Friday, April 5, 2013

ALASKA 1: SANTAS HOUSE

Even Santa loves McDonald’s.
We stopped by “The North Pole,” Alaska. Yay, Santa’s house. I was really excited. I love Christmas.
This is from the web site- and the greeting:
The North Pole, Alaska – where the spirit of Christmas lives year’ round!
The North Pole is a growing community that captures the imaginations of visitors to our great state.  Driving through the North Pole in any season, you will notice Christmas decorations, street names, and light poles that reflect our motto.  When you visit the North Pole, be sure to drive down Santa Claus Lane with our new round-a-bouts, and giant candy can light poles.


No visit to the North Pole would be complete without a stop at the Santa Claus House.  This world-famous attraction houses unique gifts, sure to please family and friends back home.  We also have a variety of beautiful restaurants sure to satisfy any palate.  And remember, Santa knows who’s been naughty or nice!





When Con and Nellie Miller arrived in Fairbanks, Alaska, in 1949, they had $1.40 in cash and two hungry kids. Determined to carve out a living in the new territory of Alaska, Con soon became a merchant and fur buyer in the surrounding villages. Donning an old red Santa suit, Con earned celebrity status as Santa Claus in the eyes of the village children - the first St. Nick many had ever seen.

By 1952, the Millers had decided to build a trading post thirteen miles south of Fairbanks, in an area newly dubbed “North Pole.” One day, while hard at work on the new store, a young Alaskan boy recognized Con and asked, “Hello, Santa Claus! Are you building a new house?” Inspiration clicked...the new store would be called “Santa Claus House!”
Since 1952, both the Santa Claus House and the Miller family have experienced many changes. Santa Claus House has received international recognition and publicity from writers and newspapers the world over. The family tradition continues as following generations of Millers build on the past and look forward to the future.
If you should happen to be one of the thousands who visit Santa Claus House each year, you just might catch a glimpse of the Millers as they dash about performing their endless duties. But, whether sending letters to boys and girls around the world or greeting visitors to their Santa Claus House, you know that when they wish you a “Merry Christmas!” they know what they’re talking about!

Santa knows who was naughty and nice just by looking at your antlers.

The Santa House is in between Fairbanks and Eielson Air Force Base. 
The Airbase was excellent, and the drive between there and Fairbanks was kind of bare, cold, and snow.
Fairbanks is roughly the size of New Jersey. In the summer, it is light 24 hours a day and the winter (like jersey) gloomy almost 24 hours a day.


Alaska, you can pan for gold by the Chena River. In Jersey, avoid people with gold teeth by the Hudson River.


Fairbanks is now Alaska’s second-largest metropolis known as the “Golden Heart City,” The Alaska Highway, trans-Alaska oil pipeline, military bases, mining, and the University of Alaska are all that makes Fairbanks critical to Alaska's’ past and future. The city population is around 32,000, but nearly 98,000 live in the Fairbanks North Star Borough.




The Northern Lights aren’t just something stoners name their pot- it comes from Alaska.









At night a crazy, bright and hazy blankets of yellow, green, red, or even purple light brighten the night skies regularly looking like an alien invasion. 

  • Displays take place as low as 40 miles above the Earth’s surface but usually begin about 68 miles above and extend hundreds of miles into space.
  • Clear skies and darkness are essential to see the northern lights. If you stay 3 nights in Fairbanks, you have an 80% chance of seeing them.
  • Almost all planets in the solar system have an aurora of some sort.
We didn’t get to see the lights until the last night, and it was terrific. It reminded me of when you breathe cold air onto a glass but colorful.

The man's seat. I got to sit on it!



I was so excited to see the Official sleigh! I am a huge Santa fan and felt like a little kid there!
This was more information than the story, hope you enjoyed it!