Listen Live
BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The holidays would not be the same without two jolly faces who make the season shine a little brighter.
For many children, the magic of Christmas is reliant on one person in particular: Santa Claus. Anyone can wear a costume and call themselves Kris Kringle, but it takes a special person to be Santa.
Doug Starcher is “technically” retired and notoriously known throughout downtown Bellingham for his involvement with public events, the Bellingham Theatre Guild, Downtown Bellingham Partnership (DBP), Wild Buffalo and more. Starcher moved to the county at the age of eight and has remained here for 58 years.
“My favorite thing about the [county] is the people,” Starcher said. “We have all of the most wonderful ‘things’ you can have for an environment to live in, but what makes it magical is the people.”
He and his wife are very active in the Whatcom community and are well-known by many. But for the last five years when December rolls around, he is better known as Mr. Claus.
In December 2020, the DBP was looking for ways to engage people while keeping them socially distant amid the pandemic. Starcher was asked to be Santa Claus for an event where families could pose at a distance from Santa and take a photo. He was happy to help and attended the event at Boundary Bay Brewery.
Those volunteering at the event quickly took notice that Starcher’s wife, Lynn, would make the perfect Mrs. Claus. After mulling it over, Lynn agreed—so long as she was the one choosing their Mr. and Mrs. Claus attire. Ever since, the couple has appeared as Mr. and Mrs. Claus at Boundary Bay as well as many other locations around Whatcom County—the newest location in 2024 being NEKO Cat Cafe.
Starcher shared that it has been an honor gathering at Boundary Bay for the annual holiday, especially this year, seeing as the business plans to close permanently in 2025.
When asked about the most rewarding part of being Santa, Starcher noted that he and his wife had been many kids’ first and only Santa and Mrs. Claus. He loves to see little ones come around the corner, see Santa and literally “stop… then animate!”
“The most important thing to me is there are kids who show up for whom you are Santa. It’s not negotiable, you are the real deal,” Starcher said. “There comes a point where kids say, ‘You’re not the real Santa.’ Figuring out how to navigate that seems like it might be laced with pitfalls, but I’m a pretty pragmatic guy so I say, ‘You’re right I’m not the real Santa, but I work for him.”
One of Starcher’s most notable observations is the level of shyness some young children experience when faced with meeting Santa Claus.
During the pandemic, he had one mom tell him that her daughter talked about meeting Santa non-stop in the car ride there, then as soon as she came face to face with him, she was too nervous to get anywhere near. However, as soon as they left and got back into the car, she talked about how wonderful Santa was and that she couldn’t believe he knew her name.
Being Santa year after year is not a job that Starcher takes lightly. He works during the holidays as he does throughout the rest of the year with the drive and intention to leave a lasting impact on individuals and the community.
He and his wife have experienced a lifetime of activism in the community, looking to engage others because they are committed to the “magic of the place and the people.” Though they did not have children, he hopes that their impact ripples through the following generations.
Though their time standing in as Mr. and Mrs. Claus around town has ended for the year, families can look forward to seeing the couple around Whatcom County during the holiday season in 2025.
As folks all over celebrate Christmas today, Starcher—or rather Santa—wants to remind community members of an important holiday message:
“Now and going forward, probably the most important thing is for people to remember that we are a community, that we’re neighbors, that we’re family. We don’t always agree about everything, sometimes we don’t agree about anything, but we’re still a community and we still have to take care of each other.”
We are Whatcom is a weekly column featuring Whatcom County residents making a positive impact on the community. To submit a Whatcom County resident to be featured, click here.