The Storyteller
David M. Smith was the fourth of ten children. Born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and raised in nearby Richland Township, he remembers Christmas as an especially joyful time for his family. Because of sheer numbers, the children were never taken for visits with Santa. As an adult, David sought Santa out—and brought questions.
For years, David had asked Santa questions about his past. Santa answered some, sidestepped others, and kept the full story to himself.
Then, during Santa’s 2025 visit to Gull Meadow Farms in Richland, a skeptical young boy challenged him: “If you are Saint Nicholas, why does Google say Nicholas died in 343?”
Santa replied, “Ho-ho-ho! So THAT’S how they explained my disappearance?! Well . . . let it be.”
Disappearance?!
David pressed the issue—and this time, something had changed. The boy had asked the question that made Santa decide it was finally time to explain. Santa granted David a formal interview.
Becoming Santa Claus: An Origin Story is David’s faithful record of the conversation that followed.