I’ve driven through Santa Claus, Arizona, and didn’t blink an eye. It wasn’t until coming across a 1953 postcard sent from Jack and Delores to Ruth Ann Tandy in Aurora, Indiana, that I knew there was such a place. In front of the card is a large Santa sign advertising this Arizona location. The couple’s message to Ruth reads like this:
“Dear Ruth Ann,
We ate breakfast at Santa Claus, Arizona this morning. We will be in California tomorrow. I hope you got better and can be up again. We have really seen some beautiful scenery. Having a wonderful time.
Jack & Delores”
Santa Claus, Arizona, was founded in 1937 by Nina Talbot, a real estate developer from Los Angeles. Talbot had an ambitious vision: she wanted to create a Christmas-themed resort town in the remote Arizona desert. Her goal was to attract buyers for the surrounding desert land by giving the area a memorable and magical identity. She named the town “Santa Claus” and set about building a place that would capture the spirit of Christmas all year round.
Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, Santa Claus, Arizona, became a popular stop for travelers along U.S. Route 93, which connects Las Vegas and Kingman. The town featured several holiday-themed attractions, including a Santa Claus Inn, a post office where children could send letters to Santa, and whimsical buildings painted in red and white. Talbot promoted the town through travel guides and advertisements, and it became a beloved curiosity for families and tourists.
One of the key attractions was the opportunity for children to receive postmarked letters from “Santa Claus, Arizona,” making it a unique holiday experience. I believe I received one from there as a kid. The town also boasted a Christmas Tree Room and a gift shop where visitors could purchase toys and souvenirs, further enhancing its festive reputation.
Despite its initial popularity, Santa Claus, Arizona, struggled to attract permanent residents or sell the surrounding land plots as Talbot had hoped. After she sold the property in the 1950s, the town changed hands multiple times. The novelty began to fade, and by the 1970s and 1980s, most of the attractions had closed. Maintenance declined, and the buildings fell into disrepair.
By the early 2000s, all businesses had shuttered, and Santa Claus, Arizona, was effectively abandoned. Today, only a few dilapidated, graffiti-covered structures remain, and the site is considered a ghost town. It serves as a reminder of the era of roadside Americana and the dreams—sometimes fanciful, sometimes fleeting—that shaped the American West.
Santa Claus, Arizona, has left a quirky legacy in American pop culture. It has been featured in guidebooks, travel blogs, and documentaries as an example of the country’s fascination with novelty towns and roadside attractions. While the town itself no longer thrives, its story continues to spark the imagination of those who pass through the desert and stumble upon its strange, festive ruins.
When Jack and Delores drove through there and stopped, undoubtedly the first thing they did was purchase that Santa postcard to mail to their friend. In the card, Delores initially forgot who she was sending it to and wrote, Bettie Jo, before scratching through that name. She’d probably already made out a card to Bettie. I’ve unknowingly sent out two Christmas cards to the same person, having one of those senior moments.
Jack and Delores Tandy were more than just friends to Ruth Ann; they were blood relatives. That took me some time to figure out, with a big thanks to the Dick Tracy in me. Ruth Ann was Jack’s sister. In 1953, she wasn’t married, but on August 3, 1963, Ruth married Ernest Wood Whitaker.
It’s a good thing that Jack and Delores were vacationing in 1953, because in 1954, the couple opened a department store in Aurora, and over the following years, that business grew tremendously to include locations in other cities.
Delores Tandy was born on March 26, 1932, and died February 13, 2019, at age 86. A newspaper obituary paints a glowing picture of her as a loving wife, mother, and grandmother. She was actively involved in the Lutheran church. It appears that Jack Donald Tandy and his sister, Ruth Ann Tandy-Whitaker, are still living. I didn’t pursue them further out of privacy sake.
Fortunately for kids throughout the world, Santa might’ve shut down his operation in Arizona, but he still resides in the state during the summer months. The other day, Mrs. Claus was spotted in the Hospice of Havasu Retail Store looking for a wedding gift for one of their elves.
When asked where her husband was, she replied with a twinkle in her eye, “Playing golf with the boys.”
I like to write junk... 