Christmas Eve is the day that Santa Claus makes his storybook flight delivering gifts to good little boys and girls around the world. Before departing on the journey this year, he flew into Warren County for a visit with one of his biggest fans.
At 105-years-old, Mary Summa could also be one of Santa’s oldest fans.
“As you can imagine, today is a very busy day for me,” said Santa. “However, I occasionally take a few minutes to visit someone like Mary, who has believed in me for so long.”
According to Summa’s daughter, Elaine, her mother put the magic in Christmas and never wavered in her attempts.
“Mom always made a big deal out of Christmas, with decorating the inside of the house and baking,” said Elaine. “My dad always decorated the outside of the house. On Christmas Eve, my parents knew a couple that didn’t have children and they would come over. My brother and I had to go to bed.”
While the children were nestled all snug in their beds and visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads, the adults would be busy for hours creating Christmas magic.
“They would stay up for hours,” said Elaine. “My dad, Elbert, and his friend would bring the tree in and put the tree up. My mother and her friend would decorate it. Then, they would get the toys ready. They would be up to 2 a.m. or 3 getting everything ready. On Christmas morning, Santa had come. It was magical. When we went to bed, none of that was there. We thought Santa did it. We believed in Santa Claus.”
Christmas day was family time.
“It all started when we came down the stairs and saw that tree,” said Elaine. “All the lights were on and everything. It was special. There would be a new doll for me and a pair of boots for my brother. My brother and I would play under the Christmas tree and Christmas day was family time. I remember I could smell the Christmas tree and the baking going on in the kitchen. Our Christmases were the old traditional ones; I guess those are a thing of the past. In some ways it’s kind of sad, or maybe not. Maybe there are new traditions for families.”
Before heading back to the North Pole and the long journey ahead, Santa said his favorite Christmas song is “White Christmas;” his favorite Christmas cartoon is “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer;” his favorite cookie is “all of them,” and in the holiday spirit the jolly old elf presented Mary with gifts and a hug.
 “Santa hugged me,” Mary said, of her experience meeting St. Nick.
 Linda Gilbert, a family friend arranged the surprise visit.
“I wanted to make this Christmas a special one for Mrs. Summa and Elaine,” said Gilbert. “I called them and told them that they would be getting a big surprise on Christmas Eve. All I told them is that an out-of-state visitor wanted to meet Mary while in town. I didn’t tell them that it would be Santa Claus. It’s not often that Santa visits a 105 year old, who still believes in the wonder of the season and him.”
With the passing of her father and the age of her mother, Elaine continues the tradition of putting up a tree, decorating the house inside and out, and baking items for guests who stop for a visit on Christmas.