Phil Forsythe Next Door: Sparking Joy One Smile at a Time

Everyone is aware of Santa Claus’s actions on Christmas Eve, but what he does throughout the year often remains a mystery. Most of the time. Nevertheless, in Bellefontaine, Ohio, his whereabouts can frequently be discovered as he shares updates on Facebook.

Santa Claus, also referred to as Phil Forsythe locally, has been sending “Merry Christmas” wishes to the community from his Dushane Road deck for 41 years. Although he may struggle with the winter cold more than in the past, he still finds joy in taking the time to brighten people’s days.

“No matter how old they are, everyone recognizes Santa,” Phil remarked.

Phil’s adventure as Kris Kringle started over 50 years ago when he dressed as Santa for a Christmas event at the elementary school in Bellefontaine on East Brown Avenue (then known as Northeastern), where he taught third grade in 1973. This opened doors for him to visit families, deliver gifts, and witness the delight on their faces.

A lifelong resident of Logan County, Phil grew up on a farm close to Huntsville, then relocated to Rushylvania after marrying Jean Schneider 49 years ago. He dedicated his professional life to Bellefontaine City Schools and, despite retiring in 2013, he remains active as a frequent substitute teacher.

Jean, who taught middle school mathematics for 12 years and coached junior high girls’ basketball for three years, is also a skilled seamstress. She crafted Phil’s Santa costume over forty years ago, and due to her meticulous care, he hasn’t required any replacements since.

For Phil, entertaining others as the “jolly old elf” transcends age. “I’ve portrayed Santa for preschoolers and kindergartners,” he recounted, “but older individuals enjoy visits from Santa as well. They can be a bit surprising, though. One lady motioned for me to bend down and, as I did, she kissed my cheek, saying she had always wished to kiss Santa.”

In addition to schools, Phil dresses as Father Christmas for private gatherings and nursing facilities, particularly at Homestead at Logan Acres, where he has served as an assistant activity director for over two years.

However, it was upon relocating to Bellefontaine and constructing a deck at their Dushane Road residence that Phil fully embraced his Santa persona. He spent considerable hours outdoors, often accompanied by his daughter, Lisa, who would play one of Santa’s helpers… until the cold drove her inside.

“I’ve witnessed buses go by, and even a horse and buggy,” he shared. “One weekend, when I first began recording, I tallied 900 vehicles. It would create a traffic jam, and I was worried I’d face consequences, but that never happened.”

In his younger days, Phil could remain on the deck for up to four hours. Nowadays, he can’t manage as long. For instance, during a recent evening, he only managed 40 minutes and mentioned, “I nearly experienced frostbite. I’m 73, and I can’t stay out until 11 like I used to.”

Thankfully, events like Christmas in July offer warmer occasions to embody St. Nick. He also portrays other characters, such as a panda sporting a giant red heart on Valentine’s Day and the Easter bunny at egg hunts. Jean also designed those costumes.

Yet, during this time of year, Phil braves the winter chill to share warmth with others. One special joy for him is witnessing his former students drive by, then years later, bring their own children to wave at Santa. For one former third-grade pupil, it was an opportunity to make amends.

Now an adult, the young man was driving around town with friends when they passed Dushane Road. When he realized Santa was Mr. Forsythe, he requested they stop.

“He approached me and said, ‘I’m“Apologies for not being a great student,” Phil conveyed. “I inquired if he had a moment. When he replied affirmatively, I entered and retrieved his grade book.”

Indeed, Phil is the type of educator who retains grade books to demonstrate to students that they weren’t as inadequate as they perceived. That’s quite a Santa-esque gesture to make. Just what some youngsters might require to shift onto the nice list.

Families are encouraged to reach out to Phil to act as Santa for their kids, even virtually if that’s more convenient. Additionally, he has been known to send letters and cards from Santa Claus, Indiana, making it appear more authentic. Essentially, Phil is constantly eager to brighten someone’s day.

He is especially moved by the kindness and generosity of the Bellefontaine community and feels fortunate to reside here. With this in consideration, he believes it is quite fitting for his hometown to be recognized as the Christmas Capitol of Ohio.

Phil confesses that he was motivated to don the red suit by Willie Yoder from West Liberty, who portrayed the character for 50 years. Although he never anticipated being involved for this long, Phil has no intentions of retiring in the near future. He now aspires to motivate others to make a positive impact on the lives of those nearby. That’s what he deems significant.

“I don’t receive compensation and I wouldn’t desire to,” he concluded. “It’s immensely enjoyable to spread happiness.”