FORT COLLINS, Colo.—About 50 years ago, Jim Siegl picked up a block of wood and an X-Acto knife, and he began to carve. Soon that block of wood was transformed into a tiny elephant—and Jim had begun to shape a lifelong hobby.
From that one elephant grew a few more pachyderm, then other exotic animals, until Jim had handmade an entire circus out of wood—which was later appraised to be one of the largest carved circuses in the world, he said.
When he was finished, the woodworker donated the menagerie to a Wisconsin children’s museum, and began looking for other inspirations to carve.
That’s when he spotted a simple Santa Claus, which he re-created in wood.
“I thought that was cute,” he said. “Maybe I’ll make another.”
Today, the 78-year-old has a lineup of about 130 carved Santas—each one shaped from a block of wood and later painted by his wife, Helen.
The couple haven’t sold any of their pieces beyond a few commissions. Instead, they keep adding to their clan of Clauses simply for the love of the hobby.
“I get a real enjoyment in seeing something out of nothing,” Jim said.
“It’s nothing, to something you can hold and see and share.”
Each piece begins with a solid block of linden wood, which Jim has shipped from his home state of Wisconsin.
From there, he uses various Swiss gouges to begin whittling away at the wood. The carver starts with general shapes of the Santa-to-be, later working down to the finest details of a knit sweater or chubby cheeks.
A 4-inch-tall Santa will take 10 to 15 hours to carve, while a foot-tall one can take at least 100, he said.
From there, each Father Christmas is handed to Helen, who spends just as long mixing paints and delicately brushing on the colors and fine lines.
“When you retire you have a lot of patience,” Helen said, noting that they need it to put in the effort required for each detail. “It’s work, but it’s fun.”
In the end, the couple’s patience pays off with every completed Santa—each one created with his own elaborate personality.
A stoic Scottish Santa wears a red kilt and tam cap, and carries a bag of goodies that have been detailed down to the tiny toy soldier’s face.
Another jolly Claus tinkers with a pile of colorful ornaments—each one unique—which he places on a lush Christmas tree that has been carved by his side.
Many of the Saint Nicks were inspired by pictures the couple have clipped over the years. Others come from their imagination.
But different as they all may be, each one has a home in the couple’s growing collection, which they take out each holiday season.
“They’re all funny,” Jim said with a smile.
In the future, the Siegls hope to keep their Santas together and donate them to a children’s hospital or museum.
But before that, the couple plans to continue creating Kris Kringles from wood.
“We’re retired, and we don’t want to waste our time,” Jim said.
