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Purcellvilles own Mr. and Mrs. St. Nicholas | LoudounTimes.com

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Purcellvilles own Mr. and Mrs. St. Nicholas

Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011 by Laura Peters | 6 comments | Email this story

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Fred and Sue Medico sit in their custom-made Santa chair in their Bluemont home Dec. 15. Medico and his sons haul the chair to nearby locations where he and his wife volunteer as Santa and Mrs. Claus. Times-Mirror Staff Photo/Beverly Denny

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Tucked away in the far western part of the county you can find Santa and Mrs. Claus in their version of the North Pole. Even on their off days you can tell that they are the dynamic duo with touches of red in their clothing and Santas iconic white beard. Fred and Sue Medico are known as the Santa and Mrs. Claus in Purcellville. They do a majority of their work alongside Purcellville Police Chief Darryl Smith - and they do it all for free. The only compensation the Medicos ask for in return for their appearance as Mr. and Mrs. Claus is toy donations or winter wear for children. Some people want to give us cash and we go, no, no cash. What we want is for them to gather up blankets or whatever it is and do it that way. Youve got to get involved in your community, Fred Medico said. If youre going to deal with us, youre going to have to be involved in your community. The Medicos have been Mr. and Mrs. Claus for more than seven years. It all started when Fred Medico, while still working in a corporate job, hit himself in the face with a tree stump, and in turn, had to grow a beard to cover the scarthus transforming unknowingly into jolly ol St. Nick. The Medicos and Smith participate in different activities throughout Purcellville during the holiday season, including visiting Main Street Commons, a low-income housing community in Purcellville, to greet the children who live there with gifts. The three visited the community again this year on Dec. 21. Theyre upstanding people. They really have hearts of gold. They do so much for the young people and also they really care about our seniors, Smith said. Every year when we have families in need theyre willing to step up and help out and do whatever they can to put a smile on someones face. The Christmas activities have evolved for the Medicos. Smith picks families in the Purcellville area to visit on Christmas Evelast year it was 27 families and this year its 30. The Medicos gather not only gifts but bags filled with paper products and canned goods. Now its developed into Fred and Sue collecting a lot of items also and now we have all kind of bags and goods and fruit baskets and everything else we bring into the homes of those who are less fortunate or some of those who are just very fortunate but still would like to have a visitor for Christmas, Smith said. A lot of people right now look for us on Christmas Eve. Its amazing to
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see their faces and they know who we are now. Its a great time for us.

Behind Fred Medicos drive to continue his good will year after year is one little boy.

I had an interview with a 12, 13-year-old who was challenged. It was kind of late in the afternoon and he asked me to please stick around so he could go home, get his little sister dressed and I said I would, Fred Medico said. He had sat on my lap for about 15 minutes and we just chatted. It touched me, at that point that was it. I couldnt look back. It was that little boy. The smiles on their face what I find in doing Santa is that little kids, I wish it were true in adults, little children have a honesty about them and a love about them thats reflective through their eyes. And the wonder that you see in their eyes is like oh my! Its really, really cool. Thats it, that why I continue.

But, being Santa does have its sad moments. Fred Medico said it breaks his heart when children ask him for their dads to come home from jail or to cure someone with a life-threatening disease. For those children who really touch his heart, he places their names in his prayer book that he carries around all year. Depending on what neighborhood youre in, Ive had requests from anything like Lego toys to Arabian horses, not just the computers but the servers, Fred Medico said. I usually tell the children Santa will bring you what you need and Ill do my best for what you desire. I dont make promises for anything. Live animals - I always tell them that Ive got to talk to mommy and daddy because Im good with toys, not live animals. The Medicos also make this a family affair. Their children portray elves during the Christmas season. What Sue Medico finds to be the most amazing part of her experience as Mrs. Claus is the willingness and ability of people to get involved. We are strictly volunteer. Its a pay it forward, when youre blessed become a blessing, Sue Medico said. Its incredible how many people really want to help. We just go there and spread joy from our good works and people paying forward, were able to have donations. The Medicos also attended the Charles W. Howard Santa School in Midland, Mich., which is known as the nations official Santa school. Howard was the official Macys Santa from 1948 to 1965 and founded the school where Santas could be consistent and learn etiquette, hygiene, the history of St. Nick, contract law and contracts. Fred Medico even had his Santa chair and an ottoman for Mrs. Claus modeled after the one from the Santa school. The height of it is specific, allowing him to avoid injury or stress to his knee from children sitting on his lap. But being Santa Claus does have its obstacles. Both Sue and Fred Medico have had their run-ins with children around Purcellville who recognize them during the off-season. Fred Medico barely goes into town because it confuses children who only see him as Santa. He said he doesnt want to shatter their beliefs. Sue Medico has even told children who have recognized her that theyre mistaken and that Mrs. Claus is actually her sister. As the new year approaches, Fred Medico keeps the belief alive with each child he encounters. I treat children as though the child will never see Santa again. So that experience has to count in the childs memory for life. Thats the kind of impression I make, he said.
Fred and Sue Medico hold up their Santa and Mrs. Claus costumes in their Bluemont home Dec. 15. The couple like to wear red, listen to Christmas music and read Christmas stories year round. Times-Mirror Staff Photo/Beverly Denny

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