For more than three decades, when the sleigh bells start to jingle in Milford, one man has faithfully answered the call. At 74, Rick George has spent the past 35 years donning the red suit, spreading joy to generations of families, and embodying the generous spirit that defines the holiday season.
It all started, surprisingly enough, at the Milford Animal Control Department. “We were looking for a creative way to raise funds,” George recalls. “Animal control is always at the bottom of the list—if we’re on the list at all.” His solution? Pet photos with Santa. “What’s better than an animal control officer handling the animals?” he laughs. The fundraiser became an instant hit, and after that first season, he never hung up the suit.
From those early days, George's Santa career grew organically. He began volunteering for local nonprofits, partnering with United Way, daycares, schools, and family organizations across Milford and Orange. “I’ve always believed you have to give back,” he says. “I wasn’t born with a silver spoon, so this is my way of returning the kindness others showed me.” To this day, he refuses to accept payment for his work.
George's German heritage adds another layer to his connection with the holiday. His grandfather, a tinsmith who once worked on Boston’s domes, crafted elaborate metal Christmas tree stands and the illuminated star that hung outside the old Raybestos plant in Stratford. “Christmas was always a big deal in our family,” George says proudly. “I still have one of those tree stands he made.”
In his workshop on Depot Road, George builds and maintains his own miniature Santa “set”—complete with handmade décor, trains, reindeer figures, and a small sleigh he purchased at auction. “I wanted people to walk in and feel Christmas hit all their senses,” he explains. “Warmth, sound, light—an atmosphere where kids feel safe.”
The children, he says, are what keep him young. “They make it all worth it,” he smiles. “Now I’m seeing second generations—kids I met thirty-five years ago bringing their own children to see Santa.” Among his most touching memories are visits arranged for families facing loss or illness. He recalls being called to the home of a grandmother too sick to travel: “She passed away a week later, but that night, there was so much love in that room. I’ll never forget it.”
George's Santa duties aren’t limited to photo ops. He rides atop fire trucks in the annual Lamplight Stroll, appears at the Festival of Trees, and still poses for pet photos each winter. “They tell me I can’t retire,” he chuckles. “My sister said they’ll have to carry me out in the suit.”
These days, George shares his holiday duties with a young helper named Anthony, a former student he met while working as a school greeter. Born with a brain tumor, Anthony has faced enormous health challenges, yet his energy and optimism inspire George year after year. "Like me, he doesn’t quit,” George reflects. Anthony is now one of his elves, along with his granddaughter, Fiona.
After thirty-five years, Milford’s Santa Claus shows no sign of slowing down. “As long as I can climb on the fire truck,” he says, “I’ll be there. You don’t stop being Santa just because Christmas ends. You keep the spirit alive all year long.”
"This is my way of returning the kindness others showed me."