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Letter to the editor

'Santa Clark' puts on show

old seminole Heights His decorated Central Avenue house is an annual attraction.

By ALEXANDRA ZAYAS, Times Staff Writer
Published December 21, 2007

Belinda Clark just finished her nightly chore, setting up the merchandise table with picture frames from Dollar Tree.

The 17-year-old leaves her post briefly and runs into the four-bedroom house she shares with 10 family members and a big, sleepy chow named Spike.

She exchanges her camouflage do-rag and airbrushed trucker hat for an elf getup, complete with pointy ears.

Grandpa Milam Clark is set for another night. In a full Santa suit, the 67-year-old waves as cars fly by on Central Avenue.

On this block next to the interstate turn north at the House of Meats on Sligh Avenue, little kids run barefoot on the sidewalk. A teenage boy walks down the street holding a baby pit bull. A shirtless man takes a drag off a cigarette.

And a life-sized robotic Santa on the Clarks' front lawn repeats the same offer every night during the holiday season: "How about a song to get you in the holiday spirit?"

The kilowatts are flowing. Thousands of lights blink and flicker. Jingle Bells and Winter Wonderland tinkle on loop.

A flashing mailbox opens and closes. Inflatable Santas dance around a Christmas tree, climb out of an inflatable chimney and wave from a rooftop plane.

A man and his mother slow down in a white car. She waves at Santa Clark and blows him a kiss.

His blue eyes twinkle as he reveals a snaggle-toothed grin from behind his curly, white beard. He beckons to her, "You can sit on my lap and tell me what you want!"

* * *

John Rubio leaves his mother in the car as he walks up to Clark.

"You guys do beautiful work," the 27-year-old says, snapping a photo with his camera phone. "You guys do this every year, right?"

It all started in 1968, when Clark bought a manger scene. His family added a piece or two every year. Because Clark was a truck driver, the family moved around a lot.

They took the decorations with them, and every year in a different house, they added to their collection.

The Clark family likes to collect. The city's code enforcement office says they've had about 22 violations since they moved into the Seminole Heights house 18 years ago. Citations were mostly for junk accumulation in the front and back yards. None involved Christmas decorations, and all have been corrected.

Over the years, the Clarks have racked up $10,000 worth of stuff and holiday kilowatt hours that add about $400 to their regular electric bills. This year, they're selling packages that include an instant photo with Santa and a souvenir toy.

Belinda takes the pictures with a digital camera, prints them from a computer inside, then tucks them into the Dollar Tree frames. The packages sell for $6 to $13, depending on picture size.

She says they've made about $150 so far, but her grandfather says that just covers his costs for the service. "I don't make any money off of this," he says.

This is Clark's first year dressing as Santa; in years past the display was the only draw. The retired truck driver spends his time umpiring baseball. He says it's his love of kids that's kept him on that job for 45 years.

An avid train collector, Clark wants to extend his Christmas display next year to include his model railroads. He thinks he may build a long walkway to lead visitors to a shed in the back yard where they could meet him as Santa in a train room.

"Holy, holy," Rubio says. "We don't even need to go to the suburbs. You guys got the suburbs beat."

* * *

Cars slow, stop and U-turn. They pull into the alley across the street. A camera flashes from the driver's seat of a BMW. Another from an old pickup.

They travel from all over. Some are drawn to the house by the glow from the interstate. Others walk from blocks away.

"I've lived in this city since I was a kid," neighbor Mike Gutierrez says. "Never thought I'd live next-door to the crazy Christmas house. It's like a force of nature - nothing you can do about it."

Three kids hold hands as they cross the street.

"That's really Santa Claus?" 6-year-old Shannon Lise asks 10-year-old Dajia Owens.

Clark hears them. "There's reindeer in the back," he says.

"You got Rudolph?" Shannon asks.

"They're back there, asleep," he says.

Dajia challenges him. "Where's Mrs. Claus?"

Clark responds, "Playing bingo."

* * *

A red Ford SUV slows down. Little heads appear from the window.

"Bring 'em in!" Clark calls.

About a minute later, Leah Kline emerges with three kids. They've taken this route home to North Tampa every night after gymnastics since the lights have been up. Slowly, they absorb the giant blow-up Grinch, the larger-than-life candy canes and jam-packed window display.

"Look, baby Jesus," the mother says.

Two 3-year-olds dart to Clark. He props the boy on his knee.

"What's your name?" he asks.

"Austin."

"Uh, huh. What do you want for Christmas?"

"Hot Wheels that goes in the dragon," Austin says.

As Raquel tells Clark she wants a baby doll and a horsey toy, her mother peruses the picture frames.

"We've got different sizes, different prices," Belinda tells them, and offers to take their picture.

"Maybe I'll bring them all in red shirts next time," Kline says, gathering the kids.

They board the SUV with lollipops as Clark waves goodbye.

The backseat window lowers, and a little hand pops out to return the gesture.

Alexandra Zayas can be reached at azayas@sptimes.com or 226-3354. Times researcher John Martin contributed to this article.

If you go

'Ho-ho-ho'

Milam Clark dresses as Santa between 6:30 and 10:30 p.m. outside his house at 6912 N Central Ave. Clark will play Santa through Dec. 24, but the lights and yard display will be up until New Year's Day.

[Last modified December 20, 2007, 21:21:01]