Santa Claus in the eyes of the village children. In 1952, as the Millers began building a trading post in the new settlement of North Pole, thirteen miles from Fairbanks, some of their you friends called out, "Hey, Santa Claus, are you building a new house?" The name caught on and Santa Claus House was born."

Like everywhere else in the world, North Pole has a McDonalds, but here the pole that holds the golden M is a candy cane pole - as are the street lights.

 I guess Santa is getting on a bit!

 Almost as tacky as Ohakune's carrot.

 Moulting reindeer - well, it is summer.

Heather outside Santa's house.

If you want to write to Santa at North Pole, this is the full address.

The man himself.

Even Santa needs a coffee break.

See - there's me!

And Heather.

For the disabled, a special parking sign.

North Pole Post Office, where I posted my post cards.