Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School

Sometimes, even Santa can learn a thing or two about Christmas. That’s why, each year, dozens of holiday hopefuls from across the country come by car, bus, plane, or reindeer to visit Midland’s own Charles W. Howard (CWH) Santa Claus School. Established in 1937, the CWH Santa Claus School is an Internationally recognized Santa School—the longest continuously running Santa Claus School in the world, to be exact. As a non-profit organization, the school’s mission is to preserve the traditions and history of Santa Claus, while providing students with the necessary tools to further define and improve their individual presentations of Santa Claus.

At the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School, life is not all cookies and milk. Students learn everything from Santa Sign Language to proper beard maintenance. These prospective present-givers are also taught the history of Saint Nicholas, proper
etiquette for media appearances, and even child psychology.

As Charles W. Howard, founder of the esteemed Santa Claus School once said, “He errors who thinks Santa enters through the chimney. Santa enters through the heart.” This philosophy is still carried out in the Midland school today by its current Dean, Thomas Valent, who continues to ensure that Santa Claus is always coming to town.